MEMBERSHIP
DRAW

Most of the prizes are
now in, although if you
want to add something,
please let the Executive
know as soon as possible.
These prizes will be given
in a draw of ail members
names at the Annual
Genera! Meeting in Vernon
in May.

GRAND PRIZE
A deluxe night in

Vancouver! We felt that

more members would be

able to get here in the next
year than anywhere else
in B.C., so this prize
includes:

- One night's
accommodation at the
elegant GEORGIAN
COURT Hotel! across from
the B.C. Place Stadium.

- Dinner (up to $50.00) at
the charming
CHRISTOPHERS
restaurant nearby.

- Entertainment, dancing,
and a complimentary

LOBBYING
SCHOOL
BOARDS

Kim Campbell, past
chairperson of the Vancouver
Schoo! Board and a practising
lawyer, spoke to B.C.PF. at
InfoXchange about dealing
with elected officials. Some
highlights of her animated and
stimulating taik were:

- politicians are people who
have been chosen to make
impossible decisions.

- you need to provide the
politician with ammunition
to support you.

- reconoitre the political
environment in which that
politician operates.

- if there are differences of
opinion make sure you
know and understand what
they are. Anticipate the
counterarguments, get
answers to the policy makers
to mute the opposition.

- know the bureaucracy of
your district.

Lobbying your School Board:

- put your views before the
trustees and administrators
with supporting evidence.

bottle of champagne at
the famous Richards on
Richards, also nearby.

- A beautiful DICTIONARY
“Larousse de La Langue Fran-
caise Lexis’ for teens and
adults, retail value $48.00
from David Walsh of French
Language Resources, Box
1074, 574 Nootka Road,
Qualicum Beach, VOR 2TO
{752-9766}. David will be
at the A.G.M. in Vernon to
display and sell his prod-
ucts which include books,
games and computer
software.

- 6 RECORDS of Matt Max-
well’s new recording
“Quand Tu Seras Grand” —
a delightful upbeat collec-
tion of French songs. More
on Matt elsewhere in this
newsletter.

- A fun primary level CHIL-
DREN'S GAME in French
from a new B.C. company,
Canadian Child Early Learn-
ing Toys Ltd. who are men-
tioned elsewhere in this
newsletter.

- attend schoo! board meetings
regularly.

- low key press coverage; have
copies and a summary of
your brief available for the
press, but be careful how
you use the press.

- build yourself into the system
by becoming a member of a
committee.

- have a “‘contact person” for
each trustee.

- find a trustee to be your aily;
he/she may be the ‘expert’
on that issue for the board.

- provide effective, clearly
written, wel! documented
information.

- have supporters of your
group at the meeting.

- know board policy on your
area of concern.

TREASURER’S
REPORT

A full Treasurer’s Report will
be given to members at the
Annual! General Meeting. In
summary, for the period April
1/84 to Feb. 28/85, our
revenue was $51,676.12 and
our expenses $48,234.48.

1985/86 BCPF
EXECUTIVE
NOMINEES

The Nominating Committee
presents the following slate
of candidates for positions
on the 1985/86 BCPF
Executive:

President - Marilyn Miller
Vice-President -

Barbara Patterson

Secretary - Margaret Bear
Treasurer - Roswitha W/ilby
Chapter Liaison - Antoinette
Lebrun

French Second Language
Liaison - Linda Cumming
French Immersion Liaison -
Mary Kay Fox

Membership - Maureen.
Hawthorn

Newsletter Editor - Lorna
Dysart

Public Relations/Publicity -
Gwen Nesbitt

B.C. Director to the National

‘Board - Caroline Midgely

Past President - Ann Buffam

The Nominating Committee
will present this slate to the
membership at the AGM in
May 1985. At that time,
nominations from the floor
will be accepted and the
nominee must consent to
stand for office.

INFOXCHANGE

InfoXchange ‘85, held at the
Richmond Inn February Ist
and 2nd, was an information-
packed B.C.PF. event for reps
from all B.C. Chapters. Dr.
Geoff Mills gave us an update
on the new fiscal framework
for French language
programs, and lawyer Kim
Campbell, former chairperson

_of the Vancouver School

Board, spoke on how to
effectively lobby school boards
(see following article). It was
an opportunity to discuss the
many different enrollment
policies in the Province, the
stand C.P.F. should take on
enrollment and siblings,
funding, Provincial
Government education
policies and restraint,
secondary programs, and
ways to allay fears about
French language programs.
Thanks to Peggy Robertson,
our Chapter Development
Officer, who did an
outstanding job of organizing
this very successful event.

- communicate effectively.
Officials usually read
“papers” on the subject;
trustees may not. Trustees are
usually part-time politicians
and rely heavily on the
advice of their professional
staff.

- deal with parents’ concerns
— not only French
Immersion parents, but also
parents of children in the
English stream and
community members who do
not have children in school.

REPORT OF THE
CONSTITUTION
COMMITTEE

The Committee reviewed
the amendments which had
been tabled at the April 1984
Board of Directors’ meeting
and presented a new set of
amendments for consideration
at its March 1985 Board
meeting.

In addition, to better reflect
the needs and objectives of
our organization, the
Committee recommended
changes to the title and
description of some of the
positions. The
recommendations were
discussed at the January 10,
1985 Board of Directors’
meeting and approved. At the
request of some members of
the Board, further
consideration was given to
certain elements previously
discussed and final approval
granted at a February 1, 1985
Board meeting.

Ann Buffam and Barbara
Patterson, as members of the
Committee, graciously spent
a number of hours reviewing
BCPF’s By-Laws and Rules
and Regulations. | wish to
express my gratitude for their
thoughtful and concise
contribution.

Respectfully submitted,
Paule D.-Macdonald,
Chairman,

Constitution Committee