AGENDA

1. Call to Order

2. Approval of Agenda

3. Summary of the Email Board of Directors Meeting, November 1996 (attached).

4. President's Report -- Judy Anderson
4.1 Board Participation
4.2 CFBS Present & Future

4.3 Motion for AGM re: CBHR

5. Report of the Executive Director -- Paul Hough
5.1 Science Policy Summary (attached)

6. Report of the Honourary Secretary - Peter Anderson
6.1 Québec
6.2 Edmonton

7. Report of the Honourary Treasurer - Jim Fryer
7.1 Budget (attachment)

8. Report of the Program Committee Chair -- David Brown

10. Other Business

11. Adjournment

Minutes

Present:

1. Call to Order: 7:43 a.m.

2. Agenda: approved

3. Summary of the Email Board Meeting of November 1996 (attached)

• Judy Anderson suggested that the ideas be discussed with the relevant section of agenda
• Peter Canham noted that e-mail was a good and interesting way of conducting business (does not want all communications to be done this way)

4. President’s Report

• Judy Anderson noted that her approach has been to allow people to go forward with their agenda once thorough discussion has been held.
• expressed great pleasure with the effort and the support of the Executive.
• frustrations have been due to the constrained budget, the lack of a Board mtg. in Nov. ‘96 was a result, and activities in the office have been pard back considerably.
• noted that the relationship with CBHR has been extremely frustrating - no interaction and no response to her considered letters.

4.1 George Biro explained his situation as President-Elect

• noted that a company had approached him this past winter to become Director of Pre-clinical Research. This caused difficulty with respect to his commitments to CFBS and to the University of Ottawa.
• In the end he has accepted the post at the company and after discussing the situation with the president of the company, it was clear that while they support such activities, it would interfere with his performing the job at the company. Thus, he felt he had to withdraw, placing great stress on Judy Anderson and on CFBS.

Judy Anderson noted that she will be staying on for another 6 months as President of CFBS and then remain as past-president for 18 months. The President-Elect designate will assume duties as President in months and will serve for 18 months.

4.3 Motion for AGM re: CBHR

Motion to be put forward at the AGM - that CFBS withdraw from CBHR - supported by the entire Executive. Judy Anderson noted that while she is on the CBHR Board, there is no meaningful communication and no consultation with the members. CBHR does not see CFBS as being involved in the biomedical research even though many people in CFBS are in faculties of medicine.

Discussion

• Michelle Letarte asked about what the split would mean for CFBS members in the biomedical area.
• Dennis Fitzpatrick noted the numerous attempts to increase communication with CBHR.
• Peter Anderson noted that Clément Gauthier had chased the NSERC people away from CFBS - need to develop a broad base to have any influence.
• George Biro noted the communications Clément Gauthier has had with ACMC, describing what he was doing but not seeking input.
• Peter Canham noted that CFBS does include the biomedical community and does listen to the constituent members.
• Paul Hough noted the need for greater communication (two-way street), with CBHR.
• Peter Dolphin noted that CBHR does not represent basic science and that the CFBS approach is the only one that seems to be pushing for the support of basic science.
• David Andrews noted that CBHR is very much a top-down organization while CFBS is very much a bottom-up organization and should be discussing ways in which member societies can contribute directly.
• Radan Capek noted that CFBS needs to reach out to the clinicians; also that CFBS must reach out to the private sector to encourage them to say that basic research is important
• Dennis Fitzpatrick noted that what we are facing is a failure to communicate with the board from education to the research institute. The pattern of pulling together many constituent organization. A real discussion occurs when people do not meet - need to have volunteers involved in the science policy efforts.
• Normand Marceau asked if we support CBHR financially? Discussed the fact that there are a lot of health organization, and that we have developed connections to many of these.
• George Biro noted that CSCI would not likely be interested in CFBS due to their particular interests related to the pharmaceutical industry.
• Catherine Pang noted that in medical schools, most of the information comes through the faculty of medicine from CBHR, not CFBS
• Communications must be improved - include the Assiciate Deans of Research in Faculties of Medicine in our communications as well as the Deans; must have the links to each society for e-mail linkage and the use of the Web page.

Action for Paul Hough to contact all presidents regarding their e-mail server.

Motion put to withdraw from CBHR to go to the AGM - passed unanimously.

5. Report of the Executive Director (attached)

6. Report of the Honourary Secretary

6.1 Québec

• fewer abstracts than expected but the science is very good (received half the number of abstract as a t the last CFBS meeting at Laval in 1998).
• noted that the Annual Meeting does help pay for operating CFBS.
• have 22 exhibitors (they are very important).

