CASE Resolution

Haliburton Soundscape Workshop Resolutions

Introduction:
Two important resolutions have resulted from the 1996 Haliburton Soundscape Workshop. One is the founding of a Canadian Chapter of WFAE The second is to initiate a restructuring of the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology.

Resolution: Canadian Chapter of WFAE formed
As a gathering of 27 WFAE members, the following resolutions were adopted by consensus July 31, 1996.
Given that:

The WFAE was formed on August 13th, 1993 at the Banff Centre for the Arts;

The WFAE, with minimal administration, has proved to be a valuable and viable organisation with membership ranging from between 100 to 200 paid members, the publication of the Soundscape Newsletter, the WFAE homepage, etc.;

The "steering committee" and "advisory committee" appointed in 1993 are now dysfunctional and that permanent and decisional structure is now needed;

There is a need for a regional group of WFAE in Canada;

MOTION:
Be it resolved that a Canadian chapter of WFAE be formed known as the CANADIAN ASSOCIATION FOR SOUND ECOLOGY (CASE)/ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE POUR L'ECOLOGIE SONORE and CASE/ACES will be incorporated as a non-profit corporation with a federal charter by the following founding board of directors :

R. Murray Schafer (Indian River, Ontario)
Claude Schryer (Montreal)
F. Tim Knight (Toronto)
Gayle Young (Grimsby, Ontario)

Proposed by Emmanuel Madan (Ottawa)
Seconded by Maria Anna Harley (Montreal)
MOTION carried with 2 abstentions and 0 against.

We resolve that:

The membership of Canadian WFAE members be transferred to CASE as soon as CASE is incorporated. A portion of the fees will be forwarded to WFAE with the remainder used to operate CASE.

The first board of directors of CASE will be governed by temporary rules and regulations that have been developed by the previous WFAE "steering committee". Permanent by-laws will be adopted at the next general meeting of CASE members.

Draft of CASE Mission statement (based on the 1996 WFAE mission)
CASE is a coalition of Canadian individuals and institutions concerned with the state of the world soundscape as an ecological balanced entity. As Acoustic Ecology is the study of the relationship between living organisms and their sonic environment (soundscape), it is the CASE mission to draw attention to unhealthy imbalances in this relationship, to improve the acoustic quality of a place wherever possible and to protect and maintain acoustically balanced soundscapes where they still exist. CASE includes people from all disciplines, including those committed to caring for the quality of the acoustic environment through the perspective of their fields; people who, if they are creators of sound, are sensitive to the relationship between their sound production and the acoustic environment; and people who may specialise in one area, but have an open ear for other disciplines.

Objectives of the Corporation
Acoustic Ecology specific items:

create a large and imaginative variety of contexts and situations that encourage : listening to the soundscape; sharpening of aural skills and deepening listeners' understanding of sounds and their meanings

design healthy and acoustically balanced sonic environments.

encourage and support research, aesthetic, ecological, philosophical, sociological and cultural aspects of the sonic environment.

monitor and evaluate actions affecting and altering the quality of the sonic environment.

preserve and create times and space of quiet.

protect existing natural soundscapes.

protect indigenous soundscapes produced by the practises and lifestyle of aboriginal cultures

publish and distribute information and research on Acoustic Ecology.

study attitudes towards silence in different cultures.

study the effects of technological and human intervention on the acoustic environment.

study the significance of the electroacoustic media (radio, TV, background and foreground music, etc.) and it's ever increasing presence in the soundscape.

General items:

realise any related activities, artistic, educational, professional or commercial, that may be deemed in the interests of the corporation as may be determined from time to time by the corporation.

acquire by way of grant, gift, purchase, bequest, devise, or otherwise, real and personal property and to use and apply such property to the realisation of the objects of the corporation;

actively encourage, support and assist in the development and maintenance of archives and archival resources and distribution and "broadcasting" systems, for and of this diverse group of individuals, groups, institutions and communities in Canada;

actively encourage, support and develop production, promotion and communication systems, including information and information retrieval systems, for the acoustic ecology community in Canada in all of its multiple related manifestations.

