[Patm]

<strong>Written By:</strong> Patm
<strong>Date:</strong> 2007-02-09 08:41:23
<a href="/article/224123311-cap-accepts-resignation">Article Link</a>

The National Executive of CAP convened meetings on two separate occasions specifically to address Catherine Whelan Costen’s concerns and allegations.

Catherine Whelan Costen refused to attend both meetings, and she failed to answer the questions of the National Executive sent to her by letter
subsequent to the first meeting.

The first meeting was a conference call among the National Executive on
December 2, 2006. The second was a face to face meeting held in Vancouver on February 3rd and 4th, 2007.

Eight days prior to the previously scheduled February 2007 meeting,
Catherine Whelan Costen chose to resign and publicly broadcast her
resignation letter.

This CAP National Executive letter in reply emerges from the February 3rd and 4th National Executive meeting held in Vancouver BC.

The National Executive is in agreement that e-mails do not constitute
proper communication for the resolution of internal disputes. Catherine has simply refused to speak with us and we do not understand why.

The National Executive maintains that Catherine’s allegations are unfounded and we stand firmly behind our leader.

The Canadian Action Party National Executive

(In attendance: Debbie Anderson, Secretary of CAP, and Chair of
Constitutional and Legal Affairs; Michael Pengue, Treasurer; Marc Bombois, Vice President; Beverley Collins, Vice President; Gerry Ackerman, Chair of Finance Committee; Wendy Forrest, Chair of Policy Committee; Paul McMurray, Chair of Organization Committee; Connie Fogal, Leader.

Absent: Claudia Hudson, Vice President)

[Diogenes]

"This kind of crap doesn't belong in a public forum and normally I wouldn't write such a thing but, Catherine going public with a one-sided and misleading condemnation of the party like this demands a response."
Hmmm?
So now crap DOES belong on a public forum?

Interesting.

---
[juris ignorantia est cum jus nostrum ignoramus]

it is ignorance of the law when we do not know our own rights"

lex ferenda

[boflaade]

One learns once married, that the gal is still beautiful but uses the crapper like everyone else. No one is perfect and it depends on how well the imperfections are accepted. I expected CAP to be that gal and forgot about the crapper. It's now a wait and see.

---
Expect little from life and get more from it.

[Dr Caleb]

These are changing times. If a regnisation submitted online and publically is accepted, perhaps online and publically is the way to accept it.

---
"I think it's important to always carry enough technology to restart civilization, should it be necessary." Mark Tilden

[boflaade]

>>perhaps online and publically is the way to accept it.<

Indeed. We receive the news direct and from the pary's mouth. The news media would direct it in the form & manner, that they judge. Emails & Fax have also allowed direct communication but rather limited to a volume of readers. VIVELECANADA is a direct source and to whom is interested. It is also a place where one can voice an appropriate opinion.



---
Expect little from life and get more from it.

[whelan costen]

Interesting comments. Perhaps a little clarity is in order.

First question is; is this an official CAP document and if so why was it
submitted through Pat Meloy and not through the usual process? As per the
comment above, 'we receive the news from the party's mouth', but did we?
Why isn’t it on CAP’s website? Is Pat Meloy the official spokesperson for CAP
at this time, or just this venue?

Does the membership have the right to know when an elected executive
member resigns? Do you see any resignations of the 5 other people posted
on CAP’s website? If the membership is to be involved with the direction of
the party, and the Convention is the Supreme Governing body; how do the
members become informed on the party business?

If I had access to the membership I could have written to them directly and
they could have written back to me. After all 'they' elected me; not the
National Executive, nor Connie Fogal. Rather than having the public
understand the issues, CAP could have involved its own members in an
inquiry, which is what I requested, but the executive refused and considered
it threatening to the party.

Although my resignation is not posted on vive, the fact that I resigned is
posted on vive. The National Executive could have informed their members
via email broadcast, as they do with all kinds of information. They could have
posted it on CAP’s website. They did neither.

I could have enjoyed an all expense paid trip to Vancouver as was offered and
apparently accepted by the others. I chose not to use membership money for
such a ridiculous event. I wonder who declared that the only way to resolve an
internal conflict was at an all weekend ‘pj party’ at Connie’s house? I like a
paper trail, they did not want one.

