Take Back Our Radio Station

Accounting Error Creates Billing Dispute

2009-11-09T19:02:00.003-05:00

Accounting error caused campus radio billing dispute
The Ryersonian, November 4, 2009

CKLN does not owe any money to University of Toronto's campus radiostation, CIUT 89.5 FM. The transmitter provider for both stations, Brookfield Properties Corp., confirmed last Friday that CIUT's $11,000 overpayment on its electricitybill was an accounting error. Tensions between the sister stations erupted earlier this month when CIUTstation manager Brian Burchell threatened to cut off CKLN's power if itdidn't pay the U of T station $11,000 by Oct. 14.

Both stations lease space from Brookfield Properties on the roof of FirstCanadian Place on King Street and share the same power meter. Each month, they're billed for their electrical use based on theirestimated power consumption.

"It was an accounting error we inherited and never corrected," saidMelissa Coley, vice-president of investor relations and communications atBrookfield Properties. CIUT will be reimbursed for the overpayment, added Coley.

Brookfield Properties acquired First Canadian Place in late 2005 fromOlympia and York, a property corporation. CKLN board members have maintained from the beginning of the dispute andthey have always paid their own electrical bills and didn't owe CIUT apenny. Barry Johnson, a CKLN board member, said CIUT shouldn't have come to themwith the allegations in the first place. If there was a dispute surrounding the bills, he said, it should have beentaken up with Brookfield Properties, not CKLN.

"Instead of CIUT contacting the property manager, which is what theyshould have done, they came to us without any proof that we owed them thismoney, which is wrong," Johnson said.

Burchell accused CKLN of not paying its portion, dating back 10 years,which CIUT noticed while renegotiating the station's lease with theproperty company. He notified CKLN about the discrepancy six months ago but didn't receive areply until September, which prompted CIUT to threaten to cut off power.

Burchell could not be reached for comment.

Notice: Board meeting November 9th

2009-11-02T22:50:00.009-05:00

CKLN resumed live broadcasting on September 29th. Most programs were back on air and within the short period of 4 weeks, it appears CKLN has a full schedule with great promise, big heart and huge community spirit.

DRAFT AGENDA

1. Welcome to new Board members, Thanks Yous to departing Board.

2. Election of officers. (Chair, Vice-chair, Treasurer, Secretary)

3. Scheduling of student byelections to fill two remaining vacancies.

4. Money from the RSU

5. Spending priorities

6. Subcommittees

7. Advertising policy

8. Student volunteer recruitment

9. Legal (there will be a motion to go in camera)

10. Other business

Please note: this is a DRAFT agenda and it is subject to change.

CKLN Update - Back on the Airwaves!!

2009-11-02T22:28:00.010-05:00

On October 30th two students reps were elected to help fill in the 4 soon to be vacated positions on the board. All was done in accordance to the CKLN governing by-laws.

On October 28th, CKLN Radio Incorporated held its 2009 Annual General Meeting on Oakham Lounge (2nd floor, Oakham House, 63 Gould Street on the campus of Ryerson University). This meeting was widely publicized and was well attended by students, community and volunteers. A neutral chair was elected (with an overwhelming majority of votes) to help navigate a long but productive night.

The elections results for volunteer and community reps to the board as are as follows:Ron Nelson and Barry Johnson were elected as Staff reps. Andrew Lehrer and Mike Harnett were elected as Community reps.

On Monday, November 9th the new elected Board of Directors plans to hold its first meeting following this year's AGM. A scheduling of student by-elections will be part of the meeting's agenda to help fill in the remaining two vacancies.

All in all, it is refreshing and encouraging to witness a board working hard to rebuild CKLN from the ground up and with the participation of dedicated and ELECTED reps.

FYI - CKLN Board Minutes from Sept. 11/09 Meeting

2009-09-29T15:40:00.004-04:00

CKLN Board of Directors
Minutes – September 11, 2009

Present: Peter Toh, Ron Nelson, Andrew Lehrer, Barry Johnson, Caldwell Taylor (present by phone)
Absent: Toby Whitfield

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Chair Toh asks if chair elected is tentative. Nelson says positions should be interim until there’s a full board. Lehrer asks who is interested in being Chair? Nelson indicates interest. Johnson asked if interested and says no. Taylor nominated, declined. M/Toh, S/Lehrer: That Ron Nelson is elected interim chair until we have a full board. Nelson elected chair.

Vice-Chair: Johnson nominated, declined. Taylor nominated, accepts. M/Nelson, S/Johnson: That Caldwell Taylor is elected interim vice-chair until we have a full board. Taylor elected vice-chair.

Secretary: Lehrer nominated, accepts. M/Johnson, S/Toh: That Andrew Lehrer is elected interim secretary until we have a full board.Lehrer elected secretary.

Treasurer: Toh nominated, accepts. M/Johnson, S/Nelson: That Peter Toh is elected interim treasurer until we have a full board.Toh elected.

OTHER BUSINESS

- CRTC meeting: Letter from CRTC reviewed and discussed as is our report to the commission.

- Programming: Nelson moves for calling of staff meeting. Johnson says all staff should go through mandatory review process. Letter by Womyn and Trans People at CKLN calling for general meeting to elect a programming committee discussed. Toh agrees with some of the suggestions in the letter but not others. Johnson wants more time to review the letter. Idea of programming committee can be presented at staff meeting. Lehrer asked to write response to authors thanking them for the letter and acknowledging that it has been accepted by the Board for review. M/Nelson, S/Lehrer: That a staff meeting be called for Monday 21, 6:30 pm at Ryerson (exact day subject to room availability); Motion passed.

- Return of CKLN property: Lehrer says various property need to be returned. Toh says his past requests have been ignored and suggests use of a lawyer. Taylor suggests that if letters fail to achieve response the Board should then ask for a resolution at the staff meeting and if that fails a lawyer should then be used. M/Lehrer, S/Nelson: That the Secretary write former Board members and paid staff instructing them to return any CKLN documents, equipment, databases, keys, lists, seals or other property and that any social media accounts run in the name of CKLN also be turned over as well as any passwords or other intellectual property as required, by September 21. Motion passed.

- Election Planning Committee (student reps): Lehrer reads Section 16 of the bylaw which requires appointment of Election Planning Committee to conduct election of student reps to the Board by October 30th. Johnson volunteers to chair EPC and recruit two other members. M/Lehrer, S/Johnson: That the Board appoint Barry Johnson to the Election Planning Committee and delegate to him the authority to appoint two other persons to the committee. Passed.

- Staff arbitration: Johnson calls for two former staff members who were fired by previous Board and whose dismissals were overturned in arbitration be re-hired with their status changed retroactively to layoff. Toh states that we should consult a lawyer first. Johnson unfamiliar with issue and would like to see documentation before deciding. Lehrer will seek background information and documentation from union. Motion is tabled.

Formal portion of meeting adjourned (Board remains to answer questions from observers)

Board Meeting - Urgent Notice

2009-09-26T15:48:00.004-04:00

There will be an emergency CKLN Board of Directors meeting on Monday September 28 @ 7pm, in the Thomas Lounge @ the Ryerson Student Centre (55 Gould Street).

Agenda

1. Approval of minutes

2. Personnel issues tabled from last Board meeting (in camera)

3. Legal issues (in camera)

4. Financial update

5. Organizing Student elections

6. AGM: Proposed October 25 & By-law changes

7. Programming

8. Calling next staff/volunteer meeting

9. Other Business

IMPORTANT: Board Statement to Volunteers & Questionnaire

2009-09-19T18:19:00.006-04:00

CKLN Radio has been off the air for some time now with a number of staff and volunteers locked out of the station. An Election meeting took place on July 24, 2009 and a new Board of Directors was elected. The new Board is now in place and we have now regained access to the station.

Although the exact date that CKLN will be returning to the airwaves is yet to be determined, preparing for that day is a process that starts immediately. Needless to say, the re-creating and reconstructing of the new CKLN will be a challenging process. The CRTC is now monitoring the Station and programming must be restored in accordance with the guidelines outlined in our licence.

Due to the difficult task of procuring essential documents and information pertaining to CKLN Radio Inc., we have to start from ‘scratch’ in terms of collecting show descriptions and personal information for all current and dismissed CKLN staff and volunteers. The challenges facing us are difficult, but it is our firm belief that we can put in place, effective and practical solutions to restore CKLN.

In the absence of a Station Manager, News Director and Program Director, we are taking these gradual and transparent steps in moving forward. The following application/questionnaire may be followed up by phone calls or a personal interview.

Please fill out the volunteer information form attached (see NOTE below) and email it back to us (ASAP) within the next few days, you may also drop off the form personally at the CKLN main office. Feel free to include your comments and suggestions if you feel they may be helpful.

We thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

CKLN Board of Directors

Ron Nelson

Barry Johnson

Andrew Lehrer

Peter Toh

Caldwell Taylor

NOTE: Questionnaire/Info Form can be found 2 posts below this message or can be downloaded in WORD format here or as a PDF document here.

Volunteer Staff Meeting Notice: Sept. 23 @ 6 PM

2009-09-19T17:54:00.005-04:00

NOTICE

Attn. Volunteer Staff Members of CKLN

There will be a meeting of all CKLN volunteer staff on Wednesday September 23, 2009 at 6pm.

It will be held in the meeting room at the Toronto Public Library Parliament Branch at 269 Gerrard Street East, located on the southwest corner of Parliament St. and Gerrard St. East.

For a map click here

Parking: Street parking along Berkeley St.

Public Transit: TTC Parliament #65 bus southbound from Castle Frank subway station to Gerrard Street, and/or TTC Carlton/Gerrard #506 streetcar to the corner of Parliament and Gerrard.

Agenda items (draft)

1. CRTC meeting

2. Returning to programming

3. Other business

CKLN VOLUNTEER Questionnaire

2009-09-09T13:01:00.001-04:00

CKLN VOLUNTEER INFO FORM

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Date of Application:

Name: (First, Middle and Last)

Address: (Street, Apt. #, City, Province Postal Code)

Contact Information: (Home Telephone / Mobile )

Email:

- Which year did you start volunteering at CKLN?

- Have you ever been previously employed as (paid) staff at CKLN

Yes______No_____

- Are you currently a Ryerson student?

Yes______No_____

- Are you a former Ryerson student?

Yes______No_____

- Have you signed the volunteer/code of conduct agreement?

Yes______No_____

- Are you still in possession of a Ryerson University ID Card?

Yes______No_____

- What is your Photo ID Card No.?

- Were you dismissed/fired by the former administration?

Yes______No_____

- Do you plan to return to CKLN as a volunteer?

Yes______No_____

- As a CKLN programmer/volunteer, would you like more training to be provided for you by CLKN (e.g. technical/production, on-air hosting, production, computer skills, etc.)? Yes______No_____

- Are you willing to volunteer your time and skills in areas other than on-air programming (e.g. front office duties / computer/website maintenance, etc.)?

Yes______No_____

- If you plan not to return to CKLN, please state your reasons why.

- What are your suggestions for restoring programming at CKLN in the most practical and democratic manner?

IF YOU WERE PART OF A CKLN MUSIC SHOW OR NEWS/TALK PROGRAM, please provide with..

- Show Name/Title:

- Show Time Slot:

(e.g. Saturdays 1 – 4pm)

Show Main Host(s):

Other Show Volunteers/ co-hosts /Programmers/Producers etc.:

Short Show Description:

Programmers please note; While the decision to restore programming on CKLN Radio Inc. is immediate, these decisions may be “interim” in nature, and as such all programs are subject to change until and after a full program schedule can be developed.

_____________________

_____________________
Signature / Date

2009-09-07T22:57:00.002-04:00

CKLN gets new lease on life: Summer board elections end power struggle over Ryerson radio

by Hilary Barlow

After a year and a half of infighting between the rival boards of Ryerson’s CKLN radio station, a resolution is finally on the horizon. Staff and community members of the station elected a new board of directors on July 24. Last Friday, board members received via email a lease agreement cementing the board’s authority from the Ryerson Students’ Union and the Palin Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation that runs the Ryerson Student Centre.

“Our aim is to be on the air, by the very latest, next month,” said Ron Nelson, former host of Friday Night Reggaemania on CKLN and now a board member representing volunteer staff.

Nelson expects to sign the lease agreement, which he called solid and professional, today.

“I think there will end up being a restoration of many of the shows, but there is a process we will go through to re-interview all volunteers,” he said.

Control of CKLN has been a matter of dispute since December 2007, when program director Tim May suddenly resigned from his post. Board member Tony Barnes was appointed as a replacement, in what some saw as a violation of bylaws since the position was not advertised.

At an emergency meeting in February 2008, staff and community members voted to impeach the board, which the board did not acknowledge. When over 30 volunteer workers of the station were dismissed without warning soon after, they promptly staged protests outside the station and launched an online opposition campaign.

Added to the leadership debate is a history of funding issues. The Ryerson Students’ Union bailed out CKLN on $100,000 of unpaid taxes in 2003, and the radio station sued the union and the university for withheld levy money in February this year.

Then-president of RSU Muhammad Ali Jabbar said that the union couldn’t resume funding the station until the leadership issue was sorted out, since the union was unsure of whom to pay. Representatives of RSU and the Palin Foundation expressed their confidence that the leadership conundrum has finally been settled, and said the rest is up to CKLN and its new board.

“Going forward, it is our hope that the issues around governance have been resolved by the members of CKLN, and that CKLN will continue to play a vital role in both the Ryerson Student Centre and the community at large,” said Chris McNeil, chair of the Ryerson Student Centre.

Joeita Gupta, one of the volunteer staff who was booted last February, said she looks forward to the re-establishment of the station, which she sees as an important counter to mainstream media in Toronto.

“There are a lot of people rooting for the station and we’ve made quite a bit of progress,” said Gupta, a U of T student who sits on Governing Council and is a vice-president of the Association of Part-time Students. Gupta was in attendance at the July 24 election and cited the 150-plus turnout as evidence that CKLN still has supporters and listeners in the community.

“Even after a year of infighting, even after a year of division […] there are people out there who care about the station, people who want to see it back on the air,” she said.

CKLN Board Meeting Notice

2009-09-03T15:41:00.002-04:00

Notice to All Members!

The CKLN Board of Directors will be having a Board Meeting
on Friday, September 11, 2009 at 6:30 pm
in Room 322 of the 519 Community Centre
(519 Church Street, north of Wellesley).

Agenda
1. Election of officers
2. Other business

CKLN staff and members - community, volunteers and

Ryerson students - are welcome to observe the meeting.

NCRA post: "A Big Step Forward at CKLN"

2009-08-29T13:51:00.002-04:00

dev.ncra.ca/news/a-big-step-forward-at-ckln

Wed, 2009-07-29 12:54 — kmatthews

Thanks to local volunteers, and the facilitating work of two NCRA volunteers, CKLN is one giant step closer to restoring itself as Ryerson University's campus radio station, and taking back its role in supporting local arts, culture and information.

CKLN has been struggling under the weight of strife over its governance - uncertainty over who actually runs the station - compounded by financial and other problems. On March 6 of this year, the station's space was locked and their funding frozen - held in trust by the Ryerson Students' Union until such time as the station community could work out their governance situation. It appears that time has come.

John Harris Stevenson of the NCRA Advisory Board, and Tom Richmond, NCRA Treasurer, facilitated the meeting on July 24, which resulted in the fair election of four volunteers as the CKLN Board of Directors. They are about to begin some important and challenging work.

CKLN serves an important local and student community, and has long been a prominent member of the NCRA in the past, as Toronto's "voice of the underground." There is still a road of recovery to travel, but we have renewed hope that CKLN can be restored to a vital position in Canadian campus and community broadcasting.

The NCRA is proud to have been able to offer some help, and relieved to see progress made. Canada and Toronto were on the verge of losing the station, which would be a real blow to community broadcasting and the many thousands of us who love it.

Statement from CKLN Board of Directors

2009-08-29T01:37:00.004-04:00

Dear Members,

Over the past four weeks we (The Board) have been working on gaining access to the station. RSU and The Palin Foundation locked the doors in February due to an incident at the station with the old board.

