Earlier, we reported on Greg Elzinga and Jeff Melland's plans to introduce a package of bylaw amendments aimed at democratizing the Non-Partisan Association. But not everyone is enthusiastic about debating them at the association's upcoming annual general meeting - including board member Alex Tsakumis. In an interview with your humble organ, Mr. Tsakumis confirmed he met with Mr. Elzinga yesterday to discuss those amendments. Said Mr. Tsakumis, "Cameron St. John sent an email to every member of the board suggesting that we should call Jeff Melland and Greg Elzinga and ask them what the motivation was for them putting out Cameron's proposed amendments. So I was going to meet with a mutual friend of mine and Greg's anyway. And we met. And I asked him (about the amendments). And he answered those questions." And did you suggest Mr. Elzinga might want to withdraw those amendments, we inquired?

"There was a suggestion by me that I wished they had presented an opportunity to fairly inform the entire membership (about the amendments). I think you'll agree Sean that, if these proposals go forward as they are, that it doesn't give fair warning to the entire membership. And I can tell you, as a member of the board, that I have heard an overwhelming amount of consternation and upset that these (amendments) weren't circulated with a fair period of, say, a couple months for the members to be able to chew over them."

After all, continued Mr. Tsakumis, "These are pretty major changes. And, in order to satisfy the membership fairly, I think...you have to first give (the membership) an opportunity to fairly look at them. And, in fact, I'm willing to have (the changes) put to a constitutional committee - which I'll be recommending to the board be struck immediately and have those (amendments) be a basis for discussion. But the way that those proposals are tabled is technically non-compliant at this point. And, unfortunately, there's some good ideas in there. But I don't think they're going to fly."

"You need a 75 percent majority to get them passed at the (annual general) meeting," explained Mr. Tsakumis. "And I would say a good 95 percent of the people I've heard from think it's just nuts to show up at the AGM, plomp these in-front of (the membership) and say, 'Okay. Let's discuss them for whatever period of time - ten minutes, an hour, ten hours - and then turn around and say let's vote now.' I don't know anyone who agrees that's a good process to be followed."

That being said, Mr. Tsakumis added he agrees the association's bylaws should be updated, noting they "were written in the thirties in probably the third floor of the Vancouver Club over several bottles of scotch and a box of cigars." And, during his meeting with Mr. Elzinga, Mr. Tsakumis told the would-be board member "I'd like to propose you and Jeff to sit on whatever constitutional or bylaws committee comes up (to review the amendments). And, if you get elected to the board, that may be an automatic. But I think to show good faith, at this point, we should do that. And I think we should leave how many other slots open (on that committee) for the next board to fill."

Mr. Tsakumis declined to say who the mutual friend was that arranged and sat-in on his meeting with Mr. Elzinga.