Thursday, December 23
2021
Gina
Tassopoulos
Chair of Cultural, Greek
Community of Toronto
Dear Office Manager and
Board of Directors of the GCT,
I am formally announcing my resignation from the Board of directors of the Greek Community of Toronto. I am doing this after careful consideration, afterall I have been a proud volunteer Board member of this community for over 5 years now.
I cannot however continue under this new Presidency and Board. There are a
number of items that I not only do not agree with, but are fundamentally
against how a Charitable organization should be run.
As of the date of
this resignation letter:
● There is a conflict of interest of having two Board members also
being paid staff members of the Greek community. These individuals are the
current Vice- President and the current chair of the Cultural Department.
According to the constitution and good practices from the charitable
organizations under Canadian law the following is not in good practice. How do
two paid employees of the GCT, one being an executive director of Education,
and the other a principal of a GCT School, provide impartial guidance on voting
matters for their domains? Or perhaps when grievances arise against them? Their
sole purpose is to facilitate interactions with board relationships, to
envision change and innovation, to provide useful information to the board that
will therefore allow the board members to vote on impartially. Who monitors
these board members to make sure that they are held accountable and liable for
their paid positions? Is it them, also as part of the Board? According to
Section 3.09 of the GCT constitution it states that ‘directors shall serve
without remuneration and no director shall directly or indirectly receive any
profit from his position as such…” This was a crucial point that I wished
to discuss in a special meeting with the newly elected board as per our
constitution and its need for clarity, again, from section 3.10….. ‘Special
meetings may be held at any time whenever the President or majority of the
Board shall deem it necessary.’ Our new Vice-president has signing
authority, and according to the CNCA (Canadian Network on Corporate
Accountability) ‘there is a common law rule prohibiting directors from
profiting or benefiting directly or indirectly from their positions. Should any
benefit accrue, the director would be in breach of his fiduciary duty and would
be held accountable to the organization for the benefits received’
I was, however, UNANIMOUSLY denied this request of a
special meeting and open debate by all new board members without any mention of
wanting to acknowledge my concerns. Not only did I want to have this discussed,
but I had suggested to have this done in an open and transparent way, in a publicly
accessible board meeting as has been the precedent for many years within
the GCT, so that our paying members and
longstanding press could be invited to hear my concerns, as well
as voice their own through motions.
● Secondly, the election of the current board members was not done
appropriately. A meeting was held without my knowledge to appoint our current
board members to their positions. When asked in writing for these meeting
minutes and proof of meeting announcement to the president herself, Ms. Betty
Skoutakis, I was not provided any minutes to dispute my claims, nor meeting
invite, in writing or audible, merely silence and avoidance to my requests.
This lack of professionalism and accountability from the President contradicts
statements in her inauguration speech to lead an inclusive, fair, and
transparent board. How then do we appoint our board members when we are not all
present and without knowledge of said meeting? This has nothing to do with the
appointments of departments, but with due process. Again, inclusivity and
transparency.
● Lastly, I wished to discuss the updating of the GCT constitution
to fall in line with Canadian governance for 501(c) charitable organizations.
Although our last update was in 2017, there have been significant overhauls of
how these types of organizations should be run. Considering how the GCT has
just come out of lawsuits, and bankruptcies it should be our due diligence to make
sure that we overhaul our constitution in order to provide appropriate
objectives, and strategic and operational efficiencies for our organization and
our members. This is an institution with 112 year history. It is our duty to
make sure that it continues for another 112 years.
Members of the Greek Community of Toronto, It has been a pleasure
to serve you all. I have created friendships and fond memories, and will
forever remain proud of the youth my department was able to return to the
community over these last 5 years. I wish this new board much success, however
I cannot in good conscience or faith continue to serve the Greek Community of
Toronto in this capacity based on the aforementioned points.
Best Regards;
Gina
Tassopoulos
What is going on here a gong show?
ReplyDeleteGong show: An event that was a disaster, often in a way that is fun or memorable.
DeleteGong show? More like a shit show.
DeleteΝα ξετιλίξουμε λίγο το κουβάρι. Στο νέο Συμβούλιο εμφανίζονται δύο αντιπρόεδροι, ο Κωνσταντίνος Φλέγκας και ο Σπύρος Κωνσταντάτος. Θα πρέπει να αναμένουμε δύο παραιτήσεις σύντομα, εκ των οποίων μία από άλλη θέση στο Συμβούλιο.
