The Ninety-fifth Annual Business Meeting 
A standard feature of our ABM’s in recent years - 
foul winter weather - was our lot again this year, 
demonstrating the devotion of the 60-odd members who 
attended. Their effort to be there was rewarded by a 
very full evening. The long agenda was kept moving 
smoothly by Pres. Irnie Brodo in the chair. His concise 
Report and summary of committee reports covered the 
highlights of the Club’s activities last year. 
Subsequent discussion touched on the drop in 
Individual membership in 1973 (contrasting with the 
growth in previous years) which was attributed to the 
»raise in fees. It is now evident from the surplus 
reported in the financial statement that the fee raise 
was unnecessary. We hope that the new Council will 
use this ample revenue to achieve some worthwhile goals. 
Ideas from members for such would be welcome. 
The Election of Officers and Council for 1974 was 
conducted, in the absence of the Nominating Committee 
chairman, by another member (your Editor - the perform¬ 
ance would be better described as semiconducting). 
An hour or more was devoted to presentation by 
Dr. Don Smith, and consideration by members present, 
of eight amendments to the Constitution. His propo¬ 
sals received general approval from those present as 
indicated by supporting comments and a straw vote 
show of hands. These proposed amendments will be 
published later this year in the Canadian Field- 
Naturalist, and moved by Dr. Smith at the next ABM. 
After a break for refreshments the evening ended 
with the showing of two films. In the first, we 
followed with delight as a local naturalist in a canoe 
(and sometimes out of it) proceeded down Meach Brook 
in Gatineau Park. The second film, from the CBC’s 
The Nature of Things series, depicted the sorry plight 
of our Puffins, increasingly beset by Predators and 
Pirates, alias Herring Gulls. 
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