January 15, 2001
Dear Friends
In this month's mailing is a summary of discussions between the UUA
and the CUC regarding the future delivery of services to Canadian
Congregations.
Delegates at the 2000 AGM in Calgary last May, overwhelmingly authorized
the CUC Board to:
· Begin the changes recommended by the Stage II report of
the Commission on Delivery of Services
· Continue our discussions with the UUA and Districts to enable
these changes to occur
· Develop a financial plan which will ensure the viability
of the CUC while assuming the greater service role envisioned by our
members.
The Stage II report recommended an evolutionary move towards greater
Canadian autonomy in service delivery. It recommended as a first step
that the CUC should become the prime deliverer of growth programs
in Canada, that we assume greater responsibility for the delivery
of RE services and that we enhance our cross Canada communications.
Negotiating teams met in Regina in September 2000 and in Toronto
in January 2001. The Canadian team, which included myself, John Hopewell,
Mark Morrison Reed, Brian Kiely, and Katie Stein Sather (in Toronto
only) was intent on achieving the wishes of our congregations.
The UUA carefully considered the mandate given us by the Canadian
congregations. In Regina they advised us that although our evolutionary
approach may work in concept for the CUC, the slow evolution would
not work for the UUA. Too many difficulties and uncertainties around
service delivery arose. Instead, a full shift of services to the CUC
was proposed. The proposed exceptions to this were Ministry and Youth
and Young Adult programs and services which would remain continental.
Faced with our inability to achieve the Calgary resolution, the CUC
negotiating committee and later the CUC Board had to consider what
would best achieve the needs and stated desires of our congregations.
We sought guidance from the Stage II report. It told us that the goal
of Canadian congregations was to eventually assume responsibility
for most of the services now being provided by the Districts. At page
5 of the report it recommended:
"Second, we recommend that start of a process whereby the CUC
begins to assume responsibility for the provision of those direct
services currently supplied by the districts as these transfers become
logical and feasible"
With this direction in mind, the CUC Board authorized the negotiating
committee to accept the UUA's offer of greater responsibility and
autonomy. In Toronto in January 2001, the CUC and UUA reached an agreement
regarding money and timing of the delivery shift. As of July 1, 2001,
the CUC will have available to it the earnings on 1.5 million (U.S.)
The current service delivery structure will remain in place until
July 2002. At that time, with a Canadian service delivery plan in
place, both the responsibility for services and the then value of
the 1.5 million (U.S.) will be transferred to the CUC
Both the UUA and CUC are committed towards maintaining healthy cross
border collaboration on many issues. However, as it is expected Canadian
congregations will withdraw from their formal membership in Districts,
these relationships will become voluntary associations among people
with common interests and commitment - bound by faith, not structure.
This is all subject to ratification by our members at the AGM in
Montreal in May 2001. CUC Board representatives will be scheduling
visits with all of our congregations to review this tentative agreement,
to hear your comments and to explain our recommendation.
This is an exciting step forward in the life of the CUC and sets
us on a new path in the development and articulation of a uniquely
Canadian Unitarian Universalist faith. We look forward to hearing
from you.
Yours truly,
Kim Turner
President, CUC Board of Trustees