We as the newly elected members of the new board have been told that the doors will be opened to us, but a new lease agreement must be put in place before the doors to the can be opened. As of this date no agreement has been presented to us, four weeks after we were elected. We were informed that by a date in mid August an agreement would be ready however that date has past and we are now told to expect this agreement in the next few days.

From the time we were elected we have expressed the importance numerous times to RSU and Palin Foundation of having the station back up and running ASAP.

The CRTC has express concern about the station and it is vital that we meet our promise of performance.

The board has held off making any statement in the hope that we would have something more positive to report to the members. We wait in anticipation of the agreement and gaining access to the station.

As soon as this happens we will inform you ASAP.

Yours truly,

The Board

CKLN Radio 88.1fm

55 Gould Street

Toronto, Ontario

M5B 1E9

July 24th Elections Update

2009-07-29T04:41:00.003-04:00

On the evening of July 24th, I chaired a special membership (general) meeting of CKLN Radio Incorporated at which were elected community and volunteer staff representatives to the corporation's board of directors.

The new directors elected are Barry Johnson, Ron Nelson, Andrew Lehrer, and Caldwell Taylor. A seat for former core staff went unfilled.

Tom Richmond, station manager of CJAI Amherst Island, coordinated member registration and election processes.

It appeared that there were at least 150 members present. All necessary procedural motions, including motions to establish or validate election processes, were passed with large super-majorities (two-thirds majorities). When balloting for the board positions was complete, I hand-counted all ballots, and the count was verified by separate tallies from four member scrutineers, with several other scrutineers supervising.

In my opinion, this election was held in as fair and democratic a manner as was possible given the circumstances.

John Harris Stevenson
President | CHUO 89.1 FM Ottawa
Advisory Board | National Campus and Community Radio Association

Important Update - Re. July 24 Elections

2009-07-22T14:41:00.009-04:00

Important Update - Re. July 24 Elections at Oakham House (@ 6:30 PM)
For those attending the CKLN meeting at Oakham House (2nd Floor, 63 Gould Street) on July 24 at 6:30 PM, please be advised that there will be a picket action taking place in front of this Ryerson venue organized by the Jewish Defense League protesting a 4 day course on Islamic history being taught at the same building as our meeting. There may be police and security presence.

Special Note: Ryerson Students are welcome to attend and be part of this meeting. However, elections for their seats will not take place during the proceedings of July 24th. Student Rep elections are organized and handled by the Ryerson Student Union, the organizational body that represents and advocates on behalf of the student community at Ryerson.

Registration: There will be a table set up at the meeting dedicated to registering and renewing CKLN community members (NOTE: A donation or pledge to CKLN in the amount of $20 ensures community membership).

Registration will begin at 6PM.

Urgent Reminder - Please Attend Board Elections on July 24, 2009

2009-07-19T22:47:00.009-04:00

Dear CKLN Community Members, Volunteers, Students and Friends,

Please attend, participate and spread the word!

A meeting to hold elections to fill seats on the CKLN's board ofdirectors will be held at 6:30 PM of Friday July 24, 2009. MeetingLocation: Oakham Lounge, 2nd Floor, 63 Gould Street (Southwest cornerof Church and Gould).

MAP

ELECTION DETAILS:

1. The positions up for election are: 2 Community Reps, 2 Volunteer Reps, & 1 Former Core Staff

2. Voting will take place at Oakham Lounge, 2nd Floor, 63 Gould Street (Ryerson Campus, South-west corner of Church and Gould) on Friday, July 24 @ 6:30 PM

3. Volunteers and staff members eligible to vote and run for election will have worked at least three hours during at least one six-week period, between February 1st 2008 and June 10th 2009.

4. A former core staff (Eligible positions include: Station Manager, Program Director, News Director, and Music Director) would have worked at CKLN at any time in at least one of those positions and no longer works at CKLN in any position.

(NOTE: Staff members, meaning paid core & part-time staff as well as volunteers, are all eligible to vote to elect the 2 volunteer reps and the former core staff rep)

ALERT! There is a new urgency behind this very short notice but crucial call to action: A week and half ago the working group trying to resolve the impasse that has the station under lockdown received notice from the Ryerson Student Centre building management (the Palin Foundation) that if no election is held by the 24th of July, CKLN's studios and offices at the Centre may be re-allocated.

This new urgency has helped forge an agreement to ensure elections are held promptly. While this short period is less than ideal, we hope that you all will agree that CKLN is still worth the effort to attend and participate in these elections.

In community and solidarity,

TBOR Organizing Committee

CKLN Membership Guidelines

2009-07-15T16:18:00.001-04:00

Membership Categories Eligible to Vote and/or Run in July 24 Elections are:

Staff Member

CKLN Bylaw Clause 5.2a states: “To be considered as a Staff Member, an individual must have performed work of any kind for the station for a period of at least three hours in any six-week period, unless circumstances warrant such absences as deemed reasonable by the core-staff, subject to Board review." Clause 5.2 states that a staff member includes core staff, part-time staff and volunteer staff.

To be considered a Staff Member for the purposes of this meeting, you must have worked or volunteered at CKLN for at least 3 hours in any 6-week period between February 1st 2008 and March 31st 2009.

Community Member

CKLN Bylaw Clause 5.3 states: “To qualify as a Community Member, an individual shall not be Student, core or part-time Staff member and must make a minimum contribution to CKLN each year as established by the Board from time to time.”

For the purpose of this meeting, to be considered a Community Member, you must have made a receipted donation in 2008-09 in the amount of at least $20, or make a donation of at least $20 at the meeting.

Staff Member

CKLN Bylaw Clause 5.2a states: “To be considered as a Staff Member, an individual must have performed work of any kind for the station for a period of at least three hours in any six-week period, unless circumstances warrant such absences as deemed reasonable by the core-staff, subject to Board review." Clause 5.2 states that a staff member includes core staff, part-time staff and volunteer staff.

To be considered a Staff Member for the purposes of this meeting, you must have worked or volunteered at CKLN for at least 3 hours in any 6-week period between February 1st 2008 and March 31st 2009.

Former Core Staff

CKLN Bylaw Clause 5.3a: “The Core Staff shall be in the employment of the Board of Directors and will be comprised of a Station Manager, a Program Director, a News Director and a Music Director.”

To be Former Core Staff, you must have been previously employed at CKLN as one of: Station Manager, Program Director, News Director or Music Director. Further, you must not be employed presently at CKLN in any capacity.

Context for CKLN July 24 Board Elections '09

2009-07-15T16:10:00.000-04:00

IMPORTANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION
July 21, 2009

1.0 Over the last 12-14 months, there have been numerous occasions where disputes at or about CKLN have ended in the police being called to the Ryerson Student Centre at 55 Gould St. and at
the CKLN offices. This has been well publicized in various media.

1.1 Approximately four months ago, there was a break in at CKLN. It is alleged that the break in was perpetrated by a person who purports to be a CKLN Board member (Paulette Hamilton) and a former paid staff member (David James Cooper). The police were called. It is reported that police responded in at least seven cars. Paulette Hamilton and David James Cooper were arrested and led away in handcuffs.

A short time after that incident, the “Palin Foundation” operating as “The Ryerson Student Centre” chose to lock out CKLN staff and management for security and safety reasons.

On or about July 9, 2009, a written notice - dated July 6, 2009 - was posted at the entrance of the CKLN offices at 55 Gould St. (“The Space”).

In its notice, the Palin Foundation stated that there must be an election no later than July 24, 2009 to elect directors to the Board of CKLN or “The Space” (CKLN offices) would be “reallocated” to a different group or purpose at their discretion. The notice included a statement that the governance dispute has gone on for over a year.

The ultimatum by the Palin Foundation clearly threatens the continued existence of CKLN Inc – 88.1 FM.

There must be an election on July 24, 2009 to meet the Palin Foundation ultimatum and provide an opportunity for CKLN to reoccupy “The Space” at 55 Gould St.

All individuals purporting to act as boards of CKLN have been apprised of the Palin Foundation ultimatum via the email (ALL LIST).

A short term committee has formed to implement the election process. The committee’s membership as of July 12, 2009 is: Conrad Collaco, Michael Harnett, Arnold Minors, Ron Nelson, and PeterToh.

NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING & AGENDA

2009-07-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

Re. July 24 CKLN Board Elections

This is a notice of a Special Meeting called for the purpose of electing five non-student members to the Board of Directors of CKLN.

Date of Meeting: July 24 2009
Time of Meeting: 6:30 pm
Place of Meeting: Ryerson Student Centre, 55 Gould St. – Oakham Lounge

Agenda

1. Welcome
2. Presentation - Context/Rationale for Election and Financial Condition of CKLN
3. Call for Nominations
4. Presentation by Candidates
5. Questions of and Responses by Candidates
6. Election
7. Break (during which votes will be counted)
8. Reporting of Votes and Ratification of Votes
9. Adjournment

Election Process

Votes will be for two Community Members representatives; two Volunteer representatives and one former core staff member representative.

All qualified persons are eligible to vote at this election. (See the appendix for eligibility criteria and process to ensure that you are registered to vote.)

Authorization for Process

This meeting has been called as a result of collaboration of people who have acted as members of groups purporting to be Board members of CKLN. In order for student fees to be transferred to CKLN, there must be a transparent, democratic voting process that creates an agreed-upon Board of Directors for CKLN. Such a democratic voting process will allow CKLN to again move forward with its programming and service to the community. In addition, the Ryerson Student Centre Board issued an ultimatum that there must be an election by July 24. (see attached document putting this notice in context.)

Issued by: Conrad Collaco, Michael Harnett, Arnold Minors, Ron Nelson, Peter Toh
21 July 2009

Appendix 1: Voter Eligibility Criteria and Registration Process

Voter Eligibility Criteria

CKLN has three classes of membership: Student, Staff and Community. All CKLN members are entitled to attend this Special Meeting. Community members vote for Community representatives to the Board. Staff members vote for Staff representatives (Volunteer and Former Core Staff) to the Board.

STAFF MEMBER - A Staff member includes core staff, part-time staff and volunteer staff of CKLN. To be considered a Staff Member and to be able to vote at the meeting on June 23rd, an individual must have performed work of any kind for the station for a period of at least three hours in any six-week period at any time between February 1, 2008 and July 24, 2009.

COMMUNITY MEMBER - To qualify as a Community Member, an individual shall not be Student, core or part-time Staff member. In addition, s/he must have contributed at least $20 to CKLN between February 1, 2008 and July 24, 2009, providing s/he can show a receipt from CKLN for the donation. If an individual has a receipt for less than $20 contributed to the station, s/he can make up the difference between his/her payment and $20 and become a member.

Registration Process

People will be able to register to vote as of 6 pm at the Oakham Lounge at 55 Gould St. (Ryerson Student Centre) on Friday, July 24th. Registration documents are attached, for your information. It will be helpful to complete the appropriate document and bring it with you on Friday.

Urgent Update Re. Elections re-schedule

2009-07-13T21:48:00.004-04:00

Dear CKLN Community Members, Volunteers and Friends,

A meeting to hold elections to CKLN's board of directors will be held on the evening of Friday July 24, 2009.

During the last few weeks since our last efforts to hold an election were unsuccessful, many of us have been working to bring about a solution that would return CKLN to air as the valuable and accessible community broadcaster we have loved.

Tonight (July 10) we came to an agreement that elections would be held on July 24, 2009. Notice of the meeting has been posted at 55 Gould Street on the Ryerson Campus.

CAMPUS CENTRE

There is a new urgency that has helped compel our working group to choose the 24th as an election date. Earlier this week we received notice from the group that manages the space that CKLN inhabits. We have been informed that if no election is held by the 24th of July, CKLN's studios and offices in the Campus Centre may be re allocated. This new urgency has helped forge an agreement to ensure elections are held promptly.

This election date is two weeks away. While this short period is less than ideal and the long journey we have taken to get here has exhausted much energy and enthusiasm, I hope you will agree that CKLN is still worth the effort to attend and participate in these elections.

ELECTION DETAILS:

- Who: The positions for which there will be an election include Community Representatives (2), Volunteer Representatives (2) and Former Core Staff Representative(1).
- Where: 55 Gould Street - Ryerson Campus - Room TBA.
- When: July 24, 2009. Exact time is TBA but likely 6:30 or 7 pm.

We will provide more detail as soon as possible, but expectations are that some conditions for the election will be:

1. Volunteers and staff members eligible to vote and run for election will have worked at least three hours in at least one six week period , between 1 February 2008 and 10 June 2009.
2. A former core staff (Station Manager, Program Director, News Director, or Music Director) would have worked at CKLN at any time in at least one of those positions and no longer works at CKLN in any position. (Staff members - core staff, part-time staff and volunteers are eligible to vote for volunteer representatives and former core staff representative.)

ABOUT THIS EMAIL:

I do not issue this email on behalf of the other members of this working group, merely as an individual present at the meeting where these details were discussed, who has chosen to report the results.

What CKLN now becomes will depend on the commitment of you in the communities to whom CKLN has given voice for 25 years. Please make your voice heard on CKLN's behalf at the July 24, 2009 election. This may be our last chance.

In Solidarity
Conrad Collaco
(Former Core Staff Board Rep.)

IMPORTANT UPDATE re. June 14 elections

2009-06-10T19:57:00.006-04:00

Dear CKLN Community Members, Volunteers and Friends,

Elections previously announced to take place on June 14th to fill 5 seats on the CKLN Board of Directors have been re-scheduled.

NOTE: A new date and time will be shortly posted on this blog as soon as it is confirmed.

The positions for which there will be an election include Community Representatives (2), Volunteer Representatives (2) and Former Core Staff Representative (1).

For more information contact: ckln.elections@gmail.com

COMMUNITY MEETING - Re. June 14 Elections

2009-06-02T17:59:00.003-04:00

The board of directors elected by community and volunteers at CKLN through the elections held in April and May of 2008 will be holding an information meeting for members of the CKLN community. The BoD will address the upcoming elections to be held on Sunday June 14 at 2 pm.

This meeting will be held between 7-9 PM on Thursday June 4, 2009 @ OISE, 2nd Floor, Room 2227.

All are encouraged to attend.

A location address and directions will be posted shortly. We know this is short notice and appreciate any effort you can make to attend this meeting. For more information please contact Catherine at 416.533.6630 or catherine.holliday@utoronto.ca

Update Re. Upcoming Elections to Help Reclaim CKLN!

2009-06-02T17:48:00.004-04:00

Dear CKLN Community Members, Volunteers and Friends,

About three weeks ago we sent out a message informing you all of our intention to hold elections to CKLN's Board of Directors on June 14. We remain committed to holding fair and democratic elections. The positions for which there will be an election include Community Representatives
(2), Volunteer Representatives (2) and Former Core Staff Representative (1).

That date is coming closer and our plans are on track.

The meeting will take place Sunday June 14 at 2pm. The location is still to be determined. We are working to arrange the meeting at Ryerson, if possible.

We have been working with Michael Harnett, Mercedez Otway, Peter Toh and Toby Whitfield to build a consensus on how this election will run. Their contributions have been valuable.

With them we have agreed on the following conditions for the election:

1. Volunteers and staff members eligible to vote and run for election will have worked at least three hours in at least one six week period , between 1 February 2008 and 10 June 2009.

2. A former core staff (Station Manager, Program Director, News Director, or Music Director) would have worked at CKLN at any time in at least one of those positions and no longer works at CKLN in any position. (Staff members - core staff, part-time staff and volunteers are eligible to vote for volunteer representatives and former core staff representative.)

3. Community members must have contributed at least $20 to CKLN by June 12 2009. A community member may not be a Student, core or part-time Staff member. Community members may still contribute this amount.

Directors must be residents in Canada; 18 years of age or older, with power under law to contract. At least 80% of directors must be Canadian citizens.

