Opening an account for NPOC, NCUC and NCSG in Estonia

[Sam Lanfranco]

Dear Farzaneh et al,
I was going to post this early today but held back since it looked like all
were hell bent for Estonia. The Canadian NPOC account story is as follows:
The Canadian banking system will accept setting up a bank account for an
organization that either does nor does not have a formal legal status. For
example, I am the treasurer for a local museum's volunteer support group.
We have no formal legal status, but we do have a bank account with a major
National bank (Bank of Montreal). Will share process below. 
When Rudi in Belgium dropped out of NPOC/NCSG Joan and I opened a Canadian
NPOC account, over a letter from NPOC at that time, stating the Joan and I
would have signing rights (i.e., could write cheques and withdraw money).
It took forever for NPOC to get funds transferred from Belgium and by then
(last year) they went to Raoul in Finland, and I finally got the funds I
had advanced to NPOC several years ago - Thanks). 
The NPOC account exists but has never had a transaction. We set it up so
either Joan or I would have signing rights, at a time when we thought the
NPOC funds would be quickly forthcoming. Usually organizations have two
signatures but Joan and I live 150km apart so that was not practical. The
empty account requires only one signature. Online transfers are well
developed for Canadian banks, but for cross-currency transfers there are
service changers. 
 I was waiting for the NPOC/NCSG/etc banking issue to settle down and then
get a letter from NPOC removing me as one with signature rights since I am
no longer treasurer. I cannot just quit. The bank needs a paper trail. 
So, the NPOC account could be enlisted, and additional accounts could be
created. The one sticking point is that the signatures to create the
account, and the signatures for those with authority over the account, have
to be submitted in person, here in Canada. No problem for Joan and I since
the extensive branch banking system of Canadian banks has branches
everywhere. 
Would that be a problem for NCