The National Defence Fund Task Force was chaired by National Secretary-Treasurer, Geraldine McGuire, and comprised of members from every region and four CUPE staff:
Barry O’Neill - B.C. Region; Yvonne Fast-Alberta Region; Ken Jattansingh-Saskatchewan Region; Rick Weind-Manitoba Region; Judith Mongrain-Ontario Region; Brian Cochrane-Ontario Region; Claude Turcotte-Qub0065c Region; Rick MacMillan-Maritimes Region; Betty-Jean Sutherland-Atlantic Region; Randy Sykes-Executive Assistant to the National President; Cam Masse-Managing Director, Finance and Administration; Julie Davis-Regional Director, Ontario; Robert Hicks-Staff Representative, Maritimes Region.
To begin its work, the Task Force circulated a discussion document that provided detailed information and raised a number of important questions about the Defence Fund. Over the past year, the Task Force held extensive consultations with CUPE members in every region and at all levels of the union. Task Force members met with individual CUPE members, more than 70 locals, and delegates to all provincial division conventions and a number of provincial conferences.
The task force itself has met three times (once via conference call) to share and consider the valuable feedback it has received, and to prepare the report that led to the recommendations by the National Executive Board contained in this document.