COMMUNITY MEETING

We would like to talk more about this meeting with members of the CKLN community. We plan to do this between 7-9PM on Thursday June 4, 2009. We know this is short notice and appreciate any effort you can make to attend this meeting. Please monitor this list for details regarding the location.

Thank you all, in this community of volunteers, students and listeners for getting us to this point. Please continue that work by encouraging fellow community members and volunteers to attend these meetings.

Please help get the word out.

In Solidarity

Conrad Collaco
Heather Douglas
Geoff McDonald
Arnold Minors
Ron Nelson

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: Re. CKLN Elections

2009-05-12T21:48:00.002-04:00

A Message from the Board:

Dear CKLN Community Members, Volunteers and Friends,

Some important events have taken place over the last few days in our efforts to return CKLN to a place where we demonstrate commitment to our mission through volunteers, students and community members.

We have learned that the group, led by Tony Barnes, that occupied CKLN for many months has dropped its lawsuit against the RSU. In addition, it appears that all members of this group have now resigned from their “board”.

We have spoken with RSU and continued dialogue with members of the board consisting of Mike Harnett, Mercedes Otway, Peter Toh, and Mary Young. Both of those groups have committed to us an interest in developing plans that would lead to open, public elections for a new Board of Directors for CKLN.

We are happy to announce that Sunday June 14 has been set, tentatively, as the date for those elections. The location is to be determined. We will announce more about that meeting as soon as possible. Community, volunteer and former core staff elections will be held on that date.

All of you, in this community of volunteers, students and listeners, have done much work to get us to the point when a return to the station is within reach. We are now in the moments where we can start to rebuild this great community radio station. Some of this work will include energizing our friends, some of whom may have given up, resigned to the belief that the station could not be won back. Please help get the word out.

What CKLN now becomes will depend on the commitment of you in the communities to whom CKLN has given voice for 25 years. The hard work of winning the station back is now almost over. The hard work of reshaping this great community radio station is just beginning.

In Solidarity

Conrad Collaco
Heather Douglas
Geoff MacDonald
Arnold Minors
Ron Nelson

Special Public Meeting This Tuesday!

2009-04-13T01:21:00.004-04:00

April 14th 2009
From 6-8pm
@ The 519 on Church St, Room 322

All concerned members (staff, volunteer, community, student) and supporters welcome.

It is now over a year that CKLN has been without a functioning Board of Directors or proper management. Since last May, over 60 volunteers and staff have been forced out of CKLN. Some of these programmers/volunteers had provided more than a decade of service at the station.

In February of 2008, in response to oppressive behaviour of the Board and management at that time, a Special Membership Meeting was held at which a decision was collectively made to dismiss the non-student members of the board and elect their replacements. However, the legitimate new board was never allowed to take over management of the station. And in retaliation for the SGM, the dismissed management and impeached board carried out dismissals of participating volunteers.

In the past month, the situation at CKLN has deteriorated dramatically. The space has been shut down for an indefinite period by the university administration. All those programmers who were still hosting and producing shows at CKLN have been locked out. The program grid once filled with cutting edge, vibrant and progressive content has now been replaced by archived material and long periods of dead air. Currently only two people are authorized to enter the premises to program archived material for broadcast.

This is a crucial turning point in the fight to save CKLN.

Join us for this CKLN Membership meeting to learn more about recent developments, current legal actions and to brainstorm for solutions to end this crisis.

Take Back Our Radio Broadcast Ready for Replay!

2009-03-25T00:44:00.009-04:00

Our National Radio Action has been archived at Radio4All

Visit www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/32280&53297

The archives include all shows featured during our March 11th broadcast from the Imperial Pub in Toronto and through www.RMR.fm

Please send us an email if you download and replay this material, takebackourradio@gmail.com

BIG THANK YOU’s TO ALL WHO MADE OUR IWD RADIO ACTION POSSIBLE!

2009-03-14T21:12:00.006-04:00

To the Sisters Stations across Canada that carried our signal and broadcast; your support and solidarity means a great deal and was part of our success in making this special broadcast in exile happen! And many thanks also to your listeners for their most valued and appreciated attention! 

CKUT in Montreal (90.3 FM, www.ckut.ca) 

CHRY in Toronto (105.5 FM, www.chry.fm) 

CFRU in Guelph (93.3 FM, www.cfru.ca) 

CJUM in Manitoba (101.5 FM, www.umfm.com) 

Co-op Radio in Vancouver (102.7 FM, www.coopradio.org) 

The Black Mask Show on CKUW in Winnipeg (95.9 FM, www.ckuw.ca) 

CHSR in Fredericton (97.9 FM, www.chsrfm.ca) 

CFRC in Kingston (101.9 FM, www.cfrcradio.ca)

We also want to send out a shout out to those sister radio stations that will be downloading and re-playing archived material from this broadcast. These include:

CJSF in Burnaby (90.1 FM, www.cjsf.ca) 

KNFS-LP 98.1 FM in Tulare, California  

We also want to thank organizations, small businesses and community allies who have stepped up, endorsed this broadcast and/or contributed to making it a reality.. You are all fine examples of what community radio is all about! These are: 

CAPA - The Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault

The Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students at Ryerson
Basics Community Newsletter
Basics Radio
The Canadian Federation of Students
Christine Gude
Eric Mills
Dr. Beverly Lewis
Stephane Bertrand (CKUT’s host of the Avalanche)
Siue at Boardwalk Chocolates
My Market Bakery & Cheese Magic
The Toronto IWD Fair organizers
Ron Nelson, Lisa West & REGGAEMANIA.COM

And to the owners and staff at the Imperial Pub for allowing us the space to broadcast and for accommodating our group and organizing efforts now and always!

Also, one big round for two strong and special womyn whose support and work in collaboration with our collective have made what some thought too immense to pull off, an inspiring and empowering action. They are Kristiana Clemens, music director at CKUT and former CKLN'r and Ryerson alumna (who produced our rockin’ PSA all the way in Montreal and in less than a day!), and Gretchen King, News Director also with CKUT Radio and a generous source of advice, help and solidarity!  

And to Leela Chinniah, Program Co-ordinator at Vancouver Co-op Radio for her belief and commitment to this process from the very beginning and for her solidarity with our struggle to reclaim the airwaves, for the community and by the community!  

To our Techs Dale Whitmore and Sheila Chevalier who helped us get through these 5 hours as seamlessly as possible.  

We are also very grateful to the many volunteers (especially Jonah for the much running and assistance) who joined us from the beginning ‘til the end. And the rest of our fellow programmers, community members and allies who came down to the pub to support this radio action and made it a memorable and historical event for us all!

CKLN Inc. Lockdown

2009-03-12T17:24:00.006-04:00

NOTICE posted on CKLN's door

March 11, 2009

To all CKLN staff, volunteers, board members and other CKLN personnel:

Re: Lockout Due to Security Risks

TAKE NOTICE that the board of directors of the Palin Foundation, doing business as the Ryerson Student Campus Centre (the “Board”) has decided, until further notice, to deny access to the suite currently assigned to CKLN located on the second floor of the Student Campus Centre (the “Assigned Suite”) to all CKLN staff, volunteers, board members and other CKLN personnel. This decision was driven by a consideration of the security risks and the potential of harm to befall tenants of the Ryerson Student Campus Centre and other members of the Ryerson community. Note also that Ryerson University Security and Emergency Services personnel (“Ryerson Security”) have been authorized by the Board to change the locks on all of the doors leading to the Assigned Suite to prevent unauthorized access.

Any interested party seeking entry to the Assigned Suite to claim personal belongings or for any other legitimate reason is asked to contact Michael Verticchio at ed.operations@rsuonline.ca. Please note that any attempt to enter or access the Assigned Suite that has not been expressly authorized by the Board in writing and/or any attempt to tamper with the locks leading to the Assigned Suite will be treated as an act of trespass and/or vandalism, as appropriate, and without exception will be referred to Ryerson Security and the Toronto Police.

Sincerely yours,

[PALIN FOUNDATION, doing business as the RYERSON STUDENT CAMPUS CENTRE]

Per: Michael Verticchio, General Manager

Take Back Our Radio IWD 2009 - Radio Spot/PSA

2009-03-06T03:28:00.005-05:00

Take Back Our Radio IWD 2009 (Radio Spot)

Listen and/or download for replay at:

www.ncra.ca/exchange/dspProgramDetail.cfm?programID=81774

www.ncra.ca/business/admin_ncra/progex/programFiles/53/ckln_radio_action_march_11_(65s).mp3

This IWD 2009: Take Back our Radio Join our 5 HR Radio Direct Action!

2009-03-05T18:41:00.001-05:00

Support campus-community radio & locked-out CKLN programmers!

TUNE IN @ www.RMR.fm
.. AND TAKE BACK OUR RADIO!

LIVE TO AIR: Wednesday March 11th, from 5-10pm (EST)

Transmitting from: The Imperial Pub @ 54 Dundas Street East (Ryerson Campus, East of Victoria), www.imperialpub.com

MAP

-----------------------------------------------------
** PROGRAMMING GUIDE BELOW **
** FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT **
-----------------------------------------------------

In 2008, 53 volunteer programmers were 'fired' from campus-community radio station CKLN 88.1FM in Toronto without explanation. Tune-in to a live broadcast by former CKLN hosts and DJs, as they stream onto the internet and reclaim the lost airwaves.

Marking International Women's Day, the 'fired' programmers include the hosts of CKLN's only feminist programs, as well as many other women, trans and queer, activist and marginalized programmers. This 5-hour broadcast will feature voices otherwise silenced in the mainstream, as well as focus on community grassroots media across this country, its significance and importance.

SIMULCASTERS & RE-BROADCASTERS: This broadcast will be available in high-quality over the internet @ www.rmr.fm and archived for later re-broadcast @ www.radio4all.net.

LISTENERS ACROSS CANADA: Catch this broadcast on March 11th as it happens in full or partially through CKUT in Montreal (90.3 FM, www.ckut.ca), CHRY in Toronto (105.5 FM, www.chry.fm), CFRU in Guelph (93.3 FM, www.cfru.ca), CJUM in Manitoba (101.5 FM, www.umfm.com), Co-op Radio in Vancouver (102.7 FM, Starchoice 845 Satellite, Telus Channel 178, www.coopradio.org), CJSF in Burnaby (90.1 FM, www.cjsf.ca), The Black Mask Show on CKUW in Winnipeg (95.9 FM, www.ckuw.ca), CHSR in Fredericton (97.9 FM, www.chsrfm.ca) and many others!!

TUNE IN @ www.RMR.fm

-----------------------------
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT
-----------------------------

1. ENDORSEMENTS! If your organization or group or local is interested in endorsing this broadcast, let us know and we'll thank you on-air …
2. DONATE! Make a financial or in-kind donation (food for the day of the broadcast, photocopying, printing, etc.) …
3. OUTREACH! Help us spread the word, through flyering and postering …
4. COME OUT ON THE DAY! Join us as we broadcast live, help us on the ground of the broadcast, listen in person to powerful voices and music, and be a part of this memorable community event in the history of our local community-powered media!

Remember, you too can help make this national radio direct action a success. For more info, email us at: takebackourradio@gmail.com

TAKE BACK OUR RADIO PROGRAM GUIDE

2009-03-05T16:24:00.003-05:00

Tune in for a Live-To-Air Broadcast for IWD 2009 (Toronto)

March 11th, 2009
5 pm to 10 pm (Eastern Time)
@ www.RMR.fm

Anchors: Lisa Skeete West (Reggaemania) & Verlia (Limin)

5:00 PM Honour the Earth
Featuring the music, thoughts & perspectives of First Nations women of Turtle Island.
HOST: Audrey Redman

5:30 PM Saturday Morning Live
Weekend energy for a weeknight action! Featuring SML regular contributor Gerald Horne (Professor in History at the University of Houston and prolific African American historian), and 'Amandla', with a focus on events and analysis from the African continent, featuring the voices and issues of women.
HOSTS: Audrey Wandolo and Omme-Salma Rahemtullah

6:00 PM OCAP Radio
Brought to you by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), a proud radio space hosting the voices of women fighting back against poverty. Highlights include tenants waging a creative struggle for affordable housing, and disability rights activists battling against ableist government policies and working to create accessible space. Music of resistance will be present too as we reclaim the airwaves once again!
HOST: Stef Gude

6:30 PM Anti-Psychiatry Radio
Long-time anti-psychiatry activist Don Weitz will interview Bonnie Burstow, outstanding feminist, trauma specialist and anti-psychiatry activist. Don will also comment on key struggles against electro-shock, including the current campaign "Stop Shocking Our Mothers and Grandmothers" organized by the Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault (CAPA).
HOST: Don Weitz

7:00 PM No One Is Illegal Radio
Featuring the "Shelter.Sanctuary.Status" campaign, NOII radio will highlight on-going work towards access to services and the provision of full legal immigration status for all women and their families fleeing diverse forms of violence. This show will also recognize the violence of deportation and detention, and demand the elimination of these forms of state violence. No One is Illegal-Toronto is a group of immigrants, refugees and allies who fight for justice for all migrants, and believe that granting citizenship to a privileged few is part of a racist immigration and border policy that marginalizes and exploits migrants.
HOST: Yen Chu

7:30 PM Dat Dere
A jazz improvising creative music and poetry community radio program, its roots are in the Black experience in the diaspora and internationally. The show is dedicated to challenging inquiring minds of all ages. Over 100 years ago,15,000 women marched through New York
City demanding their rights politically,socially and economically. Today and every year on this day since that march, we celebrate that significant event. We celebrate women all over the world, We hear their voices, and We rejoice in all our achievements.
HOSTS: Chloe Onari, Gary Topp, Sharron Mcloed.

8:15 PM Ventana Al Barrio / WOM Fridays presents: "Resistentes! Womyn Still Standing and Moving Strong"
[Resistentes: Plural, Adj., Lang: Spanish. Trans: 1. resistant, strong, tough 2. those who resist] We resist through music, words and actions! Here we'll explore the path of resistance through word and song. Listen to women's voices speak about grassroots political and cultural activism in writing, music and social advocacy as we struggle across borders to rescue, reclaim, transform and safeguard - our lives, our stories, our cultures, and our voices- against the forces of oppression.
HOST: Susy Alvarez.

8:45 PM Radio Cliteracy Broadcasts from Exile!
Focusing on the importance of community radio in encouraging women's empowerment locally and globally, this show will feature: "Things left unsaid" - Through a series of creative writing pieces, black queer youth speak to the experience of existing just beyond the fringes of a black civil rights movement that often excludes queer voice and a feminist movement that often does not represent their reality; the White Ribbon Campaign – featuring an interview with Tuval; and ISIS Manila, an NGO working to broadcast the voices of women in the Global South through grassroots, www.isiswomen.org.
HOSTS: D-Konstruct, Carmelle Wolfson, Kim Crosby, Sarah Reaburn & Ruby Tuesday

9:15 Frequency Feminisms
*Womyn Powered is a diverse collective of real womyn - of colour, dis/abled, poor and subversive - who are bringing you the stories that you will not find in the mainstream. Tune in for spoken word, collective action, music and other expressions of our oppression and redemption. Because we survive, because we can sing, because we reclaim - join us! For IWD, we will cover the struggles of womyn migrant workers and our collective resistance, as we take back the airwaves.
HOSTS - Anna Saini, Yolisa Dalamba, Joeita Gupta, Oriel Varga, Gein Wong

9:35 PM Limin in de African Diaspora
Come lime with Verlia in de African Diaspora! Let us honour our African Caribbean women who have brought strength and power to their people. Come listen to Ella Andall, Singing Sandra, Sanelle Dempster, Alison Hinds just to name a few! We will also discuss the history of "Limin'" and the contribution this show has provided to our diverse communities.
HOST: Verlia

NOTE: Archives for the entire broadcast will be available for download and replay for not for profit purposes at www.Radio4All.net following March 11th.

The Ryersonian's take on the current state of affairs at CKLN

2009-03-05T00:25:00.002-05:00

CKLN in Turmoil, Police Called
By John Van Dusen

Read the rest of the article here.

