# Cira Petition to disclose CEO compensation



## MapleDots__ (Sep 20, 2021)

I received this via email








Having passed a motion to disclose CEO compensation, I am now asking fellow CIRA members to sign this petition 

https://www.change.org/p/cira-membe...5-4745-a2aa-6a374eb9e362?recruiter=1225128096 corrected link

The Board must know that they are accountable to its members  

While stating "CIRA believes that transparency is essential to good governance", the Board refuses to disclose the CEO compensation.  Their response, on the CIRA members page, contains both misinformation and disinformation. https://member.cira.ca/Membership/Update_on_the_2020_AGM_member_proposal.aspx

The Board further claims they know what is best for the 15,000 members and all other stakeholders.     

Shame on the CIRA Board for providing misleading statements and disinformation, and not listening to its members.  

My CIRA is open, transparent and accountable to all stakeholders, including members. My CIRA does not make false arguments or canards, that CIRA is building a trusted internet.  My CIRA does not act in self interest but is open and transparent.  
Let me know if you would like further information 
"CIRA is a not-for-profit organization that administers the “.CA” domain space on behalf of Canadian users. The ".CA "domain space is a key public resource.  CIRA policies must conduct activities in an open and transparent manner that ensures wide public access to all relevant information."
Let me know what you think.  I can send you a 1 pager explaining it more.  



Here is a link to the web version:
https://mailchi.mp/6c7d459f144b/sig...cira-transparent-and-accountable?e=77d4b35287


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## MapleDots__ (Sep 20, 2021)

Here is what I received from Cira









Dear CIRA members,

Many of you may have received an email from member Alex Beraskow advising you of a petition he has started in regard to CIRA.

His email includes allegations that are false and misleading.  

Mr. Beraskow claims to be a champion of transparency, but he has not been transparent with you. Mr. Beraskow has not told you that he is actively suing CIRA and is asking a judge to appoint him to the Board, bypassing a vote from CIRA members.

This despite the fact that he was a candidate for the Board in 2020 and failed to win election in the members' vote. The Board believes that only the members should have a say in which qualified candidates sit on the Board.

CIRA maintains that this legal proceeding is completely without merit, and we are vigorously defending it, at considerable cost.

As for the substance of Mr. Beraskow’s email, the Board’s decision on last year’s AGM proposal has been posted on the CIRA members page since July for all to see. The decision describes in plain, factual language exactly what happened and why.  We invite you to read the reasons and welcome your questions and comments at the upcoming 2021 AGM.

In short, CIRA is not required by law to publish the salaries of its executives, and while the Board considered the member motion very thoroughly, it was ultimately determined to not be in CIRA’s best interest to disclose the CEO salary for reasons of privacy and competitiveness.

You democratically elect the Board to act in the best interests of CIRA. Each and every Director is committed to CIRA’s mission and has a fiduciary duty to consider the impacts of the member motion on the operations of CIRA.  To use a mass email to CIRA members to impugn the Board’s motives and truthfulness is unfair and unwarranted.

Some of you may have questions or concerns about how Mr. Beraskow could gain access to your email address and stage a mass emailing.  This is set out on CIRA’s website, but in short, CIRA is compelled by law to provide access to the list. We also request members who send emails to indicate how they obtained the members’ contact information, which Mr. Beraskow has not done.

Finally, what is most disappointing is that Mr. Beraskow’s personal crusade is being allowed to overshadow the great work CIRA does to build a trusted internet for Canadians. CIRA is coming off a fiscal year where a record number of Canadians were able to get online with a .CA domain; tens of thousands of teachers, students, workers, and medical professionals were protected by CIRA’s cybersecurity products, and dozens of community organizations were supported through the Community Investment Program.

It is disappointing that Mr. Beraskow is allowing his personal point of view to take priority over CIRA’s mission.

CIRA is committed to transparency, and we hope you are able to join us at the AGM on September 23, where we always encourage and welcome open discussions.

Sincerely,

CIRA


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## MapleDots__ (Sep 20, 2021)

Those are some key details that have been left out.

Personally I believe in the election process so I did not sign the petition, and that was before Cira sent out the email.

It does bear more research but I think getting deeper involved with Cira to understand the process would be a better use of time.


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## theinvestor__ (Sep 20, 2021)

Honestly I’m not really sure why CIRA was compelled to respond to this. This is not the first time Alex has sent emails to CIRA members and to claim that he was not disclosing how he got the list to members is petty. It just seems odd they are trying to defend every single point. Why not save it for court? 

He’s disclosed in the past how he got the members list: 

“FYI, I obtained your email address from CIRA. CIRA is obligated to provide your contact information in accordance with section 23 of the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act as long as it deals with matters relating to the affairs of CIRA. If you have any questions about this, please contact info@cira.ca. You can also contact me directly alex@beraskow.ca. “


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## MapleDots__ (Sep 20, 2021)

Here is a corrected petition link from post #1


Change.org

https://www.change.org/p/cira-membe...5-4745-a2aa-6a374eb9e362?recruiter=1225128096


Again, I have NOT signed this petition and at this point I put my faith behind the election process.


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## LovelyLynda__ (Sep 20, 2021)

Gosh, this could all end fast, disclose the compensation and the whole issue goes away. As a public company it's probably best to be transparent anyways.


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## silentg__ (Sep 20, 2021)

Alex has access to .ca domain registrant details?


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## MapleDots__ (Sep 20, 2021)

silentg said:
			
		

> Alex has access to .ca domain registrant details?



I think HAD is probably the correct term.

I think he was part of CIRA at one time.


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## MapleDots__ (Sep 20, 2021)

Do you want to be involved?

