I've been involved with previous CAM conventions.
Joan Caesar, the force behind CAM and the convention, asked me to post the following:

>>>>>>>>>>
Interesting, esp. about moving CAM around. I'd love to do that. I just
haven't found anyone willing to be responsible for taking over the
convention in other areas of Canada.
Do me a favour, and post a message that if anyone is willing to take on the
full responsibility for the 2009 convention in another part of the country,
I'd love to hear from them.
Thanks,
Joan
<<<<<<<<<<

You can follow-up with Joan if so inclined.

It's unusual to see a national organization ask somebody else to take on "full responsibility" to put on their conference.
This type of responsibility always falls to the oganizations Executive.

It would appear the reason the convention is always held in Kitchener is because it's near where the Executive resides, which isn't really considering the national scope CAM is trying to embrace.

Not trying to sound flippant or disrespectful, but why would there need to be full responsibility taken by someone else?

The hotel and theatre bookings can be done from anywhere. The large hotels have staff to help in these matters. Technical requirements can also be arranged from out of town.

The attendees are responsible for booking their own rooms and finding their own meals.

The acts can be booked from home.

I can only imagine the amount of work involved in pulling off a convention like CAM (and we did get to the second one which was great, thanks go to you Joan) must be huge, but my point is, could it not be directed from a central location (Kitchener area) and placed somewhere else without an impossible amount of effort?

I would bet that there are some around the country who would be willing to assist in bringing the convention closer to them. Why not put out some feelers for help in this regard, as opposed to passing along total responsibility, and see what might be able to be done?

Just thinking out loud and thanks again to Joan and all the others who make it happen in the first place.

Rob Evans CAM member

Ill do it!
KIDDING!
It seems a little odd that all of a sudden she has given up and is passing the WHOLE responsibility onto someone else, and she is getting YOU to get this info out. It just makes no sense.

But I think it would be cool if they moved the convention around Canada. Montreal has always been a place I wanted to visit. Niagra Falls is beatiful, Toronto is nice...

But why is she giving the job to someone else??

Not really. We're not talking about a colossal organization here. We're talking about a group of likeminded people, and a relatively small one as "national organizations" go. I've done work (non-magical) with groups that have had "first timers" organizing their conventions ... and often these "first timers" actually BECOME a member of the executive by taking on the task of organizing.

Presumably, anyone taking on responsibility would have to be a member, and would have to be someone they'd check out to make sure they're capable of pulling off this sort of thing.

I have served on the Board of a small National organization for the past four years, and although I respect your thoughts on this matter, my statements reflect my experience with the procedures of National not-for-profits.

There is always a local organizing group, but the National Executive never gives full control of a conference or convention to that local group.

By law, due dilligence would require that the National Executive protect the assets of its members (dues and profits from the convention as well as the cost to put the convention on) and not pass that responsibility off to any other group, legally it simply can't be done.

The fact that this offer to pass off "full responsibility" was made indicates a lack of understanding at the Board level as to Canadian liability laws.

I wouldn't want my dues being spent to put on a national conference with nobody on the Board controling expenses and ensuring that those expenses would be covered with projected revenue.

The offer to pass of full responsibility makes no sense to me as a non-member, and certainly can't make sense to members who have assets (dues) within CAM.

Seems to me if she were looking to move the convention a perfect place to house it would be the greg frewin theatre..........
has the stage , conference centre , rooms right next door.. full kitchen , bar.
and it would be housed in the first cam winners facility . right there in beautifull niagara falls
hope they give a thought
John

Moving the conference around the country doesn't mean just moving it in a 200 mile circle around Kitchener!

"Centre of the Universe" indeed!

Having been a team-member on a couple of dozen national events with different organizations, I can't imagine being solely responsible for one outside my local area ... not without local support. Professional event organizers my be able to do it, but CAM is a small organization with a small executive.

So, trying to steer away from the criticisms, I'd like to suggest a more constructive approach, utilizng some of the previous comments & ideas. If anyone thinks they can organize a committee to help run the convention in their own area, perhaps they could propose that possibility to the fine folks at CAM. Maybe CAM would be open to a local/executive joint effort. Who knows?

I'm almost a 2-hour drive from the current CAM location, and 2007 will be my 4th time attending, and my 2nd time as a volunteer. I can honestly tell you that, for me, it's tremendously gratifying to help with such a wonderful event!

Cheers!
Dan.

Silverking trust me as I say I understand what you mean then understand me as I say CAM convention needs to walk before it runs!!!!!!!!!!! moving to the greg frewin theatre would be a sensible move as it isn't to far and would be the most logical spot to establish the convention . the committee as a whole has done an absolutely astounding job at laying the foundation. now the it is time to let go and let it grow . if the right moves are made now CAM could be one of the top conventions , just my opinion , but worth a thought I think
respectfully submitted
John

I've gone to all three CAM conventions so far, despite living just outside Halifax for the past two. Wherever it moves, it'll be inconvenient for someone.
It's much more important to me that it be a first-class convention.

I don't have any objection to moving the CAM convention once it's time. I do have an objection to moving it just for the sake of moving it.

Quick hypothetical: If, three years out, we hold it in Vancouver, and if--we should only be so lucky!--Joan Caesar were to be the main organizer, she would still need people "on the ground" in Vancouver to--at the very least--advise on venues for the stage competition and gala stage show. Wherever the convention is held, there would need be a large community of magicians with good knowledge of the local area--and who know Joan and the main crew well enough to work with her like a well-oiled machine.

I've lived in London (Ontario), Kitchener-Waterloo, Ottawa, and now Halifax. If, at any time, Joan Caesar had said, "Can you be one of our people on the ground for a convention in our city?" I would have had to reply, "No, sorry--I've only lived here for a few years. You need someone who really knows the city." Those are the kind of people you need to really host a good convention.

Does that mean CAM always has to be in Kitchener? Of course not. But it shouldn't move until there's a host crew who really have their act together. That, I submit, is far more likely to kill CAM that would be the ennui of running it from the same geographical location.

A great start would be a vision statement from the Board explaining how THEY see the future of CAM unfolding, and then an action plan to move that vision statement into reality.

I question the logic of holding an event in a location which is designed to make the Board of Directors lives easier, and with no real indication that any thought is being put into what members think, and what members have to pay in travel expenses on a yearly basis if they are interested in attending and don't live in the Greater Toronto area.

I'm prone to repeating myself, so I'll bow out of this thread.