OTTAWA, September 21 — The first national convention of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) concluded here today after three days of deliberations in which delegates considered and approved numerous changes to their Bylaws and financial reports of the Conference.
The 113 delegates nominated candidates for all TCRC positions, and filled some of them by election, per TCRC Bylaws. All officers elected will serve a four-year term.
For the top-three positions in the Conference, those nominated for the office of President of the TCRC were Gilles Hallé and Dan Shewchuk. Nominated for the lone Vice President`s position were Doug Finnson, Gerry Ranson and John Tofflemire. Nominees for the position of Secretary-Treasurer were Benoit Brunet, Richard Dyon, Jim Flegel and Bob Toole.
As a result of a recently approved membership initiative in Canada, these top-three positions will be filled through a membership election to take place after the close of this convention. In order for a nomination to any of the top-three positions to be sustained and the nomination to be valid, a nominee must receive the vote of 5 percent of the delegates at the convention. All of the nominees met this criteria, and as a result, their names will appear on the election ballot to be sent out to the TCRC membership.
All remaining positions were filled through nomination from the floor, and subsequently elected by the delegates at the convention as follows:
Convention delegates created the new position of National Legislative Director, and elected Mike Wheten to fill this new position.
Elected as TCRC Recording Secretary was Paul Vickers.
Three TCRC Trustees were elected and they are: Dave Able, Daniel Genereax and Bruce Willow. Three Alternate Trustee positions were also elected by delegates and include Randy Caldwell, Bill Cormier, and Al Singer.