Click the image to participate


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## theinvestor__ (Sep 20, 2021)

If CIRA is asked they have to release that info as far as I understand. Maybe [notify]FM[/notify] knows more about this? 

Either way what’s the big deal?? CIRA had no problem releasing all my domains registered when sent a legal letter. They didn’t notify me. So it’s funny that they expect Alex to let CIRA members know about how he got their info.


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## theinvestor__ (Sep 20, 2021)

silentg said:
			
		

> Alex has access to .ca domain registrant details?



It’s not every registrants details but CIRA members. There’s approximately 15,000 members. Anyone with .CA domain can become a member. You need to be a member to vote.


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## MapleDots__ (Sep 21, 2021)

theinvestor said:
			
		

> CIRA had no problem releasing all my domains registered when sent a legal letter




Touching on this...

A legal letter asking is not a court order, why would they release that information on request?

So if I decide I have a beef with one of your domains I can get my lawyer to quickly draw up a document and ask CIRA for every domain you own? Then I can build my case and use the other domains as evidence trying to build my case to remove one of your domains.

I knew that was how it worked even for .com but I figured you needed more than just a letter from your lawyer. Seems pretty light in the rules to release private information to me.

So if we follow that down maybe Alex Beraskow is right and all he did was draw up some legal papers to try and get information that should be easily gotten.

I understand these are two completely separate issues but I think if anything the board has to decide what the official CIRA policy is and stick to it. Either open and completely transparent for everyone or more closed where decision are made internally (by elected officials) who in turn disclose what they feel is important to the company.

Releasing information on members should be a well thought out process with each case unique, just like the decision to withhold the compensation for the CEO.

In my personal opinion, anyone arguing a case for one domain should not be able to get the information on all domains unless the domain is very similar to the one argued for. ie CompanyA.ca CompanyA1.ca. Then Company A might be able to ask for the info on both domains.


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## theinvestor__ (Sep 21, 2021)

MapleDots said:
			
		

> Touching on this...
> 
> A legal letter asking is not a court order, why would they release that information on request?
> 
> ...



It’s a complete joke. It doesn’t have to be justifiable either. As long as you pay your lawyer $100 to draft a few sentences to CIRA they release the other parties information. I could get any information I want on any domain owner very easily through CIRA’s system. It’s not just a CIRA member it’s any domain owner. Send a legal letter and you can get a list of all their domains. It’s not like they are doing any due diligence whether your request is valid or not. They don’t. As in my case. Not valid and released all my information.  

I have nothing to hide but the fact they did it though just shows CIRA doesn’t care about you. CIRA does not want to have any part of any type of legal issue.


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## theinvestor__ (Sep 21, 2021)

Oh and as I stated above. They don’t tell you about it…..yet they expect Alex to let “their” members know how he got the info that “they” released. Sometimes I wonder how we put up with this crap.


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## FM__ (Sep 22, 2021)

[notify]MapleDots[/notify]: Did your email also have this footer?



> You received this email because you subscribed to our list. You can unsubscribe at any time.



Obviously, that's from the software he used to mail everyone, but it is nonsense, as none of the members *actively* subscribed to the newsletter as implied.

As for obtaining the membership list - according to the Canadian Not-For-Profit Act (S.C. 2009, c. 23) any member can request the list of members. The purposes mostly circle around discussing issues related to membership and in my (non-lawyer) opinion would not include emails to promote yourself for election (as done by candidates before though). CIRA appears to remind people requesting the list of the intent and asks candidates that request the list to only contact people that they already know. The list is provided as a PDF from what I hear and not easy to "parse". It also says "do not copy" on it.

I have not requested the list myself but have toyed with the idea.



			
				MapleDots said:
			
		

> A legal letter asking is not a court order, why would they release that information on request?



Regarding [notify]theinvestor[/notify]'s experience I agree with MapleDots here and am surprised they just released the information. It may depend a bit on the entity asking, but still this seems odd to me.


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## MapleDots__ (Sep 22, 2021)

FM said:
			
		

> Did your email also have this footer?



My email looked like this on the bottom


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## karma (Sep 26, 2021)

silentg said:
			
		

> Alex has access to .ca domain registrant details?


Every registered member of CIRA  has access to the membership list.
CAVEAT. There are a lot of hoops and hurdles to get to it, and one must sign a disclosure document. The  list is in PDF format (was when I got my list). One is able read it - that is all. It as set with mini-fonts, so when enlarged enough to make it readable, the fonts are broken up - most likely to prevent OCRing it. 

ADDENDUM: I was told and read that I could only use the list to contact the membership relative to the CIRA AGM. Nothing more.

-k-


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## RedRider (Sep 26, 2021)

Welcome karma, it doesn't take a genius to figure out your connection here. Can you clarify why we need to know the income of the CEO? Do you think they're overspending?


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## Alex B (Sep 27, 2021)

To all fellow CIRA members,
There is much misinformation and disinformation - mostly coming from the Politburo and oligarchs at CIRA.  Were I, Alex Beraskow, less charitable, I would say lies, but you decide once you have the information.

WRT to executive compensation, each member, if interested can make up their own mind: like Goldilocks, too much, too little or just right. Suffice it to say that I ran 5 different firms in the Ottawa area, all in IT over 3 decades.  My entire career has been in IT.  So I have an opinion on executive compensation but as they say - its not about me, its about what you think and whether the Board is doing its job.

You should know that the Board Chair told the Board that she had comparative studies but she refused to share it with the Board.  That is not good governance.  

You also no doubt see that the Politburo have never refuted any factual statements I have made on the record but instead attack me personally.  Why do you think that is?

If you want to know more simply send me an email; alex@beraskow.ca   Make your own decision.  Question what you are told, by whom and what their motive is.


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