Eyeopener Article on Recent Developments at CKLN

2009-03-04T15:45:00.000-05:00

Levy: 'They've overstayed their welcome'
by Julianna Cummins

Read the article here.

Statement from CKLN Board of Directors

2009-02-27T16:15:00.001-05:00

Hello members of the CKLN Community,

It's been a busy week.

In our efforts to resolve the conflict at CKLN, we have been working with members of the board recognized by CKLN management.

Many of them have the same concerns about recent events at CKLN, that have been shared by you on this list and elsewhere. They are as eager as we are to see competent management and open community participation return to the radio station.

Together, we have decided to call a meeting at which new elections will be held. A committee has been struck to determine the details of that meeting. We expect to be able to tell you more shortly.

This struggle is not over. The need for participation from all aspects of CKLN's membership is as important now as it ever was. Your knowledge of and passion for progressive community radio will be essential in shaping what CKLN will become.

We are grateful for all the efforts you have made. We are certain that your efforts have helped us arrive at the place where we are now.

Thank you.

Heather Douglas
Geoff MacDonald
Arnold Minors
Ron Nelson
Conrad Collaco

CKLN Board of Directors

Recent Development: CKLN Inc. sues the RSU

2009-02-05T16:10:00.004-05:00

Click on the links below for the most recent articles covering CKLN's mis/management & board and their lawsuit agains the Ryerson Student Union.

The Ryersonian
http://www.ryersonline.ca/articles/3059/1/CKLN-sues-RSU-university/Page1.html

The Eyeopener
http://www.theeyeopener.com/articles/3977-CKLN-sues-school-RSU-for-550k

Don Weitz' Lawsuit Update

2009-02-02T18:04:00.005-05:00

"There was no 'mediation settlement' today. Instead, I'm geting $100 which will pay for over half of my legal costs in my lawsuit against former interim Station Manager Mike Phillips & Program Director Tony Barnes. That's what Judge Ashby awarded me for legal costs, after lawyer Mark A. Mason (McCague Peacock Borlack McInnis & Lloyd) and his clients Phillips and Barnes failed to show up at the mediation conference scheduled at 1:30pm today in Small Claims Court. If they don't pay the $100 within 30 days, I may see them at another scheduled 'settlement' conference and in court but not sure when. Their no-show pissed off Judge Ashby who was there to act as the mediator. The Mason/Phillips/Barnes no-show also doesn't help their 'Statement of Defence'... I deeply appreciated AJ's presence - she was there as my volunteer assistant, allowed in the conference room, and gave me some good advice and personal support. In solidarity, Don"

Read Don's Statement of Claim here: http://takebackourradio.blogspot.com/2009/01/don-weitz-statement-of-claim-against.html

Online Petition CLOSED

2009-02-01T18:48:00.002-05:00

We want to thank all who signed our online petition at Go Petition which was closed recently.

This petition was originally created to lobby the firm Iler & Campbell to recognize the results of the Special General Meeting held in February 23rd of 2008 which was carried out in accordance to the station governing bylaws and that resulted in the democratic dismissal and removal of non student board members Josie Miner and Doug Barret and its appointed managers Tony Barnes and Mike Phillips. This petition was aimed at getting this well respected Toronto firm to cease its representation of said dismissed and removed individuals and commence representation of the legitimate board members duly elected in April and May of 2008 as per the bylaws and by the democratic will of the volunteer and community membership of CKLN.

It has come to our attention that as of December of 2008, Iler and Campbell are no longer retained by CKLN 88.1 Inc. Therefore, the purpose of this petition is no longer valid. We hope that through the continued lobbying and pressure from our community allies and dismissed members, the people at Iler and Campbell came to realize that the folks passing as their clients were committing a grave injustice that ran contrary to the mandate and beliefs professed by their firm and our radio station.

The fight is not over yet, CKLN has contracted the legal services of a lawyer working for the multinational law firm McCAGUE PEACOCK, BORLACK, McINNIS & LLOYD.

So the struggle continues!

Don Weitz' Statement of Claim Against CKLN Radio Inc.

2009-01-30T16:00:00.002-05:00

Statement of Claim Against CKLN Radio:

Mike Phillips, former Station Manager

Tony Barnes, Program Director

Name: Don Weiitz

Address: 1401-38 Orchard View Blvd., Toronto,ON M4R 2G3

Draft Statement:

I, Don Weitz, am lodging this complaint of wrongful and unjust dismissal against CKLN Radio (88.1FM) in Toronto .

This claim is specifically directed at two (2) members of CKLN Management: former Station Manager Mike Phillips, and Program Director Tony Barnes. For approximately twelve (12) years, I have been a volunteer programmer at CKLN.

Specifically, I have been host and producer of the program "Antipsychiatry Radio", in 1994 it was originally titled "Shrinkrap”.

On May 5, 2008, I received the following letter from Mike Phillips that stated in full: "Please be advised that your volunteer services at CKLN Radio Inc are no loner required effective immediately." This letter is signed "Mike Phillips, Station Manager".

In that May 5 letter, there was no reason or explanation given for my dismissal; I also have never received any advance notice or warning of my dismissal, and never received any criticism of my Antipsychiatry program. Approximately two (2) weeks later, I and many other volunteer programers, was physically locked out, barred from the CKLN studio - again without advance notice, warning or explanation. In addition, my CKLN entry card was electronically deactivated - without warning, advance notice or explanation. As host and producer, Antipsychiatry Radio featured informed opinion, commentary and criticism of the psychiatric system and community-based alternatives in Canada. The program content frequently featured exclusive interviews and dissident commentaries with psychiatric survivors and antipsychiatry activists, as well as nationally-respected academics, feminists, and mental health lawyers. To the best of my knowledge, "Antipsychiatry Radio" was unique and empowering. It was unique because there was and still is no similar antipsychiatry program produced by psychiatric survivors in Ontario or Canada;. It was empowering because it reached out to and provided a powerful voice for psychiatric survivors - some of the most marginalized, discriminated against, stigmatized and oppressed citizens in Canada.

In dismissing me, the CKLN Management seriously violated my human rights and Charter rights - specifically my right to freedom of opinion and expression, and my right to “security of the person.” At the same time, CKLN Management also seriously deprived many listeners of CKLN Radio valuable opportunities for receiving critical information and informed opinion on the "mental health system", its many abuses, “mad culture”, and several alternatives. In effect, CKLN Management has silenced a powerful and empowering voice for psychiatric survivors, antipsychiatry activists, and social justice advocates in Canada; it has done so in a callous, insensitive, irresponsible, and undemocratic manner.

Further, in dismissing me and eliminating my program, CKLN Management has directly and seriously violated parts of its Mandate or Mission Statement. For example, CKLN Management has violated this major statement in its Mandate: "Provide Toronto's diverse and rapidly changing audience with the opportunity to hear a wide range of differing cultural expressions and thereby encourage communication, solidarity and cooperation between and among oppressed communities and constituencies." The program's constituencies included psychiatric survivors, “mental health consumers”, antipsychiatry activists, and social justice advocates.

As an elderly citizen with a chronic heart condition, this dismissal has caused me considerable anxiety and stress. I have absolutely no doubt that I have been dealt with unjustly and request justice. I request reinstatement as host and producer of ”Antipsychiatry Radio” at CKLN Radio, and adequate financial compensation in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000).

Legal Update - Don Weitz (Anti Psych Radio) @ Small Claims

2009-01-28T16:12:00.002-05:00

Don Weitz, locked out programmer and host of Anti Pysch Radio (Friday WOM News, 6-7 pm), has filed a suit against appointed managers Phillips & Barnes (responsible for his dismissaland 50 others). A "mediation" session has been scheduled for Monday Feb. 2nd at 1:30pm in Small Claims Court, Rm 302, 3rd floor, 47 Sheppard Ave. East (Yonge/Sheppard).

Only "immediate parties" will be allowed in the room. If supporters want to come up, they will have to sit outside and wait for the results of the session. If there's no settlement, the case will go to court. Please keep your eyes on this blog for further updates and requests for solidarity.

Pickets & Organizing Continue!

2009-01-20T22:52:00.004-05:00

Our struggle continues to reclaim CKLN. All assistance, help and solidarity is needed and appreciated. Please consider joining our organizing efforts or our Sunday pickets.

MAP

Pickets are on!! Come down and join us every Sunday at NOON in front of the Student Centre (55 Gould Street).

Organizing and planning meetings are held after pickets. For more info drop us a line at takebackourradio@gmail.com

This IWD.. Support campus-community radio & locked-out CKLN programmers!

2009-01-20T18:47:00.000-05:00

Join our national radio direct action!

...TAKE BACK OUR RADIO!

Wednesday March 11th, from 5-10pm (EST)

In 2008, 53 volunteer programmers were 'fired' from campus-community radio station CKLN 88.1FM in Toronto without explanation. Tune-in to a live broadcast by former CKLN hosts and DJs, as they stream onto the internet and reclaim the lost airwaves.

Marking International Women's Day, the 'fired' programmers include the hosts of CKLN's only feminist program, as well as many other women, trans and queer, activist and marginalized programmers. This 5-hour broadcast will feature voices otherwise silenced in the mainstream, as well as focus on community grassroots media across this country, its significance and importance.

You can support this radio action by carrying any portion of this broadcast, live or via the archives, which will be available in high-quality over the internet. CKUT Radio in Montreal, CHRY in Toronto, CJUM in Manitoba and Co-op Radio in Vancouver are confirmed as re-broadcasters. You too can help make this national radio direct action a success, confirm your station's participation today, email: takebackourradio@gmail.com

Legal Update - Claims Filed Against Mis/Management

2009-01-13T17:39:00.003-05:00

Long time CKLN contributors and locked-out programmers Don Weitz (OCAP/AntiPsych Radio) and Usheak Koroma (WOM News/Sounds of Africa) have filed at Small Claims Court against the mis/management responsible for their illegitimate dismissals. Separate legal action was taken by these two individuals specifically against former Interim Station Manager Mike Phllips and current Program Director Tony Barnes. The claims allege "wrongful dismissal and unfair treatment" as their cause/reason. A hearing will take place if "mediation with the immediate parties" is not successfully carried out. Keep your eyes on this blog for updates re. court date/time and support needed for these two actions.

2009-01-13T17:32:00.004-05:00

Right-Wing Board Purges Community Voices at CKLN 88.1FM
by Kabir Joshi-Vijayan
Basics Issue #12 (Jan/Feb 2009)
http://basicsnewsletter.blogspot.com/2009/01/right-wing-board-purges-community.html

For decades CKLN (Ryerson University’s campus-community radio station) has represented the people on Toronto’s airwaves. It had dozens of programmes that showcased community mobilizations alongside international resistance to war and occupation. It was the only station in the city to celebrate Afrikan liberation week and PRIDE, while featuring the best jazz, reggae and hip hop in the country. Its flagship program, Saturday Morning Live, brought all of these elements together, with great music, a community voice, and current events from a working-class and internationalist perspective. Hosted by Norman Otis Richmond – a Vietnam War resistor and well-known revolutionary and pan-Africanist – the show has been the voice for the city’s Black and working-class community for over 25 years. But not anymore because since last winter CKLN’s board of directors has run the station into the ground!

Back in February of 2008, CKLN’s membership (150 community reps including Ryerson students and volunteers who financially support the station) held a meeting about the troubling move by the board of directors away from the community vision of the station and towards a corporate and commercialist model. The membership voted with an overwhelming 90% to impeach the current board, and demanded that the clique of corporate hacks step down. But the board refused to heed democratic will, and instead they began a ruthless campaign of firing any and all hosts who supported the membership’s demands.

Dozens of CKLN’s most popular programmes have been cancelled, and over 55 hard-working long time volunteers and paid programmers have been banned. These purges especially targeted shows that represented left-wing and marginalized voices. The station’s only feminist programs, Radio Cliteracy and Frequency Feminisms, were terminated, while Audrey Redman (residential school survivor and one of the only indigenous voices on Toronto radio) was yanked from her mic as she interviewed other locked-out hosts. Campus and Toronto Police have been frequently called to take away fired hosts as well as concerned listeners attempting to voice their concerns. And then, on December 13th Norman hosted his last show before being “temporarily” suspended. No legitimate reason was given for this termination of one of Toronto’s most popular programs and programmers, except that it was “financial”. Meanwhile the rogue Board has dodged the public release of financial documents as mandated by the CKLN constitution.

Furious listeners, CKLN members and locked out hosts are organizing to take back their radio station. Voice your anger at the CKLN takeover and join us on the picket lines as we fight for the termination of these fraudulent right-wingers masquerading as the board of directors. We will take back our CKLN!

List of Dismissed, Locked Out & Silenced from CKLN

2009-01-11T14:50:00.007-05:00

VOLUNTEERS/SHOWS PUSHED OUT
From May 2008 to January 2009

1. Denise Benson - Mental Chatter
2. Nik Red - Afrotransit
3. Francis Yee Loy aka DJ San Fran - Afrotransit
4. Mano Narayanan aka DJ Dialect - Bruckbeat Radio
5. Cheldon Paterson aka DJ Vision - Bruckbeat Radio
6. Don Weitz - Word of Mouth News Friday (OCAP Radio/Anti-psychiatry Radio)
7. Judy Koch - Word of Mouth News Friday (OCAP Radio)
8. Stef Gude - Word of Mouth News Friday (OCAP Radio)
9. Susy Alvarez - Word of Mouth News Friday host/producer
10. Francisco Villegas - Word of Mouth News Friday (No one is Illegal Radio)
11. Paloma Villegas - Word of Mouth News Friday (No one is Illegal Radio)
12. Ryan Hayes - Word of Mouth News Friday (No one is Illegal Radio)
13. Yen Chu - Word of Mouth News Friday (No one is Illegal Radio)
14. Dale Whitmore - Word of Mouth News Friday (tech/OCAP Radio Fill-in host)
15. David Barnard aka Dr. Feelgood - Lowdown 2 Updown
16. Audrey Redman - Honour the Earth
17. Koroma U-Sheak - Sounds of Africa/Word of Mouth News Thursday
18. Lisa "West" Skeete – Reggaemania
19. Ron Nelson – Reggaemania
20. Verlia Stephens - Limin' in the African Diaspora
21. Barbara Goslawski – Frameline
22. Heather Douglas - Frameline/Word of Mouth News Thursday
23. Gein Wong - Frequency Feminisms
24. Oriel Varga - Frequency Feminisms
25. Anna Saini - Frequency Feminisms
26. Neena Saloiya - Frequency Feminisms
27. Joeita Gupta - Frequency Feminisms
28. Aramara Leal - Frequency Feminisms
29. Yolisa Dalamba - Frequency Feminisms
30. Chloe Onari - Dat Dere
31. Sharron McLeod - Dat Dere
32. Gary Topp - Dat Dere
33. DJ SOS - On the Strength
34. Daniella Moss - Radio Cliteracy
35. Jessica Yee - Radio Cliteracy
36. Laura Janecka - Radio Cliteracy/Ryerson Student
37. Sarah Reaburn - Radio Cliteracy/Ryerson Student
38. Daya Lye - Radio Cliteracy/Ryerson Student
39. Emily Sadowski - Radio Cliteracy
40. Ruby teskey-williams Radio Cliteracy
41. Black Krishna - Rude Awakening Tuesday
42. Claudia McKoy – Upsurgence
43. Ron Gaskin – AM/FM
44. Carmelle Wolfson - Radio Cliteracy
45. Omme Rahemtullah - Saturday Morning Live (Tech & co-host)
46. Farid Omar - Saturday Morning Live (Amandla/GRILA)
47. Tanya Gulliver - Saturday Morning Live (Social Justice News/Ryerson Instructor)
48. Ian Brown - Saturday Morning Live
50. Ameth Lo - Saturday Morning Live (Amandla/GRILA)
51. Audrey Wandolo - Saturday Morning Live (Amandla/GRILA)
52. Wasun - Saturday Morning Live (Freedom Ciphers)
53. Rakim Shabazz – Saturday Morning Live
54. David McNally - Saturday Morning Live (York University PoliSci Dept. Chair)
55. Black Action Defence Committee (BADC) crew – Saturday Morning Live
56. Rackel Saunders – Saturday Morning Live (community calendar)
57. Ayinde Blake – Saturday Morning Live (film critic & son of the late Milton Blake)
58. Maria Elena Escobar - Ventana al Barrio
59. Ilona Molnar - Frequency Feminisms

Long Time Contributors
60. Dr. Gerald Horne - Saturday Morning Live (author/academic and anaylist)
61. Mumia-Abu Jamal – Saturday Morning Live (political prisoner/writer/contributor)

STAFF FIRED/DISMISSED/RESIGNED (due to the chilly climate)

1. News director Kristin Schwartz (10 years of service to CKLN), fired, union member
2. Fundraising Coordinator Daniel Vandervoort, resigned at the demand of illegitimate board, union member
3. Interim News Director Tara Michelle Ziniuk, resigned
4. Program Director Tim May, resigned
5. Music Librarian Tien Providence, fired, union member
6. Production, Mark Bialkowski, resigned, union member
7. Assistant News director Norman Otis Richmond, "laid off", union member & producer/host of Saturday Morning Live and Diasporic Music (these shows have been replaced with archived material)

Nik Redman on CKUW in Winnipeg

2008-12-03T16:48:00.002-05:00

Listen to the new interview with locked out programmer Nik Redman (formerly of Afrotransit). Garth Hardy from Black Mask recently spoke to Nik over the phone from CKUW in Winnipeg. They discussed the current situation at CKLN. Thank you to all our sister campus/community radio stations across the nation for your continued support. If you do a radio show please get in touch. Email: takebackourradio@gmail.com. Stay tuned for more radio broadcasts. This isn't the last time you'll hear our voices over the airwaves!

