On behalf of Democrats Abroad Canada, we thank those who attended our webinar “The Basics of Cross-Border Taxes for Americans Abroad”, presented March 28th by Max Reed and Polaris Tax Counsel. We hope you found the information beneficial.

This posting is to share with you links for the webinar audio recording and presentation deck, plus other useful information.

AUDIO only of DACA and Polaris Tax Webinar March 2021

PDF Presentation of DACA and Polaris Tax Webinar March 2021

If you’re in need of a certified U.S. tax return preparer, please visit this link from American Citizens Abroad. Contact details for Max Reed are in the presentation deck.

Democrats Abroad has advocated on behalf of our members for decades on the issues of taxation, which we continue to do through these challenging times. To receive updates on the work of our Global Taxation Task Force visit this page to subscribe.

As a 100% volunteer, self-funded organization, Democrats Abroad is grateful for your generous support.

Thanks to those who participated  - we look forward to you joining us on future webinars.

DemsAbroad Canada is electing its leadership for the 2021-23 term

Want to know more about a candidate and their hopes, ideas, and plans for DA Canada, DemsAbroad, and getting out the vote in 2022? Want to brainstorm and give your input directly to the candidates?

The Nominations & Elections Committee is hosting two Candidates’ Forums. The sessions will take place via Zoom.

Session #1: Sunday, April 11th  4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM PT [CLICK HERE to RSVP]

Session #2: Wednesday, April 14th 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT [CLICK HERE to RSVP]

Click here for the Candidate Statements

Ballots will go out on Sunday, April 11th and must be returned by Saturday, May 1st at 2:00 PM ET.

Thank you for your interest in DA Canada and the Democratic Party!

Best regards,
DemsAbroad Canada Nominations & Elections Committee

Larry Rousseau, Chair
Heidi Burch
Tim Ellis
Devbani Raha
Peter Tesche, Teller of Elections
John Yee, Technical Advisor

Democrats Abroad Canada
Notice of 2020 Annual General Meeting

The DA Canada Annual General Meeting and Elections are upon us!

Join us at 2:00 PM EDT on Sunday, May 2, 2021 for the Democrats Abroad Canada AGM. We will be meeting online this year to celebrate the accomplishments of DemsAbroad Canada volunteers in 2020, announcing the results of our 2021-23 Board elections, and taking nominations from the floor for open positions, if any occur.

Please CLICK HERE to view the Candidate Statements for the various Board member positions we will be electing.

We don’t anticipate accepting nominations from the floor during the virtual AGM as there are no open positions at this time. 

This year, voting will be taking place electronically, and the Nominations and Elections

Committee will circulate ballots in advance of the AGM. Keep an eye out in your email for your Ballot, which will be sent out by April 11, 2021.

Looking forward to seeing you at the AGM! And please be sure to vote when you receive your ballot.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR THE AGM

Best regards,

DemsAbroad Canada Nominations & Elections Committee

Larry Rousseau, Chair
Heidi Burch
Tim Ellis
Devbani Raha
Peter Tesche, Teller of Elections
John Yee, Technical Advisor

Democrats Abroad Canada invites you to
nominate candidates for positions without nominees for the
2021 – 2023 Board of Directors

March 26, 2021

As announced earlier, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) where we will hold the election of our Democrats Abroad Canada officers and board members will take place Sunday, May 2, 2021.

Your online ballots will be emailed to you on April 11, 2021, with instructions on how to complete and submit the ballot by May 1, 2021.

On March 3, the Nominations & Elections Committee sent out a request for nominations for the 2021 - 2023 Board of Directions. At this time, the Nominations & Elections Committee is re-opening nominations for the following offices that currently have no nominees:

• Country Chair

• Executive Vice Chair (see note below)

• IT Manager

• Programs and Events Manager

Note: The Executive Vice Chair elected shall be a member who is of differing gender to the Chair, as per the by-laws of Democrats Abroad & Democrats Abroad Canada, and the rules of the Democratic National
Committee (DNC).

The Nominations & Elections Committee is re-opening nominations only for the four offices listed above which are currently without a nominee. We will not be accepting nominations for any other positions.

Per the DACA Bylaws, individuals elected to one of the above positions will also be considered elected as a DPCA Voting Representative.

CLICK HERE FOR OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Nominations re-open with this mailing and will close at 12:00 NOON (ET) on Tuesday, March 30, 2021.

You have 3 options for submitting a nomination.
● Complete the online nomination form by clicking here
● Submit a nomination via email
● Submit a nomination via Canada Post

Submissions via email may be sent to [email protected] You can also mail your nomination(s) to:  DACA Nominations, c/o H Burch, 6258 Lavery Court, Mississauga, ON L5N 3G2. Postal submissions must be received by 12:00 Noon ET, Tuesday, March 30, 2021.

If nominating for Chair or Executive Vice Chair, please indicate if the nominee is male, female, or non-binary.

An accompanying 300-word (maximum) statement supporting your nominee, or yourself if you are self-nominating, is requested.  It needs to describe skills and experience pertinent to the position (or office) for which you or your nominee is running. A nominee must be a Democrats Abroad Canada member, a US citizen, a resident within the boundaries of Democrats Abroad Canada, and willing and able to handle duties while adhering to the principles of the Democratic Party of the United States. A nominee must give their consent to stand for election.

We greatly appreciate your assistance and look forward to receiving your nominations.

CLICK HERE to complete a Nomination form

Best regards,

DemsAbroad Canada Nominations & Elections Committee
Larry Rousseau, Chair
Heidi Burch
Tim Ellis
Devbani Raha
Peter Tesche, Teller of Elections
John Yee, Technical Advisor

On Feb. 28, 2021, a duly-noticed Special Meeting was held to announce the results of the ballot distributed to members on Jan. 28, 2021. Per the report submitted by Julie Buchanan, Teller of Elections, the results are:

Question #1: Should the proposed revisions to the Democrats Abroad Canada Bylaws submitted to the membership on January 28, 2021, be adopted?

Yes: 226
No: 6

The question, requiring two-thirds votes cast for approval, passes.

CLICK HERE for the approved Bylaws

Question #2: Per DACA Bylaws, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held by March 31st each year. To enable the Canada Nominations & Elections Committee the prescribed time to conduct the Canada elections based on the results announced at the Special Members Meeting on Feb. 28, 2021, should the date for the AGM be deferred to May 2, 2021?

Yes: 215
No: 17

The question, requiring two-thirds votes cast for approval, passes.

CLICK HERE for the detailed Teller of Elections report

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) where we will hold the election of our Democrats Abroad Canada officers and board members will take place Sunday, May 2, 2021.

Your online ballots will be emailed to you on April 11, 2021, with instructions on how to complete and submit the ballot by May 1, 2021.

The DemsAbroad Canada Nominations & Elections Committee is seeking nominations for the following offices: The Executive Committee consisting of Country Chair, Executive Vice Chair, two (2) Vice Chairs, Secretary, Treasurer, and Counsel. Completing the board is Membership Secretary, IT Manager, Volunteer Manager, and Programs and Events Manager. The Executive Vice Chair elected shall be a member who is of differing gender to the Chair, as per the by-laws of Democrats Abroad & Democrats Abroad Canada, and the rules of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

Per the DACA Bylaws, individuals elected to one of the above positions will also be considered elected as a DPCA Voting Representative.

The Nominations Committee is also seeking nominations for an additional 12 DPCA Voting Representatives allocated to Canada and 2 Alternate DPCA Voting Representatives.  As per the by-laws of Democrats Abroad, DPCA Voting Representatives shall be elected in accordance with the gender balance rules of Democrats Abroad.

CLICK HERE FOR OFFICER JOB
DESCRIPTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES

Nominations open with this mailing and will close at 12:00 AM ET Thursday, March 18, 2021. 

You have 3 options for submitting a nomination.

• Complete the online nomination form by clicking here

• Submit a nomination via email

• Submit a nomination via Canada Post
  
  

Submissions via email may be sent to [email protected]. You can also mail your nomination(s) to:  DACA Nominations, c/o H Burch, 6258 Lavery Court, Mississauga, ON L5N 3G2. Postal submissions must be received by 12:00 AM ET, Thursday, March 18, 2021.

If nominating for Chair, Executive Vice Chair, and/or DPCA Voting Representative, please indicate if the nominee is male, female, or non-binary.

An accompanying 300-word statement supporting your nominee, or yourself if you are self-nominating, is requested.  It needs to describe skills and experience pertinent to the position (or office) for which you or your nominee is running. A nominee must be a Democrats Abroad Canada member, a US citizen, a resident within the boundaries of the Democrats Abroad Canada chapter, and willing and able to handle duties while adhering to the principles of the Democratic Party of the United States. A nominee must give their consent to stand for election.

Have questions about being a leader in DemsAbroad Canada? Come get answers! Please click on this link for details about information sessions: www.democratsabroad.org/questions_about_running_for_office_in_da_canada_come_get_answers

We greatly appreciate your assistance and look forward to receiving your nominations.

Best regards,

DemsAbroad Canada Nominations & Elections Committee

Larry Rousseau, Chair
Heidi Burch
Tim Ellis
Devbani Raha
Randi Weitzner
Peter Tesche, Teller of Elections
John Yee, Technical Advisor

NOTICE OF DEMSABROAD CANADA MEMBERS SPECIAL MEETING SUNDAY, FEB. 28, 2021 2:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM AT / 11:00 AM PT ELECTRONIC BALLOT MUST BE RECEIVED BY 12:00 AM ET FEB. 28, 2021 PURPOSE: APPROVAL OF BYLAW REVISIONS FOR DEMOCRATS ABROAD CANADA

The Democrats Abroad Canada (DACA) 2020-2021 Bylaws Committee (the "Committee") conducted an extensive review and revision of our Bylaws to address: (i) certain items that were out of compliance with the DA Charter, such as our process for filling DPCA Voting Representative vacancies; (ii) clarify issues that were unclear, such as what Chapters do in the absence of local bylaws; and (iii) update language that was out of date or not-inclusive, for example "she/he" has become "their". That said, much of the substance is the same, though we have re-organized certain provisions to make reading and finding information easier. On January 26, 2021, a quorate of the DACA Board unanimously approved the Committee's recommended amendments and directed that they be put to the DACA membership for approval at a Special Meeting on February 28, 2021.

While technically the Bylaws are amended, the amendments are so extensive that it is more accurate to describe them as a restatement. For that reason, we have not attempted to create a comparison of the current and amended Bylaws. This comparison would be more confusing than helpful. Instead, we have provided a Committee Report summarizing key changes and explaining the Committee's rationale. We are also providing a copy of the current Bylaws for reference. We hope that the membership will vote to adopt these amendments, which we think will make us stronger going forward.

Respectfully,

The DACA 2020-2021 Bylaws Committee
Danielle Stampley, Chair,
Sue Alksnis
Susan Brennan
Julie Buchanan
Tim Flannery

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE
BYLAWS COMMITTEE REPORT

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE
CURRENT DEMSABROAD CANADA BYLAWS

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE
PROPOSED AMENDED BYLAWS

Meeting Notice plus links to the Bylaws Committee report, current Bylaws, proposed 
Bylaws, and the electronic ballot were emailed to members of record,
who have not opted-out of emails, as of Jan. 28, 2021.
Email subject "Notice of Members Special Meeting + electronic ballot"

You can vote on the amended bylaws using the ballot link in the email sent to Members. The second item on the ballot is to approve holding the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 2, 2021. The current Bylaws require the AGM to be held by March 31st each year. To enable the Canada Nominations & Elections Committee the prescribed time to conduct the Canada elections based on the results of the vote on amending the Bylaws announced at the Special Members Meeting on Feb. 28, 2021, we are asking the members to vote to allow a deferral of this year’s AGM due to these special circumstances.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING

You can rescue votes in Georgia no matter where you are - thru Jan 8.   Literally, thousands of Democrat voters in GA are calling the Democratic voter hotline because they are finding that they’re facing issues when they try to vote.  The Democratic Party can help them resolve the issues so their vote will count -- but needs volunteers like us to call these voters back one-by-one for assistance. This is a “high value” volunteer opportunity.  “There’s a direct payoff.  Every person I reach becomes a vote gained,” says DA Canada member David Mivasair, who’s been doing this since Election Day.  “ And, I’m afraid that everyone we don’t reach is a lost vote.  Thousands are calling for help and waiting to hear from us.”

The Democratic Party of Georgia has a very effective system and simply needs people like us to make the calls.

Moments after we heard Donald Trump’s horrific attack on American democracy Thursday night, I appeared on CTV News Channel with Jennifer Burke, and the Chair of Republicans Overseas Canada to discuss the ongoing vote count and Trump’s blatant undermining of American democracy.

I’ll let the video say the rest.

The night after election day, as Chair of DemsAbroad Canada, I spoke with Marella Fernandez of CTV News on the variety of creative and legacy-type initiatives DemsAbroad Canada undertook to reach the est. 625k Americans living across Canada eligible to vote in the 2020 election to cast their ballot.

Through the efforts of hundreds of volunteers contributing thousands of hours of their time, resulting in a greater than 250% increase in DemsAbroad Canada members' ballot requests, my prediction is that the 2020 vote from Americans in Canada will double the 2016 results. I am immensely proud of every person who contributed to this success!

I also talk to the need to count every vote, to let the process work the way it's supposed to. Each person has a right to have their vote counted. It was well known in advance that it was improbable to have an outcome on election night due to the historic millions of mail-in ballots to be counted. Neither candidate nor the media declares the election winner. The winner is determined by the declared results from each of the 50 states.

We wrap up the conversation with concerns for what the next two months could be like should Joe Biden be declared the winner as expected and any comparison between the 2000 election and 2020. For reference, the Ex is Ontario's "state fair" held in Toronto for the last two weeks of August.