As for the statement that I refused to talk to them; Jim Jordan (previous
policy chair/secretary and founding member of CAP) twice asked to act as
mediator in this conflict, twice I accepted his offer, twice Connie refused.
Wouldn’t that be considered talking?

This submission is contributed by Pat Meloy, a declared CAP member with no
first hand knowledge of the events. I have never received a response to my
letter of resignation from CAP executive, although I sent it to all of them, and
as many members as I had emails for, prior to posting any notice on vive.

Since there are many misleading statements in Pat’s posting, I must ask if this
is an official CAP document, or how it came to be presented as it is? It does
not have any of the standard signs that it is prepared by CAP. It is not on
CAP’s website and neither is my resignation.

As for my not responding to their letter; I would be pleased to provide anyone
with a copy of my response to their letter, which they acknowledge receipt of;
although they did not like the contents of it. Not liking what I said and not
receiving a response are entirely different things.

According to this submission, they have declared with such predictability that
‘they stand in support of their leader’ but I have yet to see anyone stand for
truth. Nor have I seen anyone stand for the members or their resolutions.
Which is why I resigned.

I resigned publicly because there was no other way to reach the members. It
really is that simple. The documentation on this issue is about six inches
deep and can certainly be made available to any CAP member.

How CAP deals with internal matters in the future is their affair, but I will not
be funding it any longer. An external audit would have resolved much of this
and saved the party the expense of paying airfare for executive members to
fly from all across Canada to Vancouver.

---
"aaaah and the whisper of thousands of tiny voices became a mighty deafening roar and they called it 'freedom'!"' Canadians Acting Humanely at home & everywhere

[boflaade]

First question is; is this an official CAP document and if >>so why was it submitted through Pat Meloy and not through the usual process? As per the comment above, 'we receive the news from the party's mouth', but did we? Why isn’t it on CAP’s website?

Is Pat Meloy the official spokesperson for CAP at this time, or just this venue? <<

I would wonder why CAP would choose a blog to discuss in house problems. The public & members do have the right to know the "truth". As you made clear, the resignations nor reasons have been made on the CAP website. But I must ask why, you would choose this particular blog (Vive).

>I resigned publicly because there was no other way to reach the members. It really is that simple<<

Are the members in recluse or do they refuse communication with you? Is this the reason you use Vive, Because CAP has members on this blog or are members of this blog "also" CAP members?

It is evident what you say. Not all is clear. CAP nor Vive Le Canada seem true at this point.


---
Expect little from life and get more from it.

[whelan costen]

All good questions boflaade -

"I would wonder why CAP would choose a blog to discuss in house problems."

I know there is a perception that a political party is a private club, but that
has never been my understanding nor my intention. CAP is a federal political
party, we accept donations from the public and provide tax receipts for those
donations. As such the public has a right to know what is happening with
their money and I believe when the members asked for transparency, they are
owed that from the executive.

"The public & members do have the right to know the "truth". As you made
clear, the resignations nor reasons have been made on the CAP website."

This is the question I would like to see clarified. Who is the author of this
letter posted by Pat Meloy?

" But I must ask why, you would choose this particular blog (Vive)."

I did not post my letter on vive. I posted a notice of my resignation because
members on vive have known about my position and I felt it only fair to give
notice of my change of status. I started contributing on vive when it first
began and have always declared my political affiliation.



"Are the members in recluse or do they refuse communication with you? Is
this the reason you use Vive, Because CAP has members on this blog or are
members of this blog "also" CAP members?"

As I stated previously, my access to CAP members was denied since
November 2006. I asked for my letter to be broadcast to the membership,
and to be posted on CAP's website; that request was also denied. As some
members on vive have shown an interest in CAP and have declared they are
members I also provided the link to my website where the letter is posted. It
was their option then to read it or not. Without my doing that, nobody would
know that I resigned, or that I was no longer involved with the direction of the
party. As I also stated previously, I am not willing to be responsible for that
which I have no input. I did not send my letter to the press, although they
could easily pick up the story if they were interested. That was not my
concern, nor intent.