buy, own, hold, lease, mortgage, sell and convey such real and personal property as may be necessary or desirable in the carrying out of the objects of the corporation;

encourage and assist in any and all stages of research, development, preparation, production, presentation, "broadcasting" and distribution of information, materials, works, ideas, positions and intellectual manifestations which are beneficial to this community and the community at large;

encourage and broaden research, production and advancement of scientific, technical, artistic and educational community purposes, for the betterment and mutual benefit of the whole community, locally, regionally and nationally;

establish relationships and agreements, and to cooperate with other individuals, groups, institutions, and corporations in Canada and abroad with similar or parallel purposes and to educate and assist in the use of the above and related services, facilities and equipment to individuals, groups, institutions, non-profit corporations, and communities in Canada, particularly to those individuals or groups who cannot normally have access to such services and equipment as shall be deemed necessary to the above purposes;

establish, provide and maintain such resources and facilities, physical and intellectual, as shall be deemed necessary for the above purposes and services, which shall include among others: communications and information systems, publication, archives (sonic, graphic and textual), documentation, public presentations, exhibits, and production, etc.;

CASE recognises and supports the principle of sexual equality, and of English as it's principal language of communication and of French as an official language.

Resolution: Restructuring the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology

It has been resolved that an international WFAE committee be drawn together by CASE to co-ordinate the operation of WFAE (international conferences, newsletter, membership, Internet services, etc.). This committee would have decisional power for WFAE. A call for volunteers for this committee will be sent to all WFAE members in the new Soundscape Newsletter stating that CASE is willing to take on the responsibility for setting up and overseeing the efficient and democratic administration of this committee until the committee can be self-regulating.
Confirmed volunteer members as of July 31, 1996 are:

Justin Winkler (Editor of NSN and FFK representative, Basel, Switzerland);
Gary Ferrington (Webmaster, University of Oregon, USA);
Hildegard Westerkamp (Co-ordinator of WFAE office at SFU, Vancouver);
Claude Schryer (CASE representative, Montreal).

It was strongly suggested that there be at least one representative from each of the:

French group (CES)
Swedish group
Japanese group
Australian group
Latin America group

After consulting with WFAE members, the first task of this committee will be to issue a statement on the mode of operation and priorities of WFAE. It was suggested that the committee communicate by email where possible.
The following text will be sent to Justin Winkler to be published in the New Soundscape Newsletter:

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL WFAE MEMBERS
The WFAE is presently restructuring, following consultation meetings by WFAE members at the Forum fuer Klanglandschaft in Basel, Switzerland in February, 1996; at the Collectif environmental sonore meeting in Paris in May, 1996; at the Soundscape Vancouver 96 event in June, 1996 and at the Haliburton Soundscape Workshop in July, 1996 and other meetings around the world. The newly founded Canadian Association for Sound Ecology (CASE) has offered to take on the responsibility of setting up and overseeing the efficient and democratic administration of this committee until the committee can be self-regulating. Any WFAE member interested in joining this committee, effective this fall, should contact CASE c/o Claude Schryer ASAP in Montreal (4859, Jeanne-Mance, Montreal QC Canada H2V 4J6; Fax 514 987-1862; e-mail: cschryer@web.net).
After consulting with WFAE members, the first task of this committee will be to issue a statement on the mode of operation and priorities of WFAE which will be proposed to the membership for approval in the New Soundscape Newsletter. Thanks for your participation, support and understanding.

Resolved by the following WFAE members on July 31, 1996 in Haliburton, Ontario:
Kathy Brown (Toronto, Ontario, Canada); Michel Corbou (Paris, France); Charles de Mestral (Montreal, Quebec, Canada); Ken Emig (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada); Raymond Filip (Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada); Maria Anna Harley (Montreal, QC, Canada); Jim Harley (Montreal, Quebec, Canada); Victoria Hegner (Berlin, Germany); F. Tim Knight (Toronto, Ontario, Canada); Claudio Lagomarsini (Milan, Italy); Emmanuel Madan (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada); Andra McCartney (Toronto, Ontario, Canada); Jeremiah Moore (Denver, Colorado, USA); Helene Prevost (Montreal, Quebec, Canada); Reinhard Reitzenstein (Grimsby, Ontario , Canada); R. Murray Schafer (Indian River, Ontario, Canada); Ann Schau (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada); Claude Schryer,(Montreal, Quebec, Canada); Hillel Schwartz (Encinitas, California, USA); Victoria Tongish (Pasadena, California, USA); Christine VandeMortele (London UK); Tim Wilson (Toronto, Ontario, Canada); Richard Windeyer (Toronto, Ontario, Canada); Eric Woodley (Toronto, Ontario, Canada); Gayle Young (Grimsby, Ontario , Canada).