AGM Recap
Held on Tuesday, May 31st, 2022
COG’s 2022 AGM was a great success! Thank you to all of our members who joined and participated in this important event. During the AGM COG’s amendments to the bylaws were passed and COG’s election for the 2022 Board of Directors was held. Stuart Oke, Janine Gibson and Maryruth Thiong’o were all successfully re-elected to COG’s Board of Directors. COG also warmly welcomes newly elected Directors, Iris Vaisman, Karen Klassen and Vijay Bhosekar to COG’s Board of Directors (see their applications below).
Thank you to our departing Board Directors Tara Scott, Av Singh, Shannon Jones and Wentsi Yeung. We’d like to extend a special thank you to Gillian Flies, who as of the May 31st Board meeting stepped down as COG’s President but will remain an active Director. We are also excited to announce that Allison Squires has been elected as COG’s new President of the Board of Directors.
“I am very honoured to have been elected as the new President of the Canadian Organic Growers. The organic sector is a valuable, dynamic and expanding segment of Canadian Agriculture. I am looking forward to working with all of our board members and stakeholders to continue to support organic farmers and promote organic agriculture in Canada.”
– Allison Squires, COG’s President
“COG’s 2022 AGM’s election resulted in a top-rate Board of Directors and I would like to thank all who joined us to elect and re-elect this world class team. Nine of our 14 Directors are farmers/producers and all of our Directors offer a wide range of skills and expertise that I am grateful for. The team is excited to work with our 2022 Board to drive even greater achievements for Canadian Organic Growers.”
– Deirdre Laframboise, COG’s Executive Director
COG’s 2022 Board of Directors
Executive Committee
ALLISON SQUIRES – PRESIDENT
GILLIAN FLIES – DIRECTOR (EX-OFFICIO PRESIDENT)
RE-ELECTED STUART OKE – VICE PRESIDENT
DEBORAH WOLMAN – TREASURER
RE-ELECTED JANINE GIBSON – SECRETARY
Directors at Large
SAM APPLEBY – DIRECTOR
ANDREA BARNETT – DIRECTOR
NEW – VIJAY BHOSEKAR – DIRECTOR
ERIC CAMPBELL – DIRECTOR
NEW – KAREN KLASSEN – DIRECTOR
STEPHANIE KOHLS – DIRECTOR
CORINE SINGFIELD – DIRECTOR
RE-ELECTED MARYRUTH THIONG’O – DIRECTOR
NEW – IRIS VAISMAN – DIRECTOR
General Info
Bylaws
Financial Statement 2021
Strategic Plan (2020-2025)
Board of Director Applications
The COG Director nominees application forms can be found below.
My experience in the sector began in 2007, when I was a summer student with Dr. Derek Lynch at the OACC. I then did my Master of Science with Dr. Martin Entz at the University of Manitoba, focusing on organic agronomy. I started working at Organic Alberta in 2016. Until the spring of 2021, I was a program manager as well as Regional Coordinator for the Bauta Initiative on Canadian Seed Security. Since Spring 2021, I have been the Executive Director. I am a board member of PODF.
I’ve worked for the Manitoba Organic Alliance since late 2019 and have recently transitioned some of my grain farm to organic production. Prior to farming, I was a clinical dietitian, researcher, lecturer and have dabbled in project management roles. I’m hoping my jack-of-all trades skills and experience portfolio will contribute to COG.
Having proven stewardship and visionary leadership skills, team-centric with conceptual thinking and strong intellectual abilities, goal-setting and public relation skills, blend of cross-cultural experience and understanding of strategic and performance planning, as well, extensive experience building consensus participating in diverse stakeholder bodies, I would present my candidature for the position.