It wasn’t a routine annual general meeting. If the board members of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada were hoping for a quiet, rubber-stamping affair on Sat. June 18, they were disappointed. Board chair Linda Lumsden had barely called the meeting to order when Johnny Lucas, a Society member who also represents the CCSVI Coalition, was on his feet with a motion to postpone the meeting on the grounds of governance problems. Lucas cited six issues that compromised the legitimacy of the meeting, including failure to circulate the agenda, past minutes and financial statements with adequate notice, as well as confusion over the disposition of proxy votes and members’ eligibility to vote.

While the motion was defeated, the exchange set the tone for – let’s call it a lively meeting, in which the society’s board and administrators were repeatedly called to account by motions and comments from the floor, on issues ranging from membership regulations to fund-raising costs. One theme that emerged: Many people with MS feel unsupported by the Society, especially when it comes to advocacy on CCSVI.

Several resolutions were brought forward by the CCSVI Coalition, aimed at cranking up the pace of the Society’s advocacy and research funding for CCSVI, as well as addressing some governance issues. In the end the resolutions were not put to a vote, but the Coalition settled for a commitment from the board to consider the substance of their contents, and report back within six months. The meeting ended on a conciliatory note, with warm applause greeting a motion of appreciation by Johnny Lucas for Linda Lumsden’s personal integrity and many years of service.

http://ccsvicoalition.org