2008-11-24T16:59:00.009-05:00

Ron Nelson, Lisa West and the Reggaemania Crew invites you to TAKEBACK 88, a fundraising series aimed to support a legal fund that will help our efforts to Restore Democracy at CKLN and bring Reggaemania and other locked out programs/hosts Back to the Airwaves!!

This series will kick off on Dec. 5th at Lion's Gate Lounge, 1957 Kennedy Road @ Progress. A panel discussion will take place between 8-9 pm and a full blown celebration will follow featuring a long line up of local and respected artists including: King Turbo, Blessed, Tasha T, Sean Bush, Rootsman, Lady X and many many more!!

Read the article in the Toronto Sun!

For more information make sure to visit www.reggaemania.com

False and Illegitimate AGM, part two - A Report Back

2008-11-23T23:09:00.007-05:00

Sunday, November 23rd, 2008

Tonight about approximately 20 locked out programmers/volunteers and community allies showed up to El Mocambo to peacefully protest the illegitimately AGM, called by tony barnes, mike phillips. dj snapp, d. james, josie minor, doug barrett and the rest of "their" board. This AGM was to replace the other illegitimately called session scheduled for October 29th at Oakam House - a meeting that did not take place due to lack of internal support and consensus as well as outside pressure and protest.

The CKLN mismanagement and board have been looking to carry out an AGM to justify their process to the RSU so that student fees held in trust could be released in full to them (monies desperately needed since the most recent fundraising drive failed to bring in as much financial support from community as it had in past years). Since the meeting of the 29th involved police participation at the request of CKLN mismanagement, the SCC building administration cancelled the station's rental privileges within Student Centre premises. The Ryerson Student Union had already warned mismanagement in past occasions that police presence was not welcomed in the building.

Also, the RSU had on several opportunities encouraged mediation and a reasonable resolution of this dispute. Most recently, their legal counsel met with CKLN mis-reps and their legal counsel to address the "AGM" which was re-scheduled for the 23rd of this month. At this meeting both CKLN staff and mis-reps and their lawyer agreed to postpone this meeting until a list of eligible attendees was sorted out and agreed upon by both sides (the legitimate board elected months ago and the illegal board that includes recent student appointments and dismissed community and volunteer mis-reps). In a clear violation of an agreement made in good faith between two parties and their legal counsels, the mismanagement and "their" board decided to go ahead with their scheduled illegitimate AGM tonight at El Mocambo.

The meeting was only open to those who were approved volunteers (by mismanagement), Ryerson students, and community supporters who had donated $50 in the most recent fundfest. These requirements made the event exclusive and exclusionary. But not all were allowed in, d. james was positioned by the entrance hiding behind two club security staff with a list in hand to check who mismanagement and "their" board had agreed would be considered legit participants at "their" meeting. Doug Barrett was also on door duty, though not too close but overlooking from a set of stairs, making sure that his colleague and security would carry out orders. Metro Toronto Police on bike were also called and stationed on the sidewalk (between 3 to 6 officers from time to time).

A peaceful and informative picket was set up outside the club. Flyering was done to educate those who were attending as well as the general public. Speeches were given to raise the issue that this was not a legitimate meeting and that this action was being carried out in bad faith and in an exclusionary manner. Many of those of us who attended this picket tried to get inside to bear witness but we were all turned down by security at the instruction of d. james. Some were pushed aside and verbally abused and/or disrespected by those who support this unjust and illegitimate behaviour.

Half of an hour to 8 pm, we got word from the inside that the meeting was not happening as seamlessly as irrationally expected. People were questioning mismanagement and "their" board on a variety of issues and that no elections had taken place thus far. The body count inside was estimated to be between 25 and 30 at the start. Toward the 7:30 pm mark, 3 people had left the meeting because "there was too much shouting and arguing" and not much was being done in terms of discussion and decisions.

The weather was chilly but the energy was good. Kudos to Owen, Don, Cathy, Oriel, Joeita, Jeff and Lilka for all the prep work and for bringing flyers, banners and megaphone to help carry out this important action, and to all of those who came out and stood there for an hour or two to bear witness to this injustice.

in community,

SA

We Need Your Help!

2008-11-19T15:56:00.010-05:00

Please join us in our struggle to reclaim CKLN and all it stands for! Organizing meetings are ongoing every Wednesday at 7:00 pm. Meet us at Ryerson U's Jorgensen Hall Cafeteria, upper level (350 Victoria Street, north and east of Yonge & Dundas). Remember, strength is in numbers!!

MAP

Pickets are on!! Come down and join us every Sunday at NOON in front of the Student Centre (55 Gould Street).

Nov. 23rd picket has been moved to EL MOCAMBO and will take place between 6-8 PM!!!

Turmoil at CKLN continues

2008-11-19T15:20:00.007-05:00

Posted on Thursday, November 6, 2008
Written by Vanessa Greco for the Eyeopener

CKLN 88.1 FM can no longer book rooms at the Student Campus Centre (SCC) after their Annual General Meeting (AGM) escalated into a shouting match. The meeting ended when police were called to remove dismissed volunteers and other community members who wanted to attend.

"This isn't the first time police have been called. It's just become unacceptable," said Michael Verticchio, interim general manager at Oakham House.

"CKLN has lost their booking privileges until they prove they can hold a peaceful meeting."

The campus-community radio station's AGM on Oct. 29 was supposed to be an opportunity to discuss a pending financial report, union negotiations and announce their new station manager, Sam Snapp. But, when CKLN managers called the police to remove community members who were attempting to join in, SCC executives pulled the plug on CKLN's meeting and booking privileges.

Jeremy Salter, chair of the Student Campus Centre board, said CKLN managers booked two rooms on Oct. 29 — one to host their meeting and the other to mislead "unwanted community members" hoping to attend. According to Salter, when the unexpected guests discovered the real meeting location, CKLN staff members refused to open doors and instead alerted police.

"The whole situation is extremely undemocratic," said Salter, adding that constant police presence is unnerving for students and not desired in the SCC. Before their SCC booking privileges were revoked, CKLN was already facing financial strain from the Ryerson Students' Union (RSU). The RSU is withholding more than $100,000 from the station until infighting involving their board of directors is resolved.

"It is student money and we want to make sure we're giving it to the right people," said Toby Whitfield, VP finance and services and RSU rep on CKLN's board. Peter Toh, an MBA student and host of the CKLN show Africa United, said he is saddened by the decision to withhold money.

"It is disheartening to know that the RSU and CKLN cannot find common ground."

Between withheld student money, the dismissal of more than 25 volunteer programmers, conflict surrounding their board of directors and revoked SCC booking privileges, newly-minted station manager Sam Snapp admits he has his hands full.

"There's a lot of dissent that's grown and it's time to take the station back to the basics," said Snapp.

"Right now, the station is in a position where it has a good chance to rebuild."

A Message from the Board of Directors to volunteers, community and allies

2008-11-19T00:37:00.007-05:00

November 2008 Update

In February 2008, CKLN members voted to remove the non-student members from the Board ofDirectors, and to dismiss the Station Manager and Program Director. This was done in accordance with CKLN’s By-laws. Even more important, it was done to return CKLN’s Board to transparent and accountable action as well as to ensure financially sustainable programming in support of CKLN’smission and vision.

Subsequently, two community members, two volunteer members and a core staff member were elected to the Board, in accordance with the By-law.The Board members and senior managers who were removed/dismissed refused to leave. This situation still needs to be resolved.

What has the Board’s strategy been to resolve this?
We have taken a number of steps to try to get resolution. We proposed that we get together with the others and resolve the situation through discussion. We supported lawful actions by locked-out programmers and community members to bring all parties to the table to resolve the situation. We opened our Board meetings to all stakeholders so that they could take informed action and we could listen to other strategies we could support. We solicited the assistance of Industry Canada to resolve the dispute. We solicited the assistance of the law firm that has long represented CKLN. We reluctantly supported the Ryerson Students’ Union decision to withhold student fees from CKLN as a way of urging resolution. (Our reluctance was based on the fact that we do not want to hurt CKLN and had to weigh short term pain against long term gain.) We sought legal advice as to whether we could get a court decision in our favour - we had conflicting opinions and decided that we would continue other strategies. (We decided that it was too risky to lose in court and we did not want to take that chance.)

Did anyone associated with this new Board steal CKLN funds?
No. We have made a clear and prudent decision: We will hold any funds we receive for CKLN - and not touch them - until the dispute is resolved. To do otherwise would leave ourselves open to liability for failure to exercise due diligence.

Is it true that the new Board doesn’t care about volunteers?
Dismissing volunteers in a manner that appears, at least, to be capricious and arbitrary is unacceptable. We are very concerned to ensure that CKLN remains true to its mission. Volunteers are key to that. They always have been. We want that to continue.

Are student members of the Board involved with you?
We are committed to ensuring full student involvement and not just in name only. We consider all duly elected student members to be members of the Board and we have worked hard to get their full participation - although still with mixed results.

What about this Annual General Meeting called for November 23 at El Mocambo?
Our opinion, based on our reading of the By-laws, is that all members in good standing are entitled to attend and participate in all CKLN meetings. We passed a resolution that anyone who pays $10 to CKLN through us will be a community member and should be entitled to attend, participate and vote.

Send your membership fee - with your full name, address and phone and/or e-mail address - to Arnold Minors, 964 Avenue Road, Toronto, ON M5P 2K8

What’s next?
We believe that we are close to getting resolution. If that is not successful, we will seek resolution in Court.

Contact information for the non-student members of the Board:
Conrad Collaco (Vice Chair; Former Core Staff Rep) - Conrad.Collaco@cbc.ca;
Heather Douglas (Treasurer; Volunteer Staff Rep) - hdouglas02@yahoo.ca;
Geoff MacDonald (Secretary; Community Rep) - gmacdonald@riseup.net;
Arnold Minors (Chair; Community Rep) - ArnoldMinors@sympatico.ca;
Ron Nelson (Volunteer Staff Rep)- djronnelson@rogers.com

Abuse of Power Continues at CKLN

2008-11-17T00:40:00.013-05:00

The illegitimate board and management currently controlling CKLN has re-scheduled "their" Annual General Meeting to take place:

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 23rd, from 6 - 8 PM
@ EL MOCAMBO, (464 Spadina Ave., College and Spadina)

With this meeting, they seek to replace the AGM which was to be held on Oct. 29th but never took place due to an internal lack of consensus, coordination and direction by those in mis-management positions and their supporters.

JOIN THE PICKET!!

Locked out programmers and community allies were there on the 29th to peacefully protest this blatant abuse of power. So was the police which was called by Barnes, Phillips & dismissed board members in a move that constituted a clear violation of the Student Centre mandate (as a result the SCC has revoked CKLN's rental privileges for the time being).

This shamed and failed AGM was marked by unfriendly treatment towards community and volunteers deemed "too critical or outspoken" by mis-management. Furthermore, a couple of programmers have been dismissed/locked-out of their shows in retaliation for their perceived "inability" to be YES people - while turning a blind eye to injustices - and go along with these blatant violations of regulations, bylaws and mandate.

COME OUT TO EL MOCAMBO ON THE 23rd!!

Most AGM's are open to the public, yet the ckln.fm website states that this particular meeting will be a "MEMBERS ONLY MEETING" open exclusively to "current volunteers in good standing, community members who have donated $50 or more and have paid in full, and currently enrolled students of Ryerson University". Their agenda includes:

1. New Station Manager introduction
2. Financial Report
3. Union negotiations
4. Elections for community reps to CKLN Board of Directors (2)
5. Other business

This re-schedule and it's "exclusive" nature, are both reactionary actions which clearly seek to disenfranchise the community at large, the locked out programmers and anyone who disagrees with the status quo calling the shots at CKLN.

DON'T LET THEM SILENCE OR EXCLUDE YOU, RECLAIM CKLN!!!

Dissenting Voices shut down illegitimate AGM!

2008-10-31T16:15:00.000-04:00

CKLN's dismissed board and mis-management were not successful in holding their corrupted AGM last night as a good sized crowd made up of locked out programmers, community supporters and other allies succeeded in disrupting and opening up what was intented to be an "exclusive" affair. Here's a report back from Andrew, a community ally who was present at this action:

"Yesterday several dozen disenfranchised community members and "fired" volunteers showed up for what was supposed to be a 7 pm meeting. Management panicked and changed the location of the meeting and then tried to exclude anyone they didn't want from attending. They were unsuccessful. They then ran away to have an "emergency" board meeting in which they decided to call the cops with the intent of having the police remove individuals who management didn't want there (ie. the majority of the attendees). The cops showed up but the manager of the student centre refused to allow CKLN management to use the cops to throw people off Ryerson Student Union property and so they cancelled the room booking. CKLN management then returned and adjourned the meeting claiming they were doing so for "safety" concerns (when in fact they were doing this because the Ryerson Students Union refused to let them use the cops to throw people out). They then said that they'd reschedule the meeting for a later date."

Keep your eyes on this blog for more updates on future actions and other strategies that will hopefully help us reclaim our community radio space. The struggle continues!!

Protest the illegal AGM - Join the Picket this Wednesday @ 7 pm!

2008-10-28T23:51:00.007-04:00

Join the "Take Back our Radio" Organizing Committee and its allies this Wednesday, October 29th at 7 pm!!

Come out and join us @ Oakham House, Room G, 55 Gould Street (next door to Ryerson's Student Community Centre, southwest corner of Gould and Church).

SAY NO TO RIGHT WING CENSORSHIP AND UNDEMOCRATIC ACTIONS!!

RECLAIM COMMUNITY RADIO NOW!!

The crisis of governance at CKLN Campus/Community Radio continues to escalate. The illegal Board of Directors & management have called an AGM to take place this Wednesday, following its illegitimately held Staff Meeting of October 22 as well as the recent internal hiring of DJ Snapp as contract station manager. Exiting manager Mike Phillips has placed on the agenda:

1. a long overdue Financial Report (a year and a half in the making/breaking),
2. union negotiations (or more like violations given mis-management's and illegal board's firings of unionized staff Kristin Schwartz and Tien Providence),
3. and the election of Community Reps (to sub those appointed by mis-management and their allies).

