[council] Meeting Protocol for Brussels and beyond...

Wed Jun 2 09:39:40 UTC 2010

At the risk of a bout of email ping pong here goes... see below in red.

Adrian Kinderis

From: William Drake [mailto:william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch]
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2010 6:12 PM
To: Adrian Kinderis
Cc: council at gnso.icann.org Council
Subject: Re: [council] Meeting Protocol for Brussels and beyond...

Hola Adrian

On Jun 2, 2010, at 8:49 AM, Adrian Kinderis wrote:

Interesting... thanks Bill.

I think you all (y'all) are missing the point about being elected representatives.

I do that a lot, sorry

AK>> Stop it! ;)

The community input and participation is sufficiently covered - and if not, I have suggested mechanisms where their input is heard (via Councillors and or through the Chair). I do not consider this Draconian. Draconian would be to exclude them altogether or ask them for their input prior to the meeting. This is being organised and efficient. Don't forget, everyone gets a say.

I guess we just have different mental models of bottom up democratic processes.  Yours is strictly representative, mine's participatory.

AK>> How is asking a representative or the Chair to ask your question not participatory? You are still in the room. You still have a voice...

An inexact parallel but it speaks to worldviews-in related intergovernmental organization processes, most governments have made clear they would like global business, the Internet technical community, and civil society to sit quietly or not even be in the room on the grounds that they sufficiently represent all our viewpoints.  For those of us who have battled to open these processes up to more diverse voices, it would be rather odd to then turn around and impose limitations in the bodies we tout as superior precisely because they allow open participation.

AK>> That paragraph has to be somewhat of an overreaction and emotional hoo-haa! Once again, how is my suggestion not open participation. I am not sure that my suggestion hurts anyone's civil liberties or restrict basic human rights but I could be wrong... Why aren't all these folks jumping up and down about the Board having completely closed sessions with ICANN staff? How is it any different?

In the same vain why aren't our GNSO calls open for the public?

AK>> I note no response here...

I also think it is important to raise the profile of our Councilors (and the prestige for that matter). Folks should be made to feel comfortable to use them to convey a point of view. Also, Councilors work very hard, it could be considered a position of value to have been elected to sit at the table and to have the ability to converse directly with Staff and the Board. You never know, it may entice more folks to want to put themselves forward as Councilors if they can see an immediate benefit.

You really believe that the status (don't know about 'prestige') of Councilors is reduced if someone sitting off the table is called on to offer some thoughts after we've had our turns?

AK>> Yup. That is why I wrote it.

I think talking to repeat offenders "offline" is a useless exercise and potentially creates a difficult and embarrassing situation. Why should we have to play police officer? I'd like to avoid that tension completely.

I agree it's awkward and hasn't worked sufficiently, but one could always redouble the effort and up the ante a bit.

AK>> Please propose a method and an executioner. I have enough people that think I'm a jerk and don't need any help...

With reference to my offer for drinks... we did it, but I had too many members of the public claiming their right for a drink and ran out of money ;)

NC missed the memo :-(

By the way, I am  against any invitation or information with the words "inter alia" included. Makes me feel that only the smart people are invited...

Sorry, I do sometimes slip into UN-speak.  Chuck busted me the other day for referring to the "ICANN Secretariat" in a draft doc, sigh...  But rest assured, it's a free open air concert and Toots will serenade all comers without regard to stakeholder group or other identities...

AK>> So I'll be able to participate in the concert then with my rendition of a few Led Zepplin songs played on my harmonica? I trust they don't limit participation on the stage ;)

Cheers,

Bill

From: William Drake [mailto:william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch]
Sent: Wednesday, 2 June 2010 4:20 PM
To: Adrian Kinderis
Cc: council at gnso.icann.org<mailto:council at gnso.icann.org> Council
Subject: Re: [council] Meeting Protocol for Brussels and beyond...

Hi Adrian,

On Jun 2, 2010, at 2:24 AM, Adrian Kinderis wrote:

I would like to suggest that there be no questions from the floor during these sessions.

When we last had this conversation didn't we decide against draconian measures that would preclude community participation (and were hence poorly received by some) and for some intermediate steps like only Councilors at the table, chair gives preference to Councilor comments and right sizes the time for others, etc?  If people think this has not worked sufficiently, wouldn't it be possible to simply have an offline conversation with the most relevant parties saying please respect the following ground rules, and to reiterate these at the outset of meetings?

On Jun 2, 2010, at 2:51 AM, Adrian Kinderis wrote:

I'll shout an extra round at the bar on Saturday night to make up for it :)

Hmm...didn't I hear something like this a few meetings ago, didn't materialize... :-)

BTW, on the matter of after hour amusement, perhaps I'll pass along something I pointed out to NCSG, might be of interest to some here:

On Sun, May 30, 2010 at 1:33 PM, William Drake
<william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch<mailto:william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch>> wrote:

Hi

Just an FYI for people who will be attending ICANN Brussels, as with Paris two summers ago, this meeting overlaps with the annual Fete de la Musique held across France, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.  Just had a look at the program http://2010.fetedelamusique.be/recherches?tid=&tid_1=All&city=Bruxelles and inter alia Saturday night 19th Toots and the Maytals is playing in the park near the conference site.

Bill

***********************************************************
William J. Drake
Senior Associate
Centre for International Governance
Graduate Institute of International and
 Development Studies
Geneva, Switzerland
william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch<mailto:william.drake at graduateinstitute.ch>
www.graduateinstitute.ch/cig/drake.html
***********************************************************

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