Respond to the Scouts Canada Draft Strategic Plan

One Member Wrote...

I'm sending a quick note in support of SCOUT eh!'s proposal to institute Democracy into OUR organization.

Whenever anyone is asked their opinion and has a vote on how something should be done, it's amazing how much energy and enthusiasm that person will put into accomplishing that idea. It's no longer a job but a mission.

Do yourself a favour, invigorate the volunteers that drive these programs for the youth.

Give us a vote on how OUR organization is run. I don't get paid for this but I would at least like to know that it is being run by people that are accountable. Accountable for what they do (i.e. with our money/assets) and accountable to the volunteers and youth.

Accountability in anything we do will bring out the best performance in anyone.

Yours in Scouting,

Ian Chin Pang
Akela, Pack A, Third Meadowvale, Ontario

Updated: February 2, 2005

Scouts Canada is working on a new "strategic plan". After six drafts, asked for the input of the membership. Sort of. The cover letter that accompanies the draft indicates that it was supposed to be sent to each group. Few, if any, groups actually received it and the deadline for comments was February 15, 2005.

Then SCOUT eh! posted a copy here on our web site. Within days, Scouts Canada posted a copy on their web site along with an on-line survey. They also extended the deadline for comments to March 7, 2005.

While the document makes some vague references to "participatory structure", the issue of governance is not substantially addressed. Scouts Canada needs to hear that democracy is the number one priority. Democracy will solve many of Scouts Canada's problems and will make the remaining challenges solvable.

Please send your comments. Let Scouts Canada know that before anything else, we need democracy. But don't be fooled by the on-line survey. The survey constrains choices to options that the Board of Governors has provided and democracy is not an option. If you use the on-line survey, make sure you use the write-in boxes to say what you really think.

Comments should be sent by March 7, 2005 to the address below. Please also copy your comments to us: <info@scouteh.ca>.

Cheryl Dinelle
Scouts Canada National Office
1345 Baseline Road
Ottawa ON  K2C 0A7

Fax: +1 613 224-3571

Original posting: January 21, 2005

Scouts Canada is working on a new "strategic plan". After six drafts, they are asking for the input of the membership. Sort of. The cover letter that accompanies the current draft indicates that it is supposed to be sent to each group. Few, if any, groups have actually received it and the deadline for comments is February 15, 2005. SCOUT eh!has a copy and you can download your copy here.

While the document makes some vague references to "participatory structure", the issue of governance is not substantially addressed. Scouts Canada needs to hear that democracy is the number one priority. Democracy will solve many of Scouts Canada's problems and will make the remaining challenges solvable.

Please send your comments. Let Scouts Canada know that before anything else, we need democracy.

Comments should be sent by February 15, 2005 to the address below. Please also copy your comments to us: <info@scouteh.ca>.

Cheryl Dinelle
Scouts Canada National Office
1345 Baseline Road
Ottawa ON  K2C 0A7

Fax: +1 613 224-3571