Mike Phillips and his board croonies have no legal authority to call a CKLN Annual General Meeting, because he was democratically voted out of office by an overwhelming 90% majority in a non-confidence motion on February 23, 2008 at a Special General Meeting called by the membership in accordance with CKLN by-laws. Nevertheless Phillips and a right wing clique have occupied the radio station for the past months and are violating the politically progressive and inclusive mandate of the station through the systematic expulsion of over 35 volunteers, the firing of long-time dedicated staff, and the arbitrary interpretation of station guidelines/bylaws. As a result, programming has deteriorated, community funding has decreased and relationships with the Ryerson Student Union have been damaged.

At previous meetings Metro Police have been employed to bar the new board and its supporters from participating. We intend to challenge this exclusion on October 29th! COME OUT AND MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD!!!

For more info, contact Catherine Holliday 416 533 6630, catherine.holliday@utoronto.ca

Emergency Picket this Wednesday @ 7 p.m.

2008-10-21T00:23:00.005-04:00

The "Take Back our Radio" Organizing Committee and its allies need your support.

Come out and join us this Wednesday, October 22 at 7 p.m. outside Oakham House to protest the sham staff elections which the current dismissed management hopes to conduct inside Room 'G' at 55 Gould St. (next door to Ryerson's Student Community Centre, southwest corner of Gould andChurch).

Dismissed Station Manager Mike Phillips has called this meeting to discuss "CKLN Station Manager Hiring" and carry out "Volunteer Rep Elections". As "locked out" volunteers and community supporters, we strongly object to this meeting for the following reasons:

1. As dismissed management Mike Phillips has no legal authority to call a CKLN staff meeting. Phillips was democratically voted out of office by an overwhelming 90% majority on a non-confidence motion on February 23rd, 2008; a decision he has continued to ignore.

2. A Staff Meeting has already been held for the year of 2008. Volunteer seats were also filled in a democratic and legitimate manner at said meeting on Tuesday, April 29th. Heather Douglas and Ron Nelson (Reggaemania) were elected as new volunteer representatives and former station manager Conrad Collaco was elected to the former core staff post. The current dismissed CKLN management, though present and participant at this meeting, has refused to acknowledge these elections and representatives.

We therefore ask all "locked out" CKLN volunteer programmers and hosts (35 so far) as well as concerned community supporters and Ryerson students to join our picket in opposition to this Staff Meeting tomorrow Wednesday at 7 p.m. and stand with us in solidarity with us in the struggle to reclaim our beloved community campus radio.

Locked out CKLN at Media Democracy Day!

2008-10-20T22:07:00.001-04:00

Missing in the Media: Media Democracy Day hits Toronto on October 23! And we will be part of the discussions!!

CKLN locked-out programmers and other community radio allies will participate in a workshop addressing the "future of campus community radio in Canada". Join us for this FREE and informative session at 2:30 pm at U of T's International Student Centre (33 St. George Street) .

So what's missing in the media? Who is left out from mainstream news coverage in Canada today?

A large coalition of independent media organizations, advocacy groups and media activists will ask these questions and more at this year's Media Democracy Day on October 23rd through a series of thematic & skills-building panels and workshops on media democracy followed by a rabble.ca relaunch party with guest speakers Maude Barlow and Linda McQuaig, and musical guests LAL, KoboTown and Maryam Tollar.

When: Thursday, October 23, 2008, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (workshops and panels); and 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. (rabble.ca relaunch party).

Where: Free workshops and panels at International Student Centre (33 St. George Street), University of Toronto; Pay-what-you-can rabble.ca relaunch party (suggested $10 to $25 donation to rabble.ca) at the Steam Whistle Roundhouse (255 Bremner Blvd.)

For program details and a list of participating organizations please visit: www.missinginthemedia.ca.

DeFund Fundfest! Support Mediation and Legal Action!!

2008-09-29T16:45:00.005-04:00

Attention Community, Students and Volunteers:

Do you miss your favourite shows on CKLN? Are those DJ’s and Hosts who you have supported over the years no longer on the air?

The rogue and illegitimate management currently controlling CKLN has decided to hold FundFest, CKLN’s annual fundraising drive, one month earlier beginning Sept. 26th and running until Sunday Oct. 5th. After unjustly firing and locking out over 35 programmers (mostly people of colour, queer, trans, and feminist programmers), dismissed management and removed board members have the AUDACITY to ask listeners for money to continue to support their illegal operations and machinations under the false claim of celebrating “25 Years of Independence”. Most of those programmers who are responsible for the most "in-depth, edgiest and freshest content" have been let go after providing years of service to the station, their listeners and their communities.

As it stands, the RYERSON STUDENT UNION has decided to hold fees collected from students for CKLN in trust until a fair resolution to this situation is reached.

We believe you should support community/campus radio but not during this FundFest and not until order has been re-established at CKLN. Instead consider making a contribution to the Take Back Our Radio legal fund. Email takebackourradio@gmail.com for more info.

And if you can, take some time and call the On Air line and let those inside know why you are not pledging money this year!

416-345-8810 and 416-595-8810 are the numbers to call.

Support the reclamation of CKLN, by the people and for the people!

"Jam the lines, because the lines are broken; Jam the lines, because the people have spoken!!" Nik Redman (locked-out host/producer, AfroTransit)

Repression at CKLN! Teach-in this Thursday!!

2008-09-23T17:52:00.006-04:00

Find out more about what is happening at your radio station!

Teach in: Thursday, September 25th, 20087:00 - 9:00 pm

At Oakham House, 65 Gould Street (corner of Church and Gould)

Confirmed Speakers: Barbara Goslowski, Don Weitz, Owen Sankara, Joeita Gupta

Recent Developments:

· 30 volunteers have been locked out of campus and community radio station CKLN 88.1 FM
· CUPE 1281 is contesting the recent dismissals of several paid staff
· A Special General Meeting in February overwhelmingly voted (90%) to dismiss management and impeach the Board of Directors
· Although A new Board has been elected in accordance with CKLN By-laws, the illegal board continues to occupy the station and control its funds

What you can do:

· Come out and Join us at this session!
· Sign our online petition
· Join weekly pickets every Sunday at Noon
· De-fund fundfest - instead donate to "Take Back Our Radio" (Acct # 4882570 at Alterna Savings branches at Bay/College or Ryerson University - Jorgensen Building)

Further Info:
Check out this blog for more info and updates!
Send us an email: takebackourradio@gmail.com or call us at (416) 533-6630

CUPE 1281 fights firings at CKLN-FM

2008-09-15T12:21:00.002-04:00

http://cupe.ca/takeAction.php?action=showAction&actionID=128

"The struggle to negotiate a first contract at CKLN-FM, Ryerson University's student supported campus/community radio station, has turned into a fight against the illegal firing of two staff.

The small group of paid staff at the mostly volunteer station voted to join CUPE 1281 almost a year ago. Well into the negotiation process, management argued that news director Kirstin Schwartz and music director Tien Providence should not be in the bargaining unit – a case usually made when a bargaining unit certifies and one that the employer could still try to make today at the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

Management's solution? Forget the Board; fire the workers. Schwartz, who had just returned to work from parental leave, and Providence were terminated in a move that CUPE 1281 calls clearly illegal.

You can help this Sister and Brother to be re-instated in their jobs by sending a message to CKLN management."

Letter of Support from Vancouver Co-op Radio CFRO

2008-09-15T12:17:00.002-04:00

To the acting Board and Staff of CKLN,

Vancouver Co-operative Radio, CFRO, 102.7FM is one of Canada's oldest community radio stations. We were founded in 1974 as a volunteer-run, listener-supported radio station. With over 30 years of functioning in a co-operative model providing alternative perspectives and music to our listeners, we have provided Canada with a model for sustainability in our sector. We base our core values on shared governance and a responsibility to bring under-represented voices and stories to the airwaves.

We are writing to express our concern over the current situation at CKLN. We have reviewed on-line materials from the CKLN website and the "Take Back Our Radio Station" blog. We understand that several volunteers have been expelled from the station without any apparent process or reason. Specifically, volunteers were given a one-sentence letter stating that their services were no longer required and were kept out of the radio station through the use of hired security guards. We have also learned about the firing of staff member Kristin Schwartz shortly after her return from maternity leave. From the information we have been given, there was no just cause for this dismissal and no disciplinary process preceding the dismissal. We have tried to contact Mike Phillips in an effort to find out your views and rationale for the actions that have been taken. Unfortunately, we did not receive a response. As such, we write this letter with the information we have gathered. We feel it is our responsibility to contact you, as fellow community radio producers, to express our concerns and appeal to you to follow your own internal policies for fair process around programming and staffing decisions.

Co-op Radio and CKLN share a lot in common. We both share a long history of covering progressive politics and providing training and airtime to marginalized members of our communities. Like you, our programming is produced entirely by volunteers and we have policies and procedures to follow when dealing with programming concerns. These internally-created processes ensure that volunteers are treated fairly and that there is due process for any decisions being made. From the information we have gathered, there is no evidence that CKLN staff used due process in their decision to expel approximately 30 volunteers from programming. In fact, there is no information about the reasons for these dismissals. As a community radio station, we feel it is imperative to follow internal procedures and guidelines when making decisions.

Similarly, staff members must be given a fair process prior to any disciplinary action. The fact that a long-time staff member was fired without reason shortly after returning from a maternity leave leads us to believe that there is a lack of organization at CKLN and that decisions are being made for personal rather than professional reasons. These are unacceptable working conditions.

We have also learned that there was a Special General Meeting of the membership in which there were concerns raised about the current leadership. While we understand that there is some debate about the legality of this meeting, the spirit of this process clearly shows that a significant portion of your membership are not satisfied with the direction the station is currently heading. Regardless of whether or not the meeting was legal, it seems evident that a Board and Staff who value the input of their members are required to act in response to this meeting. Rather than focusing on the details of legality, it would be more productive for you to focus on the spirit of the concerns being raised and begin responding to them.

Without the support of volunteers, staff and the community, we cannot do what we do. Community radio cannot operate on the efforts of a handful of people. It takes the on-going hard work of volunteer programmers, board and committee members and staff to keep the station running in a sustainable way. We are concerned that your recent actions will ultimately result in the destruction of your radio station.

The community radio sector faces many challenges in our country. We want to show our solidarity with our brothers and sisters in our sector. We want to ensure that the voices, stories and sounds not heard in the mainstream media continue to have a place on our airwaves. As such, we intend to air re-broadcasts of some of your suspended programming while these programs await their return to live broadcast on CKLN.

We urge you to keep your promise of performance to your listeners. We appeal to your responsibility to the campus and community radio sector to keep under-represented and marginalized voices and perspectives alive. We urge you to reconsider your recent decisions around volunteer and staff dismissals. We appeal to your responsibility to your membership and listen to their requests. For the sake of community radio, we sincerely hope you are able to consider these requests seriously.

Our community will continue to follow the situation at CKLN in anticipation of a swift and just resolution.

Sincerely,
The Board and Staff of Vancouver Co-operative Radio, CFRO, 102.7FM

Eyeopener Article

2008-09-09T23:46:00.003-04:00

Be sure to check out the new article in this week's edition of The Eyeopner. The link is in the Media Coverage sidebar. You can leave a comment on their website.

Letter to the Editor Published in NOW Magazine This Week

2008-09-05T23:47:00.001-04:00

CKLN takeover

Interim CKLN station manager Mike Phillips is full of shit (NOW, August 28-September 3).

Phillips need look no further than himself, interim program director Tony Barnes and democratically impeached board member Josie Miner for any undemocratic secrecy and censorship going down at what was once a damn good community-campus radio station.

Since last May 5, Phillips has fired (“dismissed”) and locked out 30 of us volunteers arbitrarily and unjustly axed 19 programs, including the grassroots OCAP Show and my monthly “Anti-psychiatry Radio” – the only anti-psychiatry program in Canada.

Our dissident and grassroots voices have been silenced for now, but many of us are fighting to take back CKLN as the powerful and empowering community station it was and will be again. Please join our weekly pickets every Friday at 6 pm and Sunday at noon in front of Ryerson’s Student Community Centre (55 Gould).

Don Weitz
Toronto

Radio heads blowing hot air

I’m a former tech for Friday’s Word Of Mouth show. The CKLN membership removed Tony Barnes and Mike Phillips from their positions on February 23, 2008, by a vote of 135 to 7. Since that time, the two have been illegally occupying the station and paying themselves salaries from CKLN’s account. These people are not “management.”

Dale Whitmore
Toronto

Letter of Support from Anna Willats and Mayworks

2008-09-01T07:25:00.000-04:00

August 26, 2008

To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Mayworks Festival of Working People and the Art. Mayworks is a multi-disciplinary arts festival that celebrates working class culture. Founded in 1986 by the Labour Arts Media Committee of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council, Mayworks is Canada's largest and oldest labour arts festival. The Festival was built on the premise that workers and artists share a common struggle for decent wages, healthy working conditions and a living culture. Mayworks' goal is to promote the interests of cultural workers and trade unionists, and to bring working-class culture from the margins of cultural activity onto centre stage.

We are outraged at the recent actions of the CKLN Board of Directors and management, who have fired News Director Kristin Schwartz (a journalist and producer of programming which has aired across Canada and the United States) and staff member Tien Providence, and dismissed over 30 volunteers – all without cause. These are violations of Kristin and Tien’s rights as unionized workers in the midst of bargaining for a first contract, and profoundly disrespectful toward volunteers – activists like Adhri Redman, Verlia Stevens, Nik Red, Don Weitz and many others - who have given many many hours of their time and their passion to CKLN and its listeners.
Up until recently, we have been able to rely on CKLN's news department for broadcasting progressive perspectives on the critical issues of our time and for providing access to the airwaves to marginalized people who are underrepresented or misrepresented in mainstream media. CKLN also created opportunities for students, youth and community members to learn about broadcasting. As a small non-profit organization, Mayworks was very appreciative of Kristin Schwartz’ and the CKLN team’s excellent support for community events such as ours. But with these most recent actions, we must conclude that the CKLN board no longer is committed to a social justice or community building perspective.

Mayworks joins many in our community who protest this unjust treatment of staff and volunteers, which seems targeted at those who have challenged the board, and we demand that all those who have been dismissed be reinstated, and that the people currently controlling the board step down and that the legitimately elected board be reinstated, to return CKLN to its former well-respected position.

Yours truly,

Anna Willats, Chair

Mayworks Festival of Working People & the Arts

awillats@sympatico.ca

Picket Update - September

2008-08-30T17:30:00.002-04:00

All your support is needed & much appreciated!!

Confirmed pickets for the month of September:

Sunday, September 7 @ 12 noon
Sunday, September 14 @ 12 noon
Sunday, September 21 @ 12 noon
Sunday, September 27 @ 12 noon

Location:
Outside the Ryerson Student Campus Centre (SCC)
55 Gould Street
Toronto, Ontario
(Near Yonge and Dundas)

Map

*CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES*

Bring along placards, noisemakers, drums, whistles, friends and family!

For more info contact: takebackourradio@gmail.com

We Need Your Help!

2008-08-29T13:19:00.001-04:00

Please join us in our struggle to reclaim CKLN and all it stands for!
Organizing meetings are ongoing every Wednesday at the Imperial Pub (2nd floor), 54 Dundas St. @ Victoria (just East of Yonge). The next meeting is Wednesday, September 3 at 7:00 pm. Please attend if possible.

Map

Letter of Support from CKUT in Montreal

2008-08-29T13:14:00.005-04:00

August 28th, 2008

Dear colleagues in community radio:

This letter has been signed by numerous volunteer and staff members of CKUT 90.3fm in Montreal who are deeply disturbed by the recent events that have changed the programming as well as staff and volunteer make-up of CKLN 88.1fm, one of Toronto's oldest and boldest campus-community radio station. We are writing to support of the work of Kristin Schwartz and the recently banned members of CKLN.

We hope that our experience as a sister-station in the campus-community radio sector can assist you in evaluating some of the concerns that have led most recently to the firing of Kristin.

