Patron: HRH the Princess Anne
Princess Royal

Liaison Bishop: Mission to Seafarers Canada
The Most Reverend Terence Finlay

 MEMORANDUM OF INTENT

Establishment of Mission to Seafarers Canada

 By and Between the Missions to Seafarers in Halifax, NS; Toronto, ON; Thunder Bay, ON; Vancouver, BC.

 WHEREAS:  

            The Mission to Seafarers Canada, is part of the worldwide Anglican Ministry to Seafarers and is joined together with other Churches’ Ministries to Seafarers in a fast and binding ecumenical relationship, under the aegis of the International Christian Maritime Association (ICMA), which provides the standard of shared ministry of spiritual and practical care for seafarers; and

            Many of Canada’s missions to seafarers are struggling to find the resources required to expand, or even maintain their work in caring for seafarers arriving on Canadian shores; and

            Much of Canada’s economy depends on shipping, and on seafarers’ efforts, to fuel economic growth: and

            The Liaison Bishop invited all active Canadian Mission to Seafarers stations to a national meeting and informed their bishops by written notice, asking senior chaplains and board chairs to be present, and the Bishops of British Columbia and Caledonia without stations to each send a representative; and

            The concept of establishing Mission to Seafarers Canada and the Canadian National Seafarers Foundation was agreed at the Mission to Seafarers meeting held in Vancouver November 19-21, 2007; and

            The Mission to Seafarers in the Port of Toronto has offered to use its resources on behalf of the National body to affect the establishment of a Canadian National Seafarers Foundation; and

            The object of the new Canadian National Seafarers Foundation would include fundraising directed at Canada’s major Corporations, Foundations, Trusts and Governments, for the purpose of assisting Canadian Mission to Seafarers in funding capital and operating needs from the proceeds of such fundraising.

 

THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

  1. ESTABLISHMENT:       That the Mission to Seafarers Canada be and is hereby established.
  2. GOVERNANCE:            That the Mission to Seafarers Canada shall be governed by a Governing Council meeting the following criteria:
    1. The inaugural membership of the Governing Council shall be:

                                                               i.      The senior Anglican chaplains from Vancouver, Thunder Bay, Toronto and Halifax,

                                                             ii.      The chairs of the Vancouver and Toronto Mission to Seafarers Boards of Directors, and

                                                            iii.      The Liaison Bishop Mission to Seafarers Canada.

    1. The mandate of the inaugural Governing Council is to:

                                                               i.      draft the Constitution and By-laws of the Mission to Seafarers Canada,

                                                             ii.      establish the Canadian National Seafarers Foundation under the Mission to Seafarers Canada, and

                                                            iii.      convene a meeting of the Mission to Seafarers Canada to consider and, if seen fit, adopt the Constitution and By-laws for the Mission to Seafarers Canada.

The mandate of the inaugural Governing Council will expire on November 1, 2010.

    1. The passing of matters coming to vote at the Governing Council shall be by simple majority, with the chair casting a vote only if necessary to break a tie.
  1. MISSION TO SEAFARERS CANADA:    The primary objectives of the Mission to Seafarers Canada shall be:
    1. the support of existing Mission Stations,
    2. the establishment of new stations,
    3. the support of the offices of the Governing Council, secretariat, and the Mission to Seafarers Liaison Bishop, and
    4. the holding of forums for education and professional development,
    5. the distribution of funds from the Canadian National Seafarers Foundation to assist in the above objectives.
  2. CANADIAN NATIONAL SEAFARERS FOUNDATION

            The purpose of the Canadian National Seafarers Foundation is to:

    1. raise funds on a national level in support of the objectives of the Mission to Seafarers Canada,
    2. make grants to the Mission to Seafarers Canada.
  1. INTERIM EXPENSES

The Mission to Seafarers at the Port of Toronto has agreed to assist the Mission to Seafarers Canada and the Canadian National Seafarers Foundation through the use of its facilities and its staff and by paying the expenses associated with set-up of these two organizations through an interest free loan. Should the Foundation be successful in its fund-raising endeavors, these expenses shall be repaid to the Toronto Mission to Seafarers

 

AGREED in Counterparts on November 21, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iain Grant, Chair 

Mission to Seafarers, Toronto 

 

Rev’d David Mulholland, Senior Chaplain 

Mission to Seafarers, Toronto

 

 

 

 

 

Glen Mitchell, Chair

Mission to Seafarers in the Diocese of New Westminster

 

Rev’d Nick Parker, Senior Chaplain 

Mission to Seafarers in the Diocese of New Westminster

 

 

 

 

 

Rev’d Edward Swayze, Chaplain

Mission to Seafarers, Lakehead

 

Rev’d Donald Lawton, Chaplain 

Mission to Seafarers, Halifax

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Most Rev’d Terence Finlay

Liaison Bishop Mission to Seafarers Canada 

 

Bernard Besseling, Manager 

Mission to Seafarers in the Diocese of New Westminster

 

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