NCF Board of Directors
Minutes of Board Meeting
November 19, 2024
Minutes of a meeting of the Board of Directors
Board members present:
Anis Hanna (gb499) Chair
Peter MacKinnon (fr198) 2nd Vice-Chair
Graeme Beckett (aw958) Secretary
Chris Cope (bz787)
Stephen Fanjoy (gd782)
Asiya Shams
Spencer Callaghan
Len Fardella
Regrets:
Majd Karam (gc029) 1st Vice Chair
Sean Geddes
NCF Management/Staff present:
Executive Director: Shelley Robinson
Guests:
None
- Confirmation of Quorum
Quorum was confirmed
- Consent Agenda (45 minutes: questions & comments or corrections)
- Approval of minutes of previous board meeting October 15 2024
Motion: To move in-camera.
Proposer: Peter MacKinnon (fr198)
Seconder: Stephen Fanjoy (gd782)
The motion was carried.
- Executive Director's Report
The Executive Director's report was submitted in advance of the Board meeting. Highlights of the open portion of the meeting are provided below.
NCF members at Apr. 1, 2024: 4860
NCF members at Aug. 1: 4581
NCF members at Sept. 1: 4523
NCF members at Oct. 1: 4472
Updates since the last meeting:
Workshops:
• On Tuesday, October 29
th we hosted an online panel discussion on “Fake News,
Disinformation and Misinformation”. We had 70 people register and about 35 people
attend. The topic was particularly salient given how close it was to the US election and
the anticipated federal and provincial elections. We’re reviewing the recording to assess
if we can post it on the website and will be posting some resources that came up from
the discussion. Thanks to our panellists and all who attended!
• On Wednesday, November 13th we hosted a hybrid in-person and online workshop on
safe Passwords and Password Managers. We had 44 people register and 34 attend.
Thanks to Chris Taylor from the Ottawa PC User Group for offering the session and the
Pinecrest-Queensway Employment Services Centre for hosting! This session was also
recorded and we’re reviewing it.
• We’re offering 10 more workshops to discuss digital equity issues and offer hands-on
digital skills training between now and the summer so stay tuned! This workshop series
is supported by funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities
Fund. We appreciate the opportunity to bring back our workshops after having to pause
them during the pandemic.
Member Survey and Strategic Planning:
• The Board met on Sat. Oct. 26 to discuss NCF’s 2025-2028 Strategic Plan. Thanks to
Invest Ottawa for the use of their lovely Board Room space. The review included results
from the most recent Membership Survey. We had 315 responses: thanks to everyone
who submitted their comments!
- Strategic plan draft document (Asiya Shams)
The strategic plan was discussed in-camera.
Motion: To approve the consent agenda.
Proposer: Stephen Fanjoy (gd782)
Seconder: Chris Cope (bz787)
The motion was carried.
- Strategic Discussion: (60 minutes)
- Discussion on updating Vision, Mission and Organizational Purpose
The Board has proposed an updated mission statement and purpose for the NCF. The letters patent are also referred to as the purpose. These will need to be ratified by the members of the NCF at the Annual General Meeting.
Mission:
National Capital FreeNet is a not-for-profit internet provider committed to advancing digital equity. We believe everyone has a right to affordable, high-quality internet that they can understand how to use, while feeling safe online.
NCF provides internet access, digital skills support, and advocates for affordability and digital equity to help connect everyone in our community, with the understanding that some groups are disproportionately impacted by the digital divide.
Purpose:
The Objects of the Corporation are:
To provide internet access, digital skills support, and advocate for affordability and digital equity to help connect everyone in our community, with the understanding that some groups are disproportionately impacted by the digital divide.
Motion: To accept the mission statement and the objects of the corporation as discussed.
Proposer: Chris Cope (bz787)
Seconder: Asiya Shams
The motion was carried.
- Date of Next Meeting _________
The next Board meeting was initially to be December 17, 2024 and was subsequently changed to Jan 28, 2025: Hybrid, electronic and in-person at NCF office.
- Standing agenda item for discussion without staff and review (15 minutes)
- Discussion item (Anis Hanna)
This item is conducted in-camera.
Motion: To move out of camera.
Proposer: Chris Cope (bz787)
Seconder: Asiya Shams
The motion was carried.