GOVERNANCE OVERHAUL OF FIERTÉ MONTRÉAL
Montréal, July 18, 2023 ─ Fierté Montréal continues on its transformation journey with the adoption of new bylaws that set the stage for the recruitment of a new organizational membership and the progressive renewal of the Board of Directors.
New bylaws
At a special general meeting held last May 26, Fierté Montréal’s members ratified new bylaws. It bookended a rigorous consultation process with community actors, partners and festivalgoers initiated back in Spring 2022.
“With the assistance of governance and strategic planning experts, we consulted the community milieu and other partners, and analyzed governance mechanisms at other large pride organizations around the world, with the goal of proposing a proper governance model for our organization. A governance that is both open and representative of the diversity of stakeholders Fierté Montréal works and collaborates with” said Board President Moe Hamandi. Executive Director Simon Gamache added: “Over the coming years, we wish to enhance the associative vitality of our organization. These changes are meant to be scalable, respecting the rich 2SLGBTQIA+ ecosystem Fierté Montréal evolves in.”
New membership categories for Fierté Montréal
New organizational membership categories, both voting and non-voting, are introduced. Membership will be granted to eligible organizations in Fall 2023.
As of now, a 2SLGBTQIA+ independent organization from Québec or Canada may request to become a Community Member.
At the conclusion of the 2023 Fierté Montréal Festival, non-profits with a non-2SLGBTQIA+ mission, unions, student associations or businesses from Québec or Canada, which were registered in the 2023 Parade or Community Days, will be allowed to request to become Committed Members or Allied Members.
Details are available on the Fierté Montréal website: https://fiertemontreal.com/en/become-a-member.
Progressive renewal of the Board of Directors
In parallel, Fierté Montréal’s Board of Directors will be progressively renewed over the coming months. The Board will be made up of nine Directors elected for renewable two-year mandates. The Board will be representative of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and bring together profiles and expertise necessary to the governance of an organization of the size and scope of Fierté Montréal.
Fierté Montréal recruits for its Board of Directors
Fierté Montréal announces today a call for applications to individuals interested in joining its Board of Directors.
A Nomination Committee has been struck to review applications received. It is composed of two external members, Agnès Maltais and Artur Wilczynski, and two current Board Directors, David Carpentier and Naoufel Testaouni.
Details on the application process are available on Fierté Montréal’s website : https://fiertemontreal.com/en/conseil-dadministration-appel-de-candidature. Applications must be received by August 15 2023.
It should be noted that three seats will be reserved to Community Members. Another call for applications to fill these seats will be initiated after the 2023 Festival among 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations which will have requested to become Community Members by August 15, 2023.
It is expected that vacant Board seats will be filled at general meetings next October and December.
Biographies
Agnès Maltais was a Member of Québec’s Assemblée nationale from 1998 to 2018. She occupied key parliamentary functions, including leader and chair of her caucus. She was a cabinet minister for close to a dozen ministries, including Culture and Communications and Minister responsible for the National Capital and Chaudière-Appalaches. Agnès Maltais started her career a woman of the theatre in the company Les Folles Alliées, as both a comedian and co-author, and then as Executive Director of Théâtre Périscope and Théâtre La Bordée. Firmly involved in her community, she currently chairs the board of Fondation de la Coopérative de solidarité SABSA in Quebec City, a non-profit organization offering local care and health services to the most vulnerable, with those living with Hepatitis C and HIV in priority.
Artur Wilczynski spent more than 30 years in the Canadian public service working on foreign policy, intelligence, security, and defence issues. He served as a champion of equity, diversity and inclusion with roles supporting 2SLGBTQ+ persons, combatting antisemitism and other forms of racism and discrimination. He held numerous executive positions during, including at Canadian Heritage, Public Safety Canada, Security & Intelligence and Global Affairs Canada. He was Canada’s Ambassador to Norway from 2014 to 2018. In 2006, he was awarded the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des lettres from France. In 2021, he received the Career Impact Award at the first Public Service Pride Awards for his work advancing 2SLGBTQ+ rights.
About Fierté Montréal
Since 2007, Fierté Montréal amplifies the voices of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities to assure their representation, their inclusion and the recognition of their rights in society. Catalysts for social change, our Festival, our community initiatives, as well as our artistic and cultural projects celebrate the creativity and resilience of our communities. Mindful of and in collaboration with 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, we call attention to their fights and realities in the wider public and the institutions.
Fierté Montréal presents its activities in Tiohtia:ke, on the unceded territory of the Kanien’kehá: ka Nation. We recognize her as the custodian of the lands and waters on which we gather. Tiohtia:ke is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations, and today a diverse Indigenous population, as well as other peoples, reside here. It is with respect for the connections to the past, present, and future that we recognize the ongoing relationships between Indigenous Peoples and others in the Montreal community.
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