ReplyDeleteΔεν ξέρω τι λέτε εσείς αλλα σίγουρα η παραίτηση δεν θα είναι απο τον αντιπρόεδρο Φλέγκα. Αυτός μπηκε εκεί από την φιλενάδα του την Σωτηρούλα, ώστα με την πρώτη κουτσουκέλα της προεδρίνας να έχει έναν δικό του άνθρωπο προς αντικατασταση της. Το "έγκλημα" οργανώθηκε τέλεια όπως και το ξεβράκωμα των κοινοτικών με πρώτο και χειρότερο τον καραντώνη. Κράτα γερά Κωστάκη, κάνε τους τη ζωή δύσκολη και θα ανεβείς σίγουρα και ίσως σύντομα στην έδρα. Ο Σωτήριος δεν είναι αχάριστος, όταν παίρνει το χέρι σου επιστρέφει ένα δάχτυλο, όχι βέβαια το μεσαίο....
DeleteΜάλλον θα ψάχνουμε για άλλους αντιπρόεδρους. Πως το λέει η γεωμετρία? Οι γωνίες είναι ίσες εντός εκτός και επί τα αυτά.
ReplyDeleteDisaster!!
ReplyDeleteΠάντα πρωτιές αντίποδα. Έβαλες για συζήτηση το θέμα της σύγκρουσης συμφερόντων το οποίο καταγγέλει η σύμβουλος Gina Tassopoulos, που υπέβαλε την παραίτησή της από το Συμβούλιο διαμαρτυρόμενη για τις παρανομίες που κάνει η νέα κοινοτική εξουσία ενώ αρνούνται να δώσουν απάντηση. Αλλά δεν θα αντέξουν. Θα δούμε πολύ γρήγορα τι παιχνίδι παίχτηκε.
ReplyDeleteΔΕΝ βάλαμε κανένα θέμα προς συζήτηση, αγαπητέ, καθ' ότι ΔΕΝ υπάρχει τέτοιο θεμα... Η κ σύμβουλος μιλάει για κάποια "Κοινότητα" η οποία μας τελείωσε εδώ και 3-4 βδομάδες. Απλά, από Ευγένεια, φιλοξενήσαμε την παραίτησή της ώστε να υπάρχει για κάποιον ιστορικό του μέλλοντος, αφού ο οργανισμός τον οποίο υπηρέτησε ανήκει, πλέον, στην Ιστορία.! Όσο για τη νέα κενοτική "εξουσία", ανήκει στον Σωτήριο και τον φίλο του τον Καραντώνη, οι οποιοι την δημιούργησαν και την κουμαντάρουν, εξ' ου και η πρώτη επίσημη ανακοίνωσή της έγινε από τον αλητήριο αυτόν, από τον Άμβωνα ιδιόκτητης εκκλησίας του.! Όσο για το παιχνίδι που παίχτηκε, ήταν μεταξύ Αθανασούλα - Καραντώνη, με ανοιχτά χαρτιά και τον πρώτο λόγο είχε ο πρώτος, ένεκα της ...αγιοσύνης του.!!! Τυχερή, κωλόφαρδη παροικία που έχεις τέτοιους, τενεκέδες, ως...ηΓΕΤΕΣ σου.!!!
DeleteΑντίποδα, ο κόσμος τόχει τούμπανο και αυτοί κρυφό καμάρι.
ReplyDeleteA little off topic. I noticed that on Social Media the Election Committee said that they excluded a candidate because they had a criminal record. I have no idea who that person is and what they did. Can someone tell me who determined that the offence the candidate did was serious enough to warrant excluding them from the elections.
ReplyDeleteI am from Montreal and that determination rests with the local police department for all nonprofits in the province of Quebec. For example, some people might have speeding tickets, which is technically is a criminal offence. Others might have failed to pay their fare on the Subway and technically that would be a criminal offence as well. Minor offences like these would not be a reason to exclude someone from the BOD of a nonprofit organization. The question is who has the final say as to which offences are serious enough to prohibit someone from being on the BOD. In Quebec, it’s the police department that makes that decision as part of the Criminal Background check process.
I was involved in the Montreal Greek community 15 years ago when the criminal background check regulations were implemented for all nonprofits. The benefit of having the police department taking care of the process is that it’s done independently without the concern that there may be a religious or partisan bias. In addition to this, when the local police department does the criminal background check, it is done confidentially to preserve everyone’s reputation and dignity. They merely state whether the candidate passed or failed with no additional details on what crime they may have committed. Normally the process can take up to 3 months to complete and its always done after the elections and not before. That is why I am a little surprised that the GCT election committee excluded someone from being a candidate in the elections. Was this the election committees call, or it was the Toronto Police Service or the OPP that made that determination? Its important that the entire criminal background process be handled independently so that members of the GCT can have faith in the process. It would be a real shame if someone was excluded from the elections if for example, they got caught J-walking 20 years ago.
For the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal, it’s not the Election Committee that has the jurisdiction to exclude a candidate under the pretext that they have a criminal record. After the elections take place the criminal background process starts and after a few months the local police department will inform the Community if the person passed or failed with no additional details.
