Name change and updates

We had another organizational meeting this past weekend and we’ve agreed upon a few things.

1. The name of this movement is being changed from Vancouver Secular Party to Reason Vancouver, to better reflect the broad policy base that we’re developing.
2. Name filling and incorporation as a society should take place ASAP. We’ve had our societal name approved and once our Bylaws are finished and signed our paperwork will all be submitted.
3. Once the paperwork is in we’ll set up our website and a bank account so we can begin collecting memberships and building the party.

These are exciting times, make sure you contact our chair, Ian Bushfield, if you want to be involved.!

Meeting change!

****DATE AND VENUE CHANGE FOR TUESDAY’S MEETING*****

The meeting will now be taking place this SUNDAY (tomorrow) at Ian’s condo.

We’ll be heading there after the BCHA meeting so meet me there if you need to find your way.

Call Ian at 604-565-3234 or email him for directions.

VSP at the BC Humanists

Ian Bushfield will be giving a talk this Sunday at the weekly BC Humanist Association meeting on the party. The meeting takes place Sunday, September 19th from 9:30-11:30 am the Oakridge Seniors Centre.

Here’s the abstract for the talk:

Humanist Politics: The Vancouver Secular Party

Pat Duffy Hutcheon wrote years ago that Humanists need to move beyond the stale debate over Left or Right-wing politics and begin to develop a rational-based approach to working to better society. 15 years later and many of the same debates over socialism and libertarianism are still occurring between humanists. With the Christian right gaining influence in Canada and religious schools receiving funds, it is time to set aside our differences and unite behind a single, secular banner. With the system strongly biased against new parties at the provincial and federal levels, a group of secularists have come together to form the Vancouver Secular Party, with the goal of attaining a status of electoral organization to run candidates in the 2011 Vancouver municipal election.

Next meeting – Sept 21

Come out to our second organizational meeting for the Vancouver Secular Party.

On the agenda for this month’s meeting are:
1. Finalizing the name (alternate suggestions welcome)
2. Registering as a society
3. Approving bylaws
4. Assigning officer roles
5. Reviewing and adding to our policy document
6. Timeline for our next events

I should also mention that on the September 19th, Ian will be speaking about this project to the BC Humanists at their weekly morning brunch at the Oakridge Seniors Centre at 9:30 am. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Let me know if I missed anything or if we need to add anything.

All our documents are available on the google group: http://groups.google.ca/group/vansecular (email Ian at thzatheist@gmail.com if you can’t access this).

Skeptics in the Pub will follow our meeting, so be sure to stick around after.