Lawsuit. Whee!

[jamesq]

Oh look, the SCA settled the lawsuit and we all have to pay for their bad policy decisions. It's a good thing we're all a bunch of independent not-for profit groups outside the USA so we can protect ourselves from the larger organization. Oh wait, we're not anymore. Well, I guess it's a good thing they would never ever raid our bank accounts. Oh wait, they can do that, if we don't jump through the hoop willingly. They'll feel sad about it though.

Sadly, it's kind of the worst of all worlds: We didn't win, and we didn't lose so badly that the wide scale systemic changes the SCA hierarchy needs will occur.

Aside from a desire to say "I told you so" (which I am scratching here, rather than getting into it at social events that I'd rather not sully with talk of the BOD) I'm mostly ambivalent about the whole thing. The damage was done and I got my anger out of my system back then. Everyone else drank the mead-flavoured Kool-Aid.

Can we have an independent SCA-Canada now?

Aside: I don't know if I'll get any comments on this here since LJ is kind of dying. If I do, stick to the topic at hand - any comments blaming the victims of child molestation for this will be summarily deleted without warning.

Comments

[conejita-diabla.livejournal.com]

We ranted sufficiently about this a year ago or whenever. This is exactly what we thought would happen, and I really can only shrug at this point. Sucks for all the people who came in after all this who care about playing, but...

[haasiophis.livejournal.com]

I agree we should be independent but I don't really have anything to add.

[missymorgan1.livejournal.com]

When you're right, you're right.

It won't be the last time we dance here, though - any successful suit guarantees that a) there will be another and b) the SCA will have a tough time getting insurance at a reasonable rate, if at all.

[oblivions.livejournal.com]

how would you have done things differently?

[jamesq]

The problem is that I'm not god-emperor of Avacal, nor do I want to be. so "how I'd have done it" is kind of moot. I want a democratically elected BoD. A democratically elected BoD might have made the same mistakes.

I'd have liked the Canadian branches split off years ago the way Australia/New Zealand did. They'd still be "the SCA" in culture (A Lochac knight is still recognized as a knight everywhere else for example), but the day to day running of things (insurance, corporate policy, etc.) would have been completely independent. The fact that Lochac can do this is proof of concept. We should have been starting the process a long time ago. The passing of the US Homeland Security legislation should have gotten everyone on board and it should have been a done deal by now.

I do recognize that I am a tiny minority in this. For now I'll just stick with enjoying socializing with my reenacting friends and ignore the politics while I'm at events.

SCA-Canada.

[manyra.livejournal.com]

The fact is the process was started several time. And each time it was deemed unfeasible. We don't have the populace to support the infrastructure and the insurance would be outrageous.

The NPOs created in NS, BC and Alberta were anomalies - and not done with the approval or even understanding of the US BOD. No other province did that, nor did they have to pay for their own insurance, like AusNZ does. So it is not at all a more local version of what the SCA-Canada would be like.

In addition - the affiliation contract does say that they follow Corpora - they often are required to ask for variences on policies but they still expected to deal with changes put forth by the US BOD. Not much different that what we do now.

Re: SCA-Canada.

[jamesq]

I'd love to know how those outrageous insurance costs compare to 18% of our assets.

[snooness2]

I would like to see an SCA-Canada.
And the idea that it isn't feasible isn't correct.... mostly what follows is a reply to Manyra's post...

Anything is feasible if a group wants it to be, there are other fantasy and other medieval recreation societies - some of them are much much smaller then the Canadian SCA groups and they carry their own insurance just fine. It's a matter of will. Besides if a Kendo club can exist in one town the size of Vegreville and afford it's own insurance then the SCA can exist anywhere. It just means the fees would be higher and frankly people should get over whinging about it and we shouldn't be doing our calculations based on such a low fee - most other sports clubs have higher fees, even my pottery club (which has the lowest fees in Alberta has higher fees).

The point is that Canada has different laws, and that in and of itself should be reason enough to have an SCA-Canada.
Not that I don't like our US compatriots, but one look at our privacy legislation let alone our banking systems in comparison to the US should be enough to force the split.

[bow-bitch.livejournal.com]

James you are not alone in wanting the SCA to be better. Fredrick of Holland, Duke Cariodoc and other SCA worties are quietly nodding their heads, muttering "I told you so" and calling for a reoganization of the SCA from a corporate standpoint. Knowing the members of this BoD I think we have the leadership to move forward in a positive way.

Lots of kingdoms separated their money into different IPOs, it isn't just the few out here in Avacal. I know of at least two - large amounts of funds in the West and Outlands which were kept separate from Kingdom funds via separate incorporation and bank accounts. Those funds are separate from the 18% tithe because of the separate incorporation and I believe they were earmarked for a special project or rainy day funds. Those funds are not counted in the 18%.

Moving SCA corporate out of the dark ages may or may not improve the society at large - I think we have far too much ingrained anthropology to move quickly and efficiently from the game-side of things.

My point is - just because corpora recognizes a member of the chivalry who does not swear fealty does not immediately open the groups to accepting that reality - here we move into the murky area of culture which is quite separate from good corporate governence.

I would like to see Canada SCA sign an affiliate agreement personally. We would not have to incorporate every group, shire or kingdom to do so. As an affilated SCA Canada we would operate under corpora and maintain our SCA culture without having to keep the American legalities in mind as we operate.

Mind you, SCA corporate has a horrible track record of failing to honour affiliate agreements so that's another issue that this current BoD will have to review as well. But that's another well documented issue....