Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003
Members of the council gathered at 8:45 a.m. for Bible study .
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The Agenda committee reported.
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Election of the Deputy Prolocutor : (A simple majority is required.) Nominees were Larry Beardy, Bruce Bryant-Scott, Peter Elliott, Iain Luke, Logan McMenamie, Kim D. Murray and Alan Perry. Members voted.
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Budget : A resolution approving the budget for 2004 as proposed by FMD committee was presented. Carried . A resolution to provide for a budget review committee similar to that existing in 2003 was presented. Some members questioned the need for such a committee. Carried . A friendly amendment was proposed to limit the work of the committee to the period of time before the next meeting of Council. The motion carried .
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Election of the Deputy Prolocutor : A second ballot took place.
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A resolution was presented asking the Chancellor to review legislation incorporating General Synod to see if changes are required with respect to investments. Carried .
A resolution was presented asking General Synod to amend the constitution to make the Treasurer an Officer of General Synod. Carried .
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Election of the Deputy Prolocutor: Peter Elliott was elected Deputy Prolocutor.
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PWRDF : A motion was presented asking the Primate and Prolocutor to extend observer status with voice and vote to representatives of PWRDF at General Synod 2004.
The primate noted that the primate and prolocutor can extend voice but not vote. (The reso-lution will be reworked.)
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Motion (Falby/Elliott) presented that Council
- ask the General Secretary to express its appreciation to the federal government for the introduction of an ADR process and for the changed requirements for signing releases and advises that General Synod will continue to con-sult as to its response and
- that the government proposal regarding the signing of a partial release be referred to the Of-ficers for decision after consultation with co-chairs of ACIP through its co-chairs advisory group, the Plan B task force and negotiating team, and such others as the Officers deem ap-propriate and that Council urge the Officers to reach a decision by Dec. 31 2003. A motion suspending the rules of order in view of the fact the motion was presented after the deadline was carried .
Part 1 carried .
Part 2 carried .
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Council received a report from the Mission Co-ordination Group .
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Council received a report from the General Synod Planning Committee .
A motion was presented asking that ACIP members not elected as members to General Synod be invited to attend as partners.
Eucharist – 11 a.m.
Lunch
Continued . The appointment of additional members will be negotiated between ACIP and GSPC mindful of the allocated budget of $30,000. Carried .
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Council received a report from the Council of the North .
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The Anglican Award of Merit Committee will report next March
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Council received reports from the General Secretary .
Council was asked to accept an invitation from the diocese of Rupert’s Land to host General Synod, 2007 . Carried .
Council acknowledged a similar invitation from the diocese of Ontario which was declined.
Council approved a Canadian Council of Churches statement on anti-semitism.
There were a number of items for information.
Council moved to an in camera session to con-sider a nomination for the position of Archivist .
The primate announced that Nancy Hurn , a City of Toronto archivist, has been appointed General Synod Archivist.
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The Chancellor reported on behalf of the Handbook Monitoring Committee .
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Council heard a reflection by ECUSA partner Stephen Lane . Mr. Lane reported on ECUSA’s General Convention last summer and on events in the church since then.
Resolutions
Council approved a motion asking the primate to invite four representatives of PWRDF to attend General Synod where they may speak with permission but not vote or participate in debate. Carried .
Council approved a motion affirming the principle of the autonomy of Provincial jurisdictions.
Council approved a motion welcoming the establishment of the Indigenous Covenant Imple-mentation Commission.
Council received the Framework and its priorities; commended the draft to dioceses and committees for consideration, and requested fur-ther development of the plan in order that a re-vised document be brought to the next meeting of the Council.
Council approved a motion asking the General Secretary to communicate to the Minister of Immigration its deep regret at the denial of visas to delegates at the Lutheran World Federation gathering.
Council approved a motion congratulating ELCIC on its hosting of the LWF Assembly.
Council carried a motion communicating grave concern to the federal government at its refusal to conduct a public inquiry into the case of Maher Arar.
Primate’s closing remarks
Archbishop Peers commented on provincial autonomy and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s appointment of a commission and on the tempta-tion by some to look for intervention. “This is a short-term debate with long-term consequences.” People have the option to leave, but for people to tell others they must leave is not a feature of our life.
He noted he was first elected to this body in 1973 and with a couple of breaks has been a member ever since. He said that at first he did not like this body because he felt the life was in the committees and that is where things were accomplished. He recalled council meetings of 1994 where council struggled with a strategic plan and where decisions were made with wide implications. At that time this body was directed to become more involved in planning. The coun-cil has acquired more substance as a result.
He noted that in his time he has been involved in two changes of management at Church House. When he came to church house, the management structure was very complex, and he changed it. He created the office of the principal secretary.
People keep asking what he is going to do af-ter Feb 1. Between then and the installation of the next primate, he will not undertake speaking commitments. He said his prime goal after Feb. 1 will be to get a life. It’s time, after an extraordi-nary life in the church, to get one on his own.
He has been to more than 60 of these meetings. He will miss people, but it’s high time for a change “and I wish you the blessings of the time between February and June and my prayers are certainly with the General Synod. I shall see you in whatever cameo role you create for me at the thing. I shall be glad to drive down for that and glad to drive away.
” This is one of those groups in the life of the church that has got better as it has got older. Not all of us can say that.”