The AGM
(September 28, 2005)

When a friend is in need, a true friend helps most indeed. 

This is one of the mottoes I like to live by. So when my friend Fitzpatrick O'Chang told me, he was in need - I asked no questions. I simply came, most indeed. 

I arrived at the small neighbourhood church around 7:15 p.m. Fitz was standing in the lobby. 

“Suzy, I'm glad you made it.” 
“When a friend is in need...” 
“Most indeed.”

He explained the situation. That evening in the church was the Annual General Meeting of the local homeless shelter association. Fitz was running for president. He ran for president last year but lost in a close ballot to Bissie Bickelstaff. Bissie had been president for, as Fitz put it, “eons”. Fitz lost the election because numerous ‘members’ purchased their membership at the Annual General Meeting for the sole purpose of voting for Bissie.  

Needless to say, or write, Fitz and Bissie do not like each other. 

Fitz would not be denied this year. He recruited all his friends to purchase memberships (including myself) at the AGM. Whoever recruited the most memberships would win the election. Fitz invited enough people to guarantee a victory. 

“Isn't that sort of wrong? I mean I have nothing to do with the association - should I really be determining the outcome of it?”

“Sure. Paul Martin sold lots of Liberal memberships to ensure he became leader. However unlike our Prime Minister, I’m not trying to live my father's dreams. I really want to make positive changes to the association. I want to make a difference in someone’s life – for the better.”

This seemed intelligent and heartfelt so I agreed to the plan. I purchased my Homeless Shelter Association membership for $20 and went downstairs to the meeting room. 

Inside the meeting room, tens of chairs were arrange neatly in rows. In the middle of the rows was an empty aisle. It was evident that the right-hand side of the room was pro Fitz and the left-hand side was pro Bissie. I found a seat quickly as Fitz’s side was filling to capacity. 

There was lot of chatter until the gavel hit the podium at the front of the room.

“Good evening, my name is George Downs. I will be the moderator in charge of the meeting. I am not a member of this association and am not well acquainted with the board. I am independent of all Association matters. Now, Mr. O'Chang, you are the challenger so you have the floor first. Mr. O'Chang?” 

Fitz arouse from his chair next to me and quickly moved to the podium.

“Almost a year ago to the day, I stood here giving a deeply emotional speech. Many of you were here and remember it. I talked about how things have slipped, how ideas were becoming stale, how it was time for a new leaf to be turned, a time for a new direction without compromising the association's mission statement. I talked about creating hope for the homeless, helping the needs of the people, the neighbourhood. I talked about the need for action. 

The result? A closely contested loss. 

Now standing here one year later, I am here standing before you giving a speech. But this time, this year, I'm not asking you for your vote. No. I'm not even pleading for your vote. I’m telling you to vote for me. Why you ask?

In the past year homelessness has remained in the neighbourhood. Our plan, our policies are failing. People are sad. People are hurt. People are suffering. We, the Association, have failed to the neighbourhood. We, as individuals, have failed the neighbourhood as well - however none more than our hapless president of this respected Association. 

In the past year, the president has not introduced any new plans, or policies to eliminate homelessness in the neighbourhood. Instead she has introduced policies that will make it almost impossible to remove her from power. The result? The Association, us, are in a perpetual state of inertia. 

People are suffering; people are dying; yet we're stand idle. 

I stand hear to tell you, that you must vote for me. We need to help those in need. Yes indeed. 

Thank you. “

There was a standing ovation from the back row - obviously my fellow Fitz induced members. George returned to the microphone.

“Please. This is a homeless shelter association annual general meeting, not a football game. The crowd quieted. I looked to the row of men beside me pulling down their shirts. Each had written a letter on their chest to spell “Fitz”

“Thank you. And now your esteemed President Bissie Bickelstaff!”
Unbiased my pooped filled bum!

A huge ovation from the left-hand side echoed throughout the hall. 
“Yes Mr. O'Chang’s allegations are true.” 

A hush swept across the crowd like a prairie wind. Only once had I heard a hush. I was relieved that this hush was not about me and a certain misunderstanding.

“Homelessness has not decreased in the past year. We realise this are looking into the reasons why. Homelessness is not a knee-jerk reaction. It’s cause and effect. We know the effect: it’s homelessness. We are trying to find the cause. 

For example, when I introduced the 24-hour shelter, seven years ago, it was because we learned that homeless people did not go to a shelter during office hours. Most arrive much later – when the coldness gets unbearable. Because we understood cause and effect we were able to develop a policy that met the needs of the homeless.