Many members have written to me, as they have found out through word of
mouth. As with the many issues we face as Canadians the things we should
be informed about are not necessarily provided to us.

"It is evident what you say. Not all is clear. CAP nor Vive Le Canada seem true
at this point."

I do not find anything 'untrue' about vive; I have always disclosed my agenda,
when I've had one, primarily it has been to stand for Canada, in a free,
democratic system. Sometimes that has been as a private person, sometimes
as a political activist, sometimes as a politician. I did not start out as a
politician, that evolved as my voice was heard and accepted.

I will continue to support vive and its mission to be a voice for Canadians who
want to discuss ways to stand for this country. I don't believe any member of
vive has to declare their political affiliation, however because I post under my
own name, I have always felt it was best to declare my position. We could
have people posting on vive who are presidents, or leaders or any other
position of any other political party, and that is their choice. Mine was to be
up front with everything from the very beginning.



---
"aaaah and the whisper of thousands of tiny voices became a mighty deafening roar and they called it 'freedom'!"' Canadians Acting Humanely at home & everywhere

[Dr Caleb]

"Who is the author of this letter posted by Pat Meloy?"

Unknown. I posted this article exactally as submitted. No alterations.

I think you bring up an excellent point; Why is this not being sent to the membership, and why is it not on the website?

---
"I think it's important to always carry enough technology to restart civilization, should it be necessary." Mark Tilden

[boflaade]

As some members on vive have shown an interest in CAP and have declared they are members I also provided the link to my website where the letter is posted. It
was their option then to read it or not. Without my doing that, nobody would know that I resigned, or that I was no longer involved with the direction of the party<<

That is the point I attempted to make. A blog serves on occasion, a better form of communication. Perhaps not direct from the "party's mouth" but some communication within it and to the public.


"As I stated previously, my access to CAP members was denied since November 2006."

That confuses me the most. Not only is it unfair but bewildering. How can you be prevented by phone, email or fax? This is still a free society and I would imagine you would have all numbers & address's of those members. It's not like you were expelled but certainly shunned for your decision to leave the party (as is).

My meaning about VIVE "not being true", is simply that not all is ever revealed. That is due to no one is unable to be truly unbiased. Two sides of an argument will always multiply. In other words, no one is able to agree 100% on any subject. Daily, this blog gets new headlines to discuss and subject to comment. Unfortunately the headlines(subjects) are only briefly examined and we go on to the next post. Even if the subject is reposted at a later date, it is examined briefly and/or ignored.

No headline should be forgotten if the subject on hand is not concluded. You are in a position where little more has been said and should be. I would personally be interested to learn why CAP and yourself has not been united on this effort. Good luck with it..



---
Expect little from life and get more from it.

[whelan costen]

In response to:
"As I stated previously, my access to CAP members was denied since
November 2006."

That confuses me the most. Not only is it unfair but bewildering. How can you
be prevented by phone, email or fax? This is still a free society and I would
imagine you would have all numbers & address's of those members. It's not
like you were expelled but certainly shunned for your decision to leave the
party (as is)."

You would imagine....and that is what I thought also, which is why when I
asked for that information along with financial information, I could not
understand the hostility. I believed that the president would have access to
that information and I thought most people would expect me to have party
information. I did not. My simple questions resulted in the conflict we now
see. I don't know the answers as to why it occurred, I only know what
happened. So your assumption confirms my original understanding. People
expect the party president to be privy to party information. I was not. I only
knew what someone else wanted me to know, not what I needed to know to
do the job. I did not know the members names, except for those who wrote
to me directly.

I have no desire to drag this on. It happened. I moved on. The party members
will need to do their due diligence to get the truth if they want it. Hopefully
they will become more active in the party and move it in the direction it needs
to go. It is no longer part of my life. Everything that needs to be said has
been said either on this post, in my letter of resignation, or in my response to
Pat Meloy on the other thread. Of course there is plenty of supporting
documents to back up the truth in this mess. The only reason for me to post
a response here is because of your questions and because the article itself is
questionable.

---
"aaaah and the whisper of thousands of tiny voices became a mighty deafening roar and they called it 'freedom'!"' Canadians Acting Humanely at home & everywhere