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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	702
Proposal	Approval of International Committee Election of John Rensenbrink to Global Green Network
Presenter	International Committee
Floor Manager	Karen Young
Phase	Closed
Discussion	04/22/2013 - 05/05/2013
Voting	05/06/2013 - 05/12/2013
Result	Adopted
Presens Quorum	31 0.6666
Consens Quorum	37 A Majority of Yes and No Votes

Background

In keeping with its Rules, Policies, and Procedures (R, P &P's), the IC seeks NC approval of three GPUS delegates to the Global Green Network (GGN): Muhammed Malik (FL), John Rensenbrink (ME), and Marian Douglas-Ungaro(DC), elected by the IC, March, 8 2013.

Hi,

A slam-dunk. A no-brainer. That’s what we thought in the 1990s—we envisioned a global Green organization composed of representatives from all the countries of the world that have a Green Party. We carried that enthusiasm into the FPVA gathering in Oaxaca, Mexico in 1999. The meeting passed a resolution calling for the creation of a global network of that kind. We forwarded that to the planners of the first gathering of global Greens in Canberra which we knew would be taking place in the spring of 2001. We asked that it be placed on the agenda.

But the idea ran into resistance. Our resolution was ignored by the planners in their deliberations leading to the Canberra gathering. Once there, we sought conversations with the planners. They were strongly opposed and opposed to placing it on the agenda. We persevered and got an opportunity to talk about the idea briefly from the podium to the entire assembly. There was instant and enthusiastic support for it, so much so that the planners, extremely irate with us for managing to get it spoken of from the podium, agreed in a long session of theirs (from which we were excluded) to include provision for a Global Green
Network in the founding document alongside a stronger affirmation of their preferred Global

Green Coordination structure. The founding document was approved by acclamation the final day of the gathering. (I sent it to you a few days ago as part of the history).

Since then, it’s been an uphill struggle. The planners had managed to have themselves continued as the global leaders as part of the GGC structure. They have employed their power within their preferred structure to put GGN on the shelf. The agenda for the second global gathering in Sao Paulo in 2008 had no room for any report from GGN. In small meetings our efforts to get a voice for GGN were shunted aside. Our protests about this exclusion went unheeded.

We tried again to have a discussion at the FPVA meeting in Quebec later that year, 2008, since we were told that the planners, still the leaders of the GGC, were coming – Margaret Blakers of Australia, Catherine Greze of France, and Johan Hamels from Belgium (about to move to Canada). In a small meeting, we urged them to think of GGC as an important consultant body for the GGC. We sought to reassure them that we were not thinking of GGN as a replacement for GGC but as a collaborative communication body to assist in the work of the newly formed Global Secretariat that had been created at Sao Paulo. They turned a deaf ear. A follow up message to the same effect was ignored.

So that is where it's at right now. The GGN is in limbo. The idea behind it languishes--the idea of a global organization of representatives of (now) 90-plus Green Parties in steady communication with one another.

There may be a ray of hope to have a discussion about this. The Secretariat has been moved from Australia to Brussels. Juan Behrends is the new global Secretary. He has several times attended our Annual National Meetings, and each time we’ve had good conversations. At the 2007 ANM, he and the IC members at the ANM had a very good exchange with him at a special meeting in which we made plans for a meeting of European Party leaders with GPUS party leaders – to be held in Washington or New York. Unfortunately, this never took place.

But now in his new position as the Secretary of the Global Greens, it may be possible to talk with him about the GGN and about the FPVA (he has written a very insightful piece about FPVA) and about global Greens in general. Maybe we could get him to come to us. Or some of us could go to Brussels (though alas we have no money).

So in the spirit of keeping keeping on, I ask for your vote. I’ve put a lot of work into
global Greens, and into the International Committee (being its first Chair, 1997-2001) and into the GPUS National Committee. I still believe, and strongly, in the idea for a Global Green Network as an important and useful part of the global Greens. I want to continue for a few years as a GGN representative of the Green Party of the United States.

John Rensenbrink
Maine Delegate

Proposal

The NC confirms GPUS delegate John Rensenbrink(ME) to the Global Green Network (GGN), elected by the IC, March 8, 2013.

Resources

Timeline: Immediate implementation

References

Election Procedure at:
http://www.gp.org/committees/intl/delegate_biographies.html

CONTACT: Farheen Hakeem, IC Co-chair, 612-964-9143, farheen@gp.org

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