6.2 Edmonton

• Peter Anderson has been out to Edmonton twice to meet with several people.
• Have had some difficulties in finding an LOC chair.
• The meeting will be held in the Edmonton Convention Centre.
• PENCE will sponsor a joint session that they will sponsor.
• GSC will meet with CFBS, not just in parallel.

Judy Anderson noted that the Secretary and Treasurer of CFBS are not really Honourary positions (they are "actual" workers).

7. Report of the Honourary Treasurer

• noted that the budget constraints have been addressed by reduction in staff and travel expenses for the Board and the Program Committee.
• called attention to the impact of the reduction in the membership fees and the need to have increased these fees.
• noted the low deficit as compared to the "crash" in the membership fees.

Discussion

• Peter Dolphin noted that a fundraising Committees be instituted and that an endowment fund be created to prevent going through what we have gone through recently
• Paul Hough noted the possibility of bringing the separats offices of CIC, CAP, CFBS, etc. together in one facility.
• George Biro commented on fundraising and the hope that he will be able to convince his company to contribute to symposium expenses in Edmonton. He also is willing to lend his name to support any fund raising efforts.
• Incoming Treasurer, Art Hilliker is fully aware of the Budget.
• Catherine Pang noted the need to go to companies in Alberta.
• Kem Rogers noted that he went to many companies and found several closed doors. They are very reluctant to provide some core support.
• George Biro suggested that several suppliers have sold large numbers of HPLC’s etc. to the researchers and based on the level of their business, perhaps they would contribute, Judy Anderson commented that the guilt factor does not work.

Motion: To support taking the budget as described to the AGM - carried unanimously

8. Report of the Program Committee Chair

• noted the themes being put into place for Edmonton (attached).
• GSC may be adding another symposium.
• noted that Theme 4 needs a lot of work.
• Judy Anderson summarized the situation with respect to finding another Program Chair since the latest one dropped out as of the previous week. A good chair is really needed; Dave Brown and Bill Bridger have established a regulation of solid sciences programs.
• Peter Anderson noted that the Executive does consider it important for the Program Committee to meet face-to-face.
• Judy Anderson summarized that CCUBC - CFBS combination should occur in October at which time the Program Committee should also be involved.

Dave Brown noted that the Program Committee consists of representatives of the societies that will meet with them. The Past-President prepares the MRC proposal (Dennis Fitzpatrick will do it for 1998). Normally the Board meets in February or March to plan the Meeting for the following year. Using e-mail has been nesessary but cannot replace actual meetings..

Judy Anderson congratulated Dave Brown for being such a supper role model for science in Canada and for bringing the Federation through very difficult times.

9. Report of the Board Representatives

• Normand Marceau is Leaving the NCIC.
• Judy Anderson asked Normand Marceau to assist her in finding a replacement.
• Peter Dolphin has someone in mind for the Equal Opportunity Chair.

10. Other Business

• Peter Haase: CAANCB is in crisis with diminishing numbers. Anatomy depts. are disappearing and people who would normally be members of CAANCB have gone to other societies.
• Peter Dolphin: CSBMCB is at 1,000 now and has been growing. He suggested getting more involved with the neuroscience community
• Judy Anderson suggested that people within anatomy depts. are rarely members of CAANCB
• Jim Fryer - there is a Canadian Society for Neuroscience, most members of which pay a lot of money to join the American society which sends $80.00 to lobby efforts in Washington.
• Judy Anderson noted the membership process should be streamlined - need to have a down-loadable membership application form. Must have the means to obtain a member’s signature to verify that the application is bonafide.
• Michele Letarte raised the question of the work at Health Canada and raised the query about Tim Lee’s proposal to have more research contracted out. Len Lilly said that responsibility can’t be contracted out. George Biro noted the need to regulate the Food and Drug Act etc. The depts. must maintain the expertise to meet their mandates.
• Michele Letarte also noted the need to identify particular issues and gather the players to push the government to put in place programs.
• Ted Farnworth noted that Agriculture Canada is out of basic research - they conduct work under contract with the private sector - with all the problems that that produces.
• Peter Canham noted the Canadian Microscopy Society (CMS) is a potential group to join CFBS. David Andrews noted that many of the CMS members are physicists - no biology involved in their meetings.
• Judy Anderson stated that CFBS should look at meeting with specific sicieties and groups, members or not.
• Ted Farnworth: CSNS is in difficulties. Several Executive members have dropped off and its members are being courted by the ANS.
• Dennis Fitzpatrick noted that the nutritional science programs are really fragile.
• Michele Letarte noted that CSI spends a lot of time and effort cultivating students and Post Doctoral Fellows as members. They have seminars with Food, and they really push the need to join CSI.
• Catherine Pang noted that many new members of PSC are students and post Doctoral Fellows.

11. Meeting was adjourned at 11:03 a.m.