CKUT Radio in Montreal has been greatly inspired by the work of CKLN's News Department over the last decade. We have collaborated on numerous occasions to produce and share content that amplifies progressive perspectives on critical issues, including regular reports as well as special focus programming around International Women's Day, LGBTQ Pride, and Prisoner Justice Day (all of which Kristin helped to coordinate for years).

Since 2003, CKLN has also collaborated with CKUT, to host the national Homelessness Marathon, a talk radio show that takes place in the middle of winter and is hosted outside from the frozen streets of Montreal. CKLN volunteers have not only contributed airtime to this marathon, but also provided local content in addition to broadcasting the marathon live locally on the streets of Toronto, ensuring that poor people have access to this important national platform. CKUT's news department has also relied on reports from CKLN on numerous issues that provide our listeners the opportunity to hear from Toronto's poor and working people, racialized people, women, queer and trans people, youth, disAbled people, and others who are underrepresented or misrepresented in mainstream media.

Kristin and CKLN volunteers have also played a key role in the development of GroundWire, a national news programming currently airing monthly across Canada. Kristin's rich experience in the community news sector has been invaluable to the development of this important vehicle for community news producers across Canada. Her time on the board of the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA) helped to create space for GroundWire to grow. Today, GroundWire is produced collectively by stations across Canada, with more than 30 contributing producers (including some of the banned volunteers of CKLN). One of the goals of GroundWire is to develop news departments across Canada and create space for students, youth and community members to learn about broadcasting to air their news productions nationally. Much of the mandate of GroundWire has been influenced by Kristin's decade of experience at CKLN with its volunteers and listeners.

Finally, the firing of Kristin is a grave violation of her rights as a unionized worker with a 10-year history as a paid-staff person at CKLN. We understand that there are concerns about Kristin's working relationship with the current board of directors and for this reason she was terminated, effective immediately. Kristin is a leader and her history with CKLN should be a vital asset to the current situation at CKLN, not the opposite. Our sector deserves to have committed, experienced people like Kristin who are firmly rooted in the mandate of campus-community radio. We all owe it to ourselves and to our sector to work through whatever problems exist, on the basis of sound information and respect for a person's contributions and rights.

In solidarity,

CKUT's Community News Collective
-Christian and Charlotte, producers of Travel Against Canada
-Evan Light, former NCRA board member
-Tariq Jeeroburkhan, host and producer of the Friday Morning After
-Jaggi Singh, No One Is Illegal Radio
-Beza Seife
-Aaron Lakoff
-Sarah Mangle
-Caitlyn Chappell
-Shayla Chilliak
-David Koch
-Courtney Kirkby
-David Parker
-Anabel Khoo
-Stefan Christoff
-Melody Lotfi
-Laurin Lui
-Noel Thomas
-Charlie O'Connor

CKUT's Steering Committee
-Marc Montanchez, Technical and Production Coordinator
-Gretchen King, Community News and Production Coordinator
-Julie Delorme, Financial Coordinator
-Joanne Penhale, Volunteer Rep
-Andrea-Jane Cornell & Alex Moskos, Music Resources Coordinators
-Charlotte Scott, Spoken Word Coordinator
-Louise Burns, Sales Coordinator

CKUT's Board of Directors
-Dr. Darin Barney
-Allan Youster
-Don Wilkie
-Alexander Deguise
-Lawerence Joseph

More Dismissals at CKLN - Press Release

2008-08-19T12:38:00.001-04:00

Dissenting Voices Continue to be Silenced at CKLN

Illegitimate Management Boots Staff and Volunteers

TORONTO, ON, Aug 19, 2008 --- Longtime news director Kristin Schwartz and at least five more volunteer hosts have been unjustly booted from CKLN community radio station without reason. “After 10 years of service to CKLN, and only six weeks after returning from a year-long parental leave, I was told that the current board of directors and I ‘do not see eye to eye’. For that reason I was terminated, effective immediately,” says Schwartz. She was fired last Monday and will be fighting the seemingly arbitrary dismissal with the backing of CUPE 1281.

Also last week, five volunteers with years of service received letters from Mike Phillips (former interim station manager dismissed by a 90 per cent vote of non-confidence in February) saying their services were no longer needed. This brings the number of dismissed volunteer programmers to over 30 since the Special General Meeting in February saw the membership vote to dismiss management and impeach the Board of Directors. Management continue, however, to occupy the station and control its funds.

Denise Benson of Mental Chatter, Nik Red of Afrotransit, Francis Yee Loy (DJ San Fran) fill-in for Afrotransit and former Full Moon host, Mano Narayanan (DJ Dialect) and Cheldon Paterson (DJ Vision) of Bruckbeat Radio have joined the long list of LGBT, racialized, First Nations, and psychiatric survivor voices silenced from the airwaves. Some of these volunteers have been at 88.1 FM for over 10 years and are a large part of the CKLN community, often holding events attended by frequent listeners.

The dismissals came after a July meeting where volunteer staff were once again successful in wrestling control from Phillips and illegitimate program director Tony Barnes when it seemed former management wished to dictate the manner in which participation was to occur. Some of the recently dismissed volunteers played a key role in holding the illegitimate management and board accountable for the inexcusable dismissals of 25 volunteers earlier this spring. At the meeting’s conclusion the membership voted not to hold elections until a resolution was reached with the dismissed programmers. Instead, Phillips has continued with these undue dismissals.

The unjustly dismissed volunteer programmers and their community supporters will continue to fight to restore CKLN as a voice for marginalized community voices, social justice and independent local music.

Contacts:
Nik Red (locked out volunteer, Afrotransit): 647 234 7333, musnik@yahoo.com
Susy Alvarez (locked out volunteer, Word of Mouth): 416-996-5540, susy.pocasangre@gmail.com
Lisa Skeete West (locked out volunteer, Reggaemania): lisantaij@hotmail.com

WEBSITE: takebackourradio.blogspot.com
EMAIL: takebackourradio@gmail.com

Volunteers on the Following Programs Have Been Silenced:

AFROTRANSIT
ANTI-PSYCHIATRY RADIO
BRUCKBEAT RADIO
DAT DERE
FRAMELINE
FREQUENCY FEMINISMS
HONOUR THE EARTH
LIMIN' IN DE AFRICAN DIASPORA
LOWDOWN 2 UPTOWN
MENTAL CHATTER
MIXTAPE MASSACRE
NO ONE IS ILLEGAL RADIO
OCAP RADIO
RADIO CLITERACY
REGGAEMANIA
SATURDAY MORNING LIVE
SOUNDS OF AFRICA
UPSURGENCE
WORD OF MOUTH NEWS

Letter from CKLN News Director Kristin Schwartz

2008-08-19T12:31:00.001-04:00

August 18, 2008

Dear friends, colleagues, comrades:

I am writing to seek your support. On August 11 I was fired from my position as News Director at CKLN 88.1fm, without warning and without cause. After 10 years of service to CKLN, and only six weeks after returning from a year-long parental leave, I was told that the current board of directors and I "do not see eye to eye". For that reason I was terminated, effective immediately.

It is true that I "don't see eye to eye" with the current board as they have taken many steps that I disagree with, including interfering in news programming in ways that are totally unprecedented, and expelling 30 volunteers who have produced excellent, community-based, progressive programming at CKLN, without giving any reasons or opportunity to appeal. This course of action is shameful and demonstrates a complete lack of responsible leadership, in my view.

But "not seeing eye to eye" is not a lawful reason for firing employees. Thankfully, I now have some protection from this board's arbitrary behavior because our workplace is unionized with the largest labour union in the country, the Canadian Union of Public Employees. CUPE Local 1281 is fighting my termination on my behalf.

Please, take a few moments to write a letter in support of my work at CKLN. You may want to highlight these points:

- the importance of CKLN's news department for broadcasting progressive perspectives on the critical issues of our time - war, poverty, violence, ecological devastation - and for providing access to the airwaves to poor and working people, racialized people, women, queer and trans people, youth, disAbled people, and others who are underrepresented or misrepresented in mainstream media
- the opportunities our news department has created for students, youth and community members to learn about broadcasting
- my work as a journalist and producer of programming which has aired across Canada and the United States
- my excellent record of supporting annual special programming for International Women's Day, LGBTQ Pride, and Prisoner Justice Day
- my contributions to the National Campus/Community Radio Association, and
- the outrageous violation of my rights as a unionized worker, in the midst of bargaining for a first contract.

You may send a copy to me at kristin.schwartz2008@gmail.com, our union at office@cupe1281.ca, and to Toby Whitfield, a member of CKLN's board of directors representing the Ryerson Students Union, at vp.finance@rsuonline.ca. The RSU is CKLN's largest funder.

Thanks for your support.

Sincerely,

Kristin Schwartz

PICKET UPDATE - August 2008

2008-08-08T23:00:00.002-04:00

All your support is needed & much appreciated!!

Confirmed pickets for the month of August:

Friday, August 8 @ 7 pm
Sunday, August 10 @ 12 noon
Friday, August 15 @ 7 pm
Sunday, August 17 @ 12 noon
Friday, August 22 @ 7 pm
Sunday, August 24 @ 12 noon
Friday, August 29 @ 7 pm
Sunday, August 31 @ 12 noon

Location:
Outside the Ryerson Student Campus Centre (SCC)
55 Gould Street
Toronto, Ontario
(Near Yonge and Dundas)

Map

*CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES*

Bring along placards, noisemakers, drums, whistles, friends and family!

For more info contact: takebackourradio@gmail.com

Broken Social Scene's Brendan Canning Names Dat Dere as His Favourite Show

2008-08-08T22:42:00.001-04:00

Favorite Radio Show at the Moment
I just found out my DJ got fired! The local college station here, CKLN-FM, this older African woman named Chloe Onari, who had a show called "Dat Dere". There's some weird changes going on at the station, and she got canned, I guess for expressing certain views on the radio station. I have to find out about this; I have to get to the bottom of this. The replacement DJ just fucking blows. I don't mind the odd soca tune, but she would play...like, she loves Cecil Taylor, you know, she would play the most far-out jazz, and then play some schmaltzy, soulful R&B. And then just go everywhere, all over the map kind of thing...

- Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene

Read the rest of the article at Pitchfork Media.

Missing from the Grid: Archived audio from locked out hosts and producers

2008-08-08T21:45:00.002-04:00

Here are some links to audio archived at Radio 4 All that showcases some of the programs, content, hosts and producers which have been unjustly removed from the airwaves by Mike Phillips and Tony Barnes (with the consent and approval of the illegal board which now controls CKLN). Enjoy and please keep on signing the petition and participating at pickets! Your support and solidarity means a lot!!

OCAP News coverage of Day of Action Against Poverty
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/24747

Stef Gude for OCAP News focuses on Six Nations land reclamation efforts
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/17559

Friday WOM Interview exploring the racism underlying Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/21025

Susy Alvarez feature piece on singer/artist Lila Downs for Ventana Al Barrio
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/9831

Susy Alvarez contribution to the series “Free Thought Area of the Airwaves”
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/3011

Heather Douglas assists on “Deconstructing Dinner”, an indie show about the politics of food
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/22616
http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/22373

Statement by Legitimate CKLN Board of Directors

2008-08-08T19:51:00.000-04:00

This statement was first published in July of 2008. It contains relevant info regarding the current state of affairs outside and inside CKLN. Please read it here.

Most recent statement from the legitimate CKLN Board of Directors

2008-07-21T16:55:00.002-04:00

M E M O R A N D U M
10 July 2008

What’s happening at CKLN? What’s not happening at CKLN?

This is a statement from the Board of Directors of CKLN. We hope that it sheds light on what’s happening at CKLN. We encourage you to contact us for any additional information that will help you to be informed (see contact information at the end of this statement).

The essence of the situation is this:

In February, 2008, members voted to remove the non-student members of the Board of Directors and to dismiss the Station Manager and Program Director. This was done carefully and in accordance with CKLN’s By-laws. Subsequently, two community members, two volunteer members and a core staff member were elected to the Board, in accordance with the By-laws, in every respect.

The Board members and senior managers who were removed/dismissed have refused to leave and are taking actions they have no right to take. With a huge impact on CKLN.

Background

CKLN’s mission statement, which has been guiding CKLN for 20 years, is a remarkably progressive statement. CKLN has a history of continually striving to reach the ambitious goals outlined in its mission statement. Doing so has not been without conflict: CKLN has had a history of conflict, often messy. That is hardly surprising. The attempt to achieve a just and harmonious society where people who are and have been marginalized in Canadian society makes for conflict, even within the people in communities that CKLN has admirably spoken for. It is particularly admirable that CKLN has ensured that the voices of working people; poor people; people of colour; people with disabilities; lesbians, gays, bisexual, transgendered and two-spirited people are heard IN THEIR OWN VOICES.

We will answer the following seven questions in this statement:

1. Are there two Boards of Directors?

No. There is only one Board. Members of CKLN had become very concerned that the recent direction of the station is inconsistent with its proud history. In February, 2008, members voted to remove the non-student members of the Board of Directors from the Board. At the same meeting, they also voted to dismiss the Station Manager and Program Director, both of whom are automatically members of the Board of Directors, through CKLN’s By-laws. That vote was held at a Special Meeting that was called and conducted in accordance with the By-laws, in every respect.The subsequent election of two community members, two volunteer members and a core staff member to the Board were also conducted in accordance with the By-laws, in every respect. We have a document that outlines the process of removal, dismissal and subsequent elections. We are happy to share it with anyone. We’re happy to answer questions about this document. We’re happy to provide information so that people can draw their own conclusions.

Assertion that the February meeting was invalid: The non-student members who were removed from the Board have asserted that the process of their removal was invalid. They also assert that the subsequent elections of new non-student members is also invalid. We stand by the position that their saying so does not make it so. Assertion is not proof. Clearly, they have a vested interest in making the assertion.

Where is the legal opinion? The non-student members of the Board have also said that they - not the Board, but they themselves - received a ‘legal opinion on the process used to call the “Special Meeting” as well as the reasons stated as “just cause” for removing certain Board members and the management staff.’ We have asked for that opinion. We have not received it. Counsel for CKLN is Paula Boutis, of Iler Campbell. She has refused to give us a copy of the legal opinion. Furthermore, she says she is ‘not obligated or permitted to provide us with [the] opinion’.

In our opinion - and that of other lawyers we have informally consulted - she is not acting for the Corporation in taking the stance she has.

"CKLN’s paid staff made the members vote to remove/dismiss" - former Board members say: As you may know, the former Board members have put a statement on the CKLN website. It implies that, because of paid staff instigation of the Special Meeting in February, the meeting was invalid. We reject that idea. Even if we were to accept that the Special Meeting was inappropriately initiated by paid staff, we believe that it is insulting to the intelligence of the members who voted at that meeting that, after open, free and lengthy discussion of the issues, they were manipulated into voting to remove non-student members and dismiss management staff. This can be resolved simply: Some time ago, we made a simple proposal to resolve this: that we receive a copy of the legal opinion to which the removed Board members refer; that, after our review of the opinion, Ms Boutis facilitate a meeting with the removed Board members and ourselves, with a view to resolution of the dispute and in the best interests of CKLN. Not only did Ms Boutis refuse this proposal, she told us not to contact her again.

We have a very simple view of all this. On the basis of every single factual piece of information we have, we are the Board. If we receive information from Ms Boutis that clearly and persuasively outlines why we aren’t, we can and will simply fold our tents and leave. Ms Boutis wants an unnecessary and expensive resolution. Why? Ms Boutis wants us to go through the expense of taking the matter to court. This is patently ridiculous. She could save expense and unnecessary conflict by GIVING US THE OPINION and making clear that she gave the opinion to the Board, not some members (who are not free of a conflict of interest in this matter). One of the student members has already confirmed that she has never seen the opinion. We continue to actively try to resolve this. If necessary, we will go to court, but only as a last resort. We do not want to burden CKLN with unnecessary expenses. Based on all the information we have, we are confident that, in court, we would be confirmed as the Board. We have no idea why Ms Boutis is taking the position she’s taking.