Currently we know there is one cause still outstanding that creates homelessness. The Canadian Mental Health Association told us that 30% of the homeless have mental illnesses. We are currently waiting for the provincial government to reopen the mental hospital on Argyle Street as they promised in their election platform. MPP Dawes is working closely with us but we know the current affairs of our government keeping campaign promises. We all know how governments are."

The left side of room laughed at Bissie's pathetic attempt at humour.

"For the other homeless, we’ve conducted studies, consulted with the latest findings of the Canadian Homelessness Association and other homeless shelters in the city but the cause, or causes, (yes it may be more than one) is still unknown. I will not create programs, solutions to problems to which we have no answers. It’s cause and effect.

It is also true that during the past year I had been introducing policies that will make it harder for people like my opponent to become president of this association. I do not think someone should be elected based solely on the number of memberships they can sell at the AGM. Board positions need to be earned. They need experienced personnel. 

I’m not ordering you, instructing you or even telling you to vote for me. Please use your democratic right as a free person of liberty to vote your conscious. I will accept whatever outcome because the people have spoken. 

Thank-you and have a pleasant tomorrow.”

Even someone like myself, an unsophisticated and uneducated to political aspects knew Bissie was a seasoned politician.  Fitz was in a panic.

“This is bad Suzy. She did everything right. A corrupt politician’s first mission is to associate themselves with the morally good candidate as quickly as possible. ‘I agree with Johnny DoGood’. She can’t say ‘I don’t want to help homelessness’. 

Then she mentioned her past achievements as an afterthought. ‘When I did this’ for example. Then she spun everything, and I mean everything, I said. 

Finally she contradicted me just enough to slightly separate herself from me. 

I'm glad I brought in reinforcements so I can beat this lady. She spoke everything in threes like any corrupt politician. She’s pure evil... like an elderly Brian Mulroney.”

He paused and said nothing.  I think he was daydreaming of the future when he was President of the Association.  Then, he realised...

“Thank you Suzy. Thank you for coming out to support me.”
Fitz reached into his pocket. 
“Here is the $20 reimbursement for purchasing your membership that I owe you.”
He shook my hand. 
“Thanks again Suzy. I do appreciate it.”

I walked to the voting booth and voted for my friend. I mingled with a few of my fellow members until the votes were tallied. Finally George returned to the podium. 

“The votes have been tabulated and the winner is...”
“I don’t. This can’t be right. Really? Ladies and Gentlemen of the Association, it is a tie. Bissie Bickelstaff and the other guy are tied.”

A second hush fell over the crowd until Fitzpatrick spoke.
“According to the Constitution, subsection 6.9 states we must conduct a revote.”

A third hush fell over the crowd until Bissie replied.
“Yes but subsection 6.9.1 states that if the voter turnout is above one hundred then the winner is the incumbent.” 

Fitz held up his constitution. 
“That's not in my constitution. When was that added?”

“Yesterday at an emergency meeting.” 
“But according to subsection 18.26, the Constitution can not change 24 hours prior to the AGM.” 

“The meeting was held at 4:00 a.m. yesterday. Well before 24 hours.” 
“But in subsection 141, paragraph 837 it states, and I quote…”

Tired of political charged AGMs I quietly slide out of the meeting room into the actually church praying part. Standing at the collection plate, stashing loose change in her coat pockets was a teenage girl. 

“Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine. I’m just waiting for the Association Meeting to end.”
“You tired of the shenanigans too?”
“What?”
“I mean with all the power struggles going on in the meeting and all.”
“Oh, I’ve been up here the whole time.”
“You’re not a member of the Association?”
“Not a voting member.”

I understood the subtleness of the girl’s words.

“Is the shelter closed right now?” I asked.
“Yes.”

So much for Bissie’s 24 hour service.  I guess she needed every vote she could get - even if it meant closing the shelter for a few hours.

“There’s a sign on the door saying the shelter will reopen when the AGM meeting is over. It’s a little cold tonight so I was waiting in here but the minister told me they were closing in a few minutes.”

I heard Fitz’s voice from downstairs.
“Oh yeah, well subsection 10 923, paragraph 64 states…”

“There are going to be a while down there.”

“Say, would you like to have a cup of coffee with me?”
“Oh I couldn’t.”
“Sure you could. No one can resist Starbucks.”
“’Starbucks? Oh, I wouldn’t know what to order.” 
“It’s okay, I’m an amateur Starbucks connoisseur”

We started to leave the church.

“Aren’t their coffees like really expensive?”
“Don’t worry, I was just given $20 that I think was suppose to be for you.”