Travel CUTS Lawsuit settled

Settlement of Travel CUTS Ownership Question Close at Hand

(Edmonton, AB) – The University of Alberta Students’ Union has,
as of last Thursday, February 16, 2006, ratified a settlement
agreement with the Canadian Federation of Student-Services
concerning the ownership of Canadian University Travel Services
Limited (Travel CUTS).

All parties have agreed to the release, today, of a joint statement
concerning the settlement. The joint statement is attached.

“We are very pleased, on behalf of our students, to be moving
close to resolution in the longstanding question of the ownership of
Travel CUTS,” said Graham Lettner, President of the University of
Alberta Students’ Union. “We now look forward to focusing on
ensuring that Travel CUTS continues to serve Canadian students’
travel needs.”

Two of the other plaintiffs in the action, The Queen’s University
Alma Mater Society and the University Students’ Council,
University of Western Ontario, have also ratified the agreement.
The fourth plaintiff, the Alma Mater Society of the University of
British Columbia, has agreed to the settlement pending ratification,
which will be considered tomorrow.

-30-

JOINT STATEMENT

The Canadian Federation of Students-Services and the University Students’
Council of the University of Western Ontario, the University of Alberta Students’
Union, the Alma Mater Society of the University of British Columbia and the Alma
Mater Society of Queen’s University today announced that they have agreed to
the settlement of a lengthy legal dispute relating to the ownership of the
Canadian Universities Travel Service Limited (Travel CUTS). This agreement is
subject to the ratification of the governing structures of each organization. The
Canadian Federation of Students-Services, the University Students’ Council of
the University of Western Ontario, the University of Alberta Students’ Union and
the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University have now ratified the agreement.

Travel CUTS was established in 1974 by the members of the Association of
Student Councils (AOSC) Canada to provide travel and travel-related services to
Canadian students. Travel CUTS operates travel offices on university and
college campuses and at off-campus locations throughout Canada serving both
student and non-student markets. Travel CUTS is also the owner of a USregistered
subsidiary, Travel Adventures LLC (“The Adventure Travel
Company”).

Recognizing the importance of advancing the interests of Canadian students and
avoiding a protracted legal dispute, the parties have chosen to enter into an
agreement which places Travel CUTS in a positive position to serve the
Canadian student market. The agreement resolving this case avoids a trial
which would likely have taken some 8 to 10 weeks.

Under the agreement resolving the case, the Canadian Federation of Students-
Services will retain 76% of the ownership of CUTS. The remaining 24% of CUTS
shares will be held by a newly formed non-profit corporation which will include
the four Plaintiff student associations as well as other non-Canadian Federation
of Students-Services member associations which belonged to AOSC. The Board
of Directors of CUTS will be expanded to eight members, two of whom will be
appointed by the new shareholder. The agreement also addresses the ongoing
governance of CUTS through a Unanimous Shareholders Agreement, and
provides for the sharing of past and future revenues between the shareholders.

All parties to the litigation have worked to create a framework through settlement
for a productive and co-operative approach in the management of Travel CUTS.
Both sides consider that the settlement reflects their mutual interest in ensuring
that Travel CUTS continues to be a successful, student-owned travel agency
providing the best level of service to Canadian students and the broader travel
market.

Privy Council Lynched

So, I guess Harper wasn't joking around when he said a Conservative government would be buffered by a Liberal judiciary and public service.

Goal...s...

Hey look, we can score! And win! Still not looking like a gold-medal team though.

Rootsky

So, someone isn't embarassed to be assoicated with the Great One.

Bobcatted!

So, about an hour ago I was sitting downstairs in the den, revelling in the end of the first game of men’s Olympic hockey, when I heard a large thud outside, and then the power went off in the whole house. I heard loud vehicular noises, so I assumed the garbage or recycling truck had damaged something. I went outside and saw that our power meter had been knocked off the side of our house and that all the snow was cleared away. There was a bobcat going sown the street, so obviously he had done it. Originally I thought it must have been a city worker clearing snow. I went inside and called our property manager. While I was doing this Barb decided to go outside and see if the bobcat was still around. She talked to the guy, and apparently he was from Precision Snow Removal, a company our property manager contracts out to do snow removal. The guy admitted to knocking the box off. It was quite clear, however, that he had no intention on reporting the incident, probably hoping that we were not home at the time. He didn’t even get out of the bobcat after it happened.

Anyway, the management company didn’t answer the phone when I called. I called Ottawa Hydro and they said they’d send someone over to take a look at it. If the meter was damaged they could fix it, but if it was ripped right off an electrician would have to fix it.

I called Precision Snow Removal as well, but they didn’t answer (does no one work in this town?). So, a crappy start to the day, but at least we didn’t miss the hockey game. We certainly have good luck with rental properties, don’t we? It’s not a huge deal (well, as long as it’s fixed quickly), but I’m pretty pissed that the guy was obviously just going to do a hit and run. I’ll keep you all posted regarding what happens.

Democratic reform what now?

So this is what it feels like with the West in, an unelected Minister and a turncoat?