Can someone inform me how it works in Ontario for nonprofit organizations? In particular who made the final decision that candidate in question had a criminal offence serious enough to warrant them being excluded from the elections? I do not care what this person may have done but I am more concerned about the procedure that the GCT Election committee followed. From an outsiders perspective, it could seem biased or partisan.
Thanks
The Chair of the Election Committee said that the 16th applicant provided a clear background check. That was not the problem. Their membership was up to date, they had a cleared background check. The reason for the denial was not given, but we were told that the entire election committee unanimously voted against the application for whatever reason. Must have been pretty serious.
DeleteΤο Ερώτημα της Χρονιάς: Ποιός πρωτο-είπε "Θα υπηρετήσω Δημοκρατικά και πάντα με γνώμονα το καλό της κοινότητας και της παροικίας"?
ReplyDeleteΑπό ότι εγώ θυμάμαι, πρώτος ήταν ο Σωτήριος μόλις πάτησε το πόδι του στο Τορόντο και δεύτερος ο Καραντώνης μόλις ανέλαβε την προεδρία της!! Για το καλό της δεν υπόγραψαν την συνφωνία τους; Δεν λεω, έβαλε το χειράκι του και ο Μενεγάκης , αλλα λιγο.
Delete10:27 Μάλλον έχεις λάθος πως τα θυμάσαι. Πρέπει να κάνεις καλύτερη ανάλυση. Δέχομαι ότι δείχνεις λαϊκός τύπος από το γεγονός ότι γράφεις τη λέξη "συμφωνία". Αλλά να συμφωνήσουμε σε κάτι. Να γράφεις πιο σωστά τη λέξη αυτή: "συμφωνία"με μ είναι το σωστό. Συμφωνούμε?... Με την ευκαιρία: Καλά Χριστούγεννα Σε Όλους.
DeleteΤο τι δέχεσαι ή δεν δέχεσαι εσύ, είναι προφανώς δικό σου πρόβλημα. Και αφού εσύ κατάλαβες ότι η συνφωνία είναι συΜφωνία, να ξέρεις ότι το κατάλαβαν όλοι. Μόνο που δεν μας λες ποιός είναι ο πρώτος που είπε αυτή την σωστή και πρωτότυπη κουβέντα ότι θα υπηρετήσει δημοκρατικά την Κοινότητα.Γιατί Μας κρατάς σε ααγωνία η στη γωνία;
DeleteΑπάντηση στο Ερώτημα της Χρονιάς: Το είπε η νέα Πρόεδρος της Κοινότητας Μπέτυ Σκουτάκη!
ReplyDelete10.51 στην ορθογραφία θα κολλήσουμε ρε φίλε(συγνώμη για το ρε), εδώ
ReplyDeleteο κόσμος καίγεται και η πουτάνα λούζεται νια νια με σαμπάνια. Όσο για το ποιος το είπε στην ερώτηση της χρονιάς 12.04, αποκλείεται να το είπε η νυν πρόεδρος, ο σκληρός δίσκος της δεν έχει τόση μνήμη
Καπως καυθστερημενα, αλλα περιμενα, μηπως ο κ. Κων/νος Φλεγκας και ο κ. Σπυρος Κωνσταντατος, καταλαβαβουν, οτι δεν επιτρεπεται να ειναι συγχρονως, υπαλληλοι της Ε.Κ.Τ και μελη του Δ.Σ., και κυριως ο κ. Κ. Φλεγκας, που ειναι και μονιμος υπαλληλος. Καλον θα ειναι, κ. Φλεγκα και κ. Κωνσταντατο, κυριως ΕΣΕΙΣ κ. Φλεγκα,οπως υποβαλεται την παραιτησην σας, η απο το Δ. Σ. της Ε.Κ.Τ. η απο την θεσην που κατεχεται, πριν την ορκομοσιαν σας, προς οφελος της Ελληνικης Κοινοτητος Τοροντο.
ReplyDeleteΑν το ψάξεις θα πρέπει και άλλοι να παραιτηθούν προς όφελος της Ελληνικής Κοινότητας, αν μπορεί πλέον κάτι τέτοιο να υπάρξει.
DeleteΑν υποθέσουμε ότι κάτι τέτοιο υπάρχει, πες μας ποιοί θα μπορούσαν να είναι αυτοί για να μην ψάχουμε όλοι στα χαμένα και ένεκα άγνοιας να μην μπορούμε να μαντέψουμε σωστά. Βοήθα λοιπόν λίγο μήπως και μπούμε στο νόημα κι' εμείς! Αν ενοείς τον κ. Φλέγγα, ξεχασε το διότι η συμμετοχή του ήρθε από το αφεντικό για λογαριασμό του οποιου ποσφέρει τις υπηρεσίες του!
DeleteΘα δούμε γρήγορα τις εξελίξεις. Μπορεί κάποιος και πολλοί να παρανομούν, αλλά μόνο κρυφά
Delete...