US and Canada Forum

[D.W.Livingston]

I thought this might want it's own thread instead of being part of the ANZ thread. I was looking around at Clan Societies, etc. and I found "the Capital Scot" website which has a section for Clan Societies to list http://thecapitalscot.com/clans.html#clansocieties I would think a good step might be to add our site to their list of other societies so any Livingston/McLea members, when searching, can at least find this forum. Pulled from the original thread http://www.clanmclea.co.uk/forum/show-m ... sp?ID=2073 -- original message -- Title: US or Canada Forum Posted by: Kyle MacLea

[Kyle2 MacLea]

Dear David, I have submitted the Clan webpage and forum to the Capital Scot for inclusion.

[D.W.Livingston]

Dear Kyle, I agree about the Clan Society. It would hurt us more than help if we publicize a Society that is only half built. I have been reviewing other Societies on the web, to see how they are organized, etc., and there are some strong ones that have been around for a great while and their web site shows it. While a few sites look like someone threw them up in an hour just to get the name out there. I believe that it must go through a process with the final approval coming from the Clan Chief. It would be great to get it started, if members are interested in it and possibly work towards getting it set up for around the time of the "Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs" meeting on July 4, 2007 http://www.clanmclea.co.uk/forum/show-m ... sp?ID=2076 I am excited for a McLea/Livingston(e) Society, and maybe I am only one of a few members who is, but I do feel we need to show ourselves as an individual clan and not an "associated clan", like I have seen in my Internet searches and visits to Highland Games.

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Kyle, I think if we researched this issue and discussed it with experts in ancient highland clan law we would have better insight and a fairer judgement of the situation. I will get back to you on this, but as far I understand AListair and Niall are as far as the clan should be concerned "the centre of all things". If there is a slight contradiction in my overall position it is because it is not of my making. I am interested in promoting unity in the oldest clan in the Scotish Highlands, my health permitting.

[Kyle2 MacLea]

I certainly don't expect New Zealanders to speak for Australians or vice versa.

[D.W.Livingston]

Hello Donald, I don't think anyone wants to 1.) take the focus and ultimate control from Alistair or Niall and 2.) Have anyone speaking for anyone else. Reviewing other Societies the common theme is: 1.) First the Chief of the clan must elect the Commissioner and give their blessing to the starting up and all aspects of the Society. - With out that a Society does not seem to get the credentials needed and can't say that they are an official group. 2.) There is a hierarchy from that. The people that the Chief deems competent to head such an important group then get together and start to choose other officers that they feel have the clans best interest at heart.. and this is where it can get regional. I would think that from Alistair and Niall a "North American" Society would be created made up of both Canadian and U.S. citizens, Like the ANZ group is made up of Australians and New Zealanders (Sorry if that is the wrong way of saying it). This society would over see all aspects of getting the word out to North America, through Highland games and possibly direct mailing (if approved by "the home office") that the McLea and Livingstone clan is a fully recognized clan and not just a weak subset of one of the dozen other clans that have our name associated to them. - Like you said Canadian, U.S., Scottish, Australian, New Zealand, etc. We stand unity in the common goal but due to the separate history, local customs, and distance it would be hard to have all decisions and rules come from only from Lismore. If a company like Microsoft had no managers anywhere else except in Seattle how would the offices in Thailand, or France run? We need to have Alistair and Niall in the center, from them we would have North American, ANZ, possibly Europe and South American when it gets large enough. In those divisions it would be broken down to regions like Canada and U.S, then possibly broken down by Territories for Canada or sections for U.S., and then (in the case of U.S.) possibly states. This will not happen over night and it does need to start as a Uniformed attempt as we do not have a large enough knowledgeable group to immediately start two separate societies from the ground up. If we build one North American Society then we can get a constitution written up, by-laws, etc and "down the road" have sub-societies of U.S. and Canada which take the main documents and ratify them for their individual use. This is just how I see it happening, and I have been known to be wrong. =) I would say to look at other Clan societies to see how they are structured. I am one that does not like to reinvent the wheel if someone else has done it correctly already. Thank you for listening. David

[Bachuil]

Dear All, Thank you for your comments. I am minded at present to keep this main forum and the ANZ forum.

[Kyle2 MacLea]

David and Donald, email me at ksm6 -at- cornell -dot- edu, and let's talk about this. I'm leaving today for the weekend, but when I return next week, I'll hopefully have some chance to discuss further what we might want to do and then we can bring Niall into the discussion. Kyle=

[Kyle2 MacLea]

BTW, there's no saying that a North American Clan Society can't be headquartered in Canada or led by a Canadian, either!

[D.W.Livingston]

Hello Donald, I do not have your email address. Could you please email Kyle and myself. Kyle: ksm6 -at- cornell -dot- edu David: v_1dlivi -at- hotmail -dot- com Thank You, David