My sabbatical is now over. This past week three things happened that I feel the members of DERA and the community at large should know about.

• I attended at a quickly called board meeting of DERA. We were told that it was closed to members. Only two items were on the agenda; one was payment of an account; and the other the status of the elevators in one of the buildings. Both of these were not in any way to my way of thinking confidential. From my readings around the Society Act the only thing that stands out that should be confidential is the negotiations around the hiring of an employee and the negotiations around contracts.
• On Thursday I attended a meeting with the VPD and BCH and we were told that the Assistance to Shelter Act (on the street known as the Kidnapping Act) is legislated only during extreme weather alerts (a few days a year): 2006-2007 39 nights and 2007-2008 28 nights And, most importantly, the policy of the VPD will be not to use force. The ASA states that the police may use force and VPD decided that means that the VPD has a policy not to use force.
• On Thursday afternoon I attended at the Law Library and the clerk directed me to a Report by the BC Law Institute - a 500 page document that has been in the process for years, to create a New Society Act. As I glanced over it I was disturbed over some of the sections. If any of you have had gone ballistic experiences with a non-profit or charity please let me know.