Chair’s Corner: Notes from the CCÉ Ottawa Chair, May 2015

The Chair attended the CCÉ North American Province convention in Parsippany, NJ in April.

Highlights of the Provincial meeting:

• Sarah Johnson (MO) new Irish Language Officer for the Province
• On-line version of Treoir will be available in two years
• Canada has to become a province first, before it can make proposal for funding
• Meitheal money is available for a wide range of community development activities
• Glór nan Gael also another very good source of funding
• Strongly encouraged by out-going president of CCÉ, Vincent Jordan,  to make the case, produce a business proposal requesting that Canada form its own province
• There is a recognition that Canada has a different history and different connection to Ireland that the US
• Ireland would support a request from Canada to form its province
• Ireland cannot commit money until we make the first move and provide them with a business case for why we need to be our own province 
• The Canadian delegation asked that part of its start-up funding,  Canada should request and be given a % of the ‘investment’ that Canada has already made to the North American Province over the last 30 or so years. 

 Respectfully submitted, Cathaoirleach