2. What is the Union’s position in this?

We are the employer, in our opinion. The negotiations with CUPE should be with us. We have advised the Union to that effect. We believe that CUPE Local 1281 took the correct position when it decided that it would not continue negotiating this first contract until CUPE was clear as to who the employer was. That seems to be a prudent position for CUPE to take and not ‘bargaining in bad faith’, as the former Board members interpret CUPE’s position.

3. Did anyone associated with us steal CKLN funds?

There is a rumour that a volunteer has stolen CKLN funds. Our response to this rumour is simple and clear: No one we know has stolen anything; not a dime.We do know this. Since we are not able to get access to the station as legitimate Board members, we have to act prudently. When we learn of funds that are due CKLN, we have taken a simple position. We will hold them -and not touch them - until the dispute is resolved. We cannot and will not put funds in the hands of persons who, in our opinion, have no right to spend those funds. Period. End of story.

4. Is it true that the new Board doesn’t care about volunteers?

The Board is not responsible for - and should not take responsibility for- direct supervision of volunteer programming staff. That’s the job of the Station Manager and Program Director. However, we are responsible for ensuring - through supervision of the Station Manager and Program Director - that there is an environment at CKLN for volunteers to produce programming consistent with the mission. That there is an environment of fair play and natural justice. It is bad enough that dismissed senior staff are acting as though they still have authority to manage. It is even worse that their behaviour - in its result - is neither fair nor just. Dismissing volunteers in a manner that appears, at least, to be capricious and arbitrary is unacceptable. It is particularly problematic that at the same time as Prime Minister Harper - not a person who enjoys a widespread reputation for advocacy of marginalized peoples - apologized to First Nations peoples for the harm caused to them by their abuse in federally-financed residential schools, that CKLN either removed the one First Nations woman from her show or made conditions such that she had to leave. We are very concerned to ensure that CKLN remains true to its mission.Volunteers are key to that. They always have been. We want that to continue.

5. Where are the student members of the Board in all of this?

The By-law stipulates that there are four student members of the Board. In addition, the Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) also appoints a member to the Board. The RSU position is presently vacant. It is apparent to us that student member involvement in Board meetings in the past has been, at best, inconsistent. It seems that, at least recently, there hasn’t been active reaching out to student members to ensure their consistent involvement. We want to change that. We have had conversations with three of the student board members. One has resigned. One has stated an intention to resign; she is out of the country. One has participated in one of our meetings and told us that her work schedule is erratic and makes it difficult for her to commit to meetings. She has subsequently said that she wants not to be involved until the dispute is settled. It has become clear to us that there may bean incomplete understanding by student members of their responsibility as Board members. Accordingly, we have decided that we will ensure a full orientation of student members as to their responsibilities. In addition, we have set up four task forces, one of which is to ensure that we have engagement of students in CKLN and that they can actively influence its direction. We are committed to making student involvement be full and not token. In the meantime, we take the position that the duly elected student members are members of the Board.

6. What about this Annual Staff and Volunteer meeting on July 16th?

We have heard about the meeting. In our opinion, it is not legitimate called; the people who called it have no authority to do so. Decisions taken at it are invalid, in our opinion.We will be writing a memo to the former Board members, including the former senior management staff, stating that their actions are not legitimate and that any decisions that flow from that meeting are invalid. Note that, even if it were called by people who authority to do so, the By-laws clearly state who can attend CKLN meetings: volunteers, staff, students and community members may attend. The By-laws do not allow anyone to pick and choose who can attend. We also urge anyone who attends that meeting to ask the following questions: Why is this meeting legitimate?On the basis of whose opinion? Is there a legal opinion on that? If so, to whom was the legal opinion given? What does it say?

7. What is CKLN’s future direction?

We are passionately committed to CKLN’s mission. Its vision for a just society is a vision worth working for. We intend to ensure that CKLN is accountable, diverse and transparent. We will create the conditions to ensure that paid and volunteer staff, supporters and listeners, and Ryerson students can rely on CKLN to be responsive to them. We acknowledge that conflict is inevitable and valuable; it helps us to move forward. We will make sure that we have processes in place to resolve conflicts that arise, as they arise. We believe that we can be true to our mission and be successful. We are determined that CKLN will be.

Where can you get more information? We post Board meeting agendas publicly. Board meetings are open to members. We make time available to members to give us information at our Board meetings. We invite feedback. We are always willing to respond to questions from members. Here is who we are and how you can contact us:

Conrad Collaco (Vice Chair; former Core Staff Representative) -Conrad.Collaco@cbc.ca
Heather Douglas (Treasurer; Volunteer Staff Representative) -hdouglas02@yahoo.ca
Geoff MacDonald (Secretary; Community Member Representative) -gmacdonald@riseup.net
Arnold Minors (Chair; Community Member Representative) -ArnoldMinors@sympatico.ca
Ron Nelson (Volunteer Staff Representative) - ronnelson@bellnet.ca

Volunteer Meeting Called by Dismissed Management is Illegitimate

2008-07-14T20:53:00.003-04:00

Former and dismissed interim station manager Mike Phillips and interim program director Tony Barnes have called for an Volunteer Meeting this Wednesday, July 16. A major item on the agenda for this meeting is "volunteer elections". However, volunteer rep positions were filled at a volunteer meeting held on April 29 of this year (which was called by Mike Phillips himself) where a majority of over 70 volunteers in attendance voted in favour of Heather Douglas and Ron Nelson as their reps and selected Conrad Collaco to the former core staff seat. Community representatives Arnold Minors and Geoff MacDonald were also elected by a unanimous vote on May 3.

We (a large group of volunteer, donor, community and student supporters) do not recognize this meeting as legitimate since those who have called the meeting and proposed the agenda for said meeting were democratically dismissed from their positions at a Special Meeting of the CKLN membership on Feb 23, 2008. Furthermore, any elections that take place at the proposed meeting this Wednesday are INVALID.

Phillips and Barnes have made explicit that attendance at this meeting "will be restricted to current volunteer & staff members (including Ryerson students) as verified by the 2008 volunteer contracts and id cards". Voting at this meeting will be restricted to those participants they feel, according to their interpretation of the CKLN Bylaws and Volunteer Handbook, are "volunteer" members of the station. We believe this is an attempt to shut out voices of dissent at the meeting.

This meeting is INVALID, and any elections or decisions made at this meeting are ILLEGITIMATE.

Interview with Locked Out Host Don Weitz of Anti-Psychiatry Radio

2008-07-03T23:09:00.003-04:00

Interview with CKLN locked out radio host Don Weitz from John Bonnar on Vimeo.

Don Weitz, host of Anti-Psychiatry Radio was recently locked out of CKLN. Here he explains how this happened. A meeting was organized in February to dismiss management and impeach the board of directors. Ninety per cent of the 144 members at the meeting voted in favour of the dismissals and impeachment. New members have been elected to the board, but the former board and management refuse to recognize them and have instead chosen to systematically target and lock out volunteers.
Correction: Heather Morgan is NOT a student representative on the board of directors. The student representatives are Laura Suen, Irene Quarcoo and Rebecca Tucker.

Press Release: Community Pickets CKLN After Volunteers Locked Out

2008-06-26T20:25:00.001-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Community Pickets CKLN After Volunteers Locked Out
Management, board, voted out in February, refuses to cede control, bans volunteers

TORONTO, ON, June 26, 2008 --- Locked out CKLN 88.1 FM volunteers and community supporters will hold their first picket outside the community radio station on Friday, June 27 beginning at 6 PM and continue through the evening. The pickets will be led by programmers who would normally be on-air at these times. However, several weeks ago, Mike Phillips unilaterally cancelled these programs and many others, and barred dozens of long-time volunteers from entering the building, sometimes hiring police to guard the entrance.

Phillips continues to misrepresent himself as CKLN’s Station Manager, refusing to recognize the Feb 23 vote of dismissal. Along with Phillips, former Interim Program Director Tony Barnes and former board members Josie Miner and Doug Barrett, will not accept the 90 per cent vote of non-confidence at a meeting of 144 community, volunteer and student members. The CKLN membership democratically elected new community representatives on April 29 and new volunteer representatives on May 3 in accordance with CKLN bylaws, but the old board has refused to relinquish control.

The Friday programs taken off-air are Frameline, Word of Mouth (which also hosts OCAP Radio, No One Is Illegal Radio and Anti-Psychiatry Radio) and Reggaemania. Those claiming to be CKLN management have now locked out over 25 volunteers, including those behind CKLN’s only feminist programs, Radio Cliteracy and Frequency Feminisms, and silenced the the voice of Audrey Redman, the only First Nations woman to host a show on the station. Redman was last heard on Honour the Earth May 11, when Phillips cut her off mid-show as she interviewed other locked-out CKLN members.

Locked out volunteers are urging supporters to sign the online petition to CKLN’s lawyer Paula Boutis at http://www.gopetition.com/online/20115.html. The petition calls for Boutis to recognize the democratically elected board, chosen by CKLN members by elections in late April and early May. This board, elected in accordance with the CKLN bylaws, includes Heather Douglas (volunteer rep), Ron Nelson (volunteer rep), Geoff MacDonald (community rep), Arnold Minors (community rep) and Conrad Collaco (former core staff rep) along with the student representatives elected last Fall.

Contacts:
Verlia Stephens (locked out volunteer, Limin’ in De African Diaspora): 416-530-1492 (h), 416-723-1271 (c), verlia@hotmail.com
Barbara Goslawski (locked out volunteer, Frameline): 416-778-9157, bgos923@hotmail.com
Susy Alvarez (locked out volunteer, Word of Mouth): 416-996-5540, susy.pocasangre@gmail.com
WEBSITE: takebackourradio.blogspot.com
EMAIL: takebackourradio@gmail.com

Volunteers on the Following Programs Have Been Silenced:

ANTI-PSYCHIATRY RADIO
DAT DERE
FRAMELINE
FRQUENCY FEMINISMS
HONOUR THE EARTH
LIMIN' IN DE AFRICAN DIASPORA
LOWDOWN 2 UPTOWN
NO ONE IS ILLEGAL RADIO
OCAP RADIO
RADIO CLITERACY
REGGAEMANIA
SATURDAY MORNING LIVE
SOUNDS OF AFRICA
UPSURGENCE
WORD OF MOUTH NEWS

Add Your Name to Our Online Petition

2008-06-25T00:07:00.007-04:00

Take Back the Airwaves! Community Reclaim 88.1 FM!

*Circulate Far and Wide*

Please add your name to our online petition at:

www.gopetition.com/online/20115.html

Volunteers on the Following Shows Have Been Silenced:

2008-06-23T12:29:00.007-04:00

Anti-Psychiatry Radio
Dat Dere
Frameline
Frequency Feminisms
Honour the Earth
Limin' in De African Diaspora
Lowdown 2 Uptown
OCAP Radio
Radio Cliteracy
Reggaemania
Saturday Morning Live
Sounds of Africa
Upsurgence
Word of Mouth

Join Locked Out Programmers on the Picket Lines!

2008-06-19T16:26:00.005-04:00

PICKETS TO BE HELD:

Fridays after 6 PM
Tuesdays at NOON
Wednesdays at NOON
Sundays 10:30 to NOON

LOCATION:

Outside the Ryerson Student Campus Centre (SCC)
55 Gould Street
Toronto, Ontario
(Near Yonge and Dundas)

Map

*CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES*

Email, Snail Mail or Fax CKLN's Lawyer Paula Boutis

2008-06-19T16:18:00.002-04:00

Attn. Ms Paula Boutis
Iler Campbell LLP
890 Yonge Street, Suite 700
Toronto, ON M4W 3P4

Telephone: 416 598 0103 x 117
Fax: 416 598 3484
E-mail: pboutis@ilercampbell.com
CC: Charles Campbell, E: ccampbell@ilercampbell.com
CC: Brian Iler, E: biler@ilercampbell.com

Ms Boutis:

I am adding my name to the following petition due to serious concerns about what is happening at CKLN 88.1 FM (Toronto, Canada). I understand that you are the lawyer currently representing CKLN and that you have stated that the non-student members of the Board which were legitimately removed by a valid Special General Meeting carried out by eligible members of CKLN Inc. on February 23, 2008 are still valid representatives of the station."

I am a supporter (student/volunteer/donor/ally) of CKLN and I have heard that you have not provided a legal statement backing your position on this matter. CKLN is undergoing tremendous upheaval as a result of several actions being directed at volunteer programmers who participated at the Special General Meeting and have been outspoken in their opposition to the current state of chaos, which governs this community radio station. I am disturbed and concerned over your behaviour as legal counsel secured by the monies, which these programmers and their community and student allies helped gather during the most recent fundraising drive.

I understand you have a professional and legal obligation to represent the station through its Board of Directors but you are currently failing to perform this duty as you are providing advice and representation to individuals who were dismissed and removed from their leadership positions months ago in a legitimate manner and in accordance to the bylaws which govern CKLN and its membership.

I ask of you to stop representing those persons who are illegally controlling the space, equipment, finances and programming of CKLN (Josie Miner, Tony Barnes, Mike Phillips, Doug Barrett) and recognize the legitimately elected volunteer and community reps - Arnold Minors, Geoff MacDonald, Heather Douglas, Ron Nelson, Conrad Collaco - and the board which they have formed with backing and support of the membership of this beloved and well-respected community and campus radio station.

Sincerely,

Press Release: Volunteers Locked Out of CKLN Without Explanation

2008-06-19T00:07:00.002-04:00

Dismissed Staff Members Disregarding Democratic Process

TORONTO, ON, May 8, 2008 --- At least a dozen CKLN volunteer programmers received letters from Mike Phillips this week, discharging them from the station.

“Please be advised that your volunteer services at CKLN Radio Inc are no longer required
[sic] effective immediately,” read the form letter. Phillips gave no explanation in the letter.

When longtime CKLN volunteer Verlia Stephens went to the studio Wednesday morning, she was escorted out by Ryerson security. Stephens hosts Limin’ in De African Diaspora every Wednesday from 11 AM to 2 PM. Stephens says Tony Barnes responded, “It is complicated,” when asked why security was booting her out and how the appeal process works. “The security guards were really uncomfortable because they knew I had every right to ask,” says Stephens.

Barnes, the former interim program director, along with former interim station manager Phillips, and former board members Josie Miner, Doug Barrett and Heather Morgan were dismissed by a membership vote on February 23, 2008. Over 140 community, volunteer and student members attended the emergency meeting in February. More than 90 per cent voted to dismiss the interim station manager and interim program director and impeach the non-student members of the board.

More recently, Morgan tendered her resignation. The other members in question, will not, however, recognize the vote. They refuse to step down from their positions. Phillips and Barnes continue to control CKLN radio station and its funds illegally.

Other volunteers who are being shut out include: Omme Rahemtullah (Saturday Morning Live), David Barnard (Lowdown to Uptown), Sharron Mcleod (Dat Dere), Chloe Onari (Dat Dere), Dale Whitmore (Word of Mouth), Don Weitz (Anti-Psychiatry Radio), Susy Alvarez (Word of Mouth), Usheak Koroma (Word of Mouth and Sounds of Africa), Heather Douglas (Frameline), Farid Omar (Saturday Morning Live), Barbara Goslawski (Frameline), Carmelle Wolfson (Radio Cliteracy), Claudia McKoy (Upsurgence), and Black Krishna (Rude Awakening).

More volunteers are expecting letters in their inbox later this week. Phillips has also told members that if they did not sign the new volunteer contract within the one-week period given them, their access cards to the station would be de-activated. Many of those who received letters have signed this contract.

Phillips called a volunteer meeting last Tuesday to hold annual elections. Volunteer Usheak Koroma took over chairing duties after Phillips would not recognize the flood of comments from the floor. Elections were held. Heather Douglas and Ron Nelson (Reggaemania) were elected the new volunteer representatives and former station manager Conrad Collaco was elected to the former core staff post.

A committee of volunteers organized elections last Saturday, May 3 to vote in new community representatives. Community members voted unanimously to elect Arnold Minors and Geoffery MacDonald to the two posts.

Phillips and Barnes say they will not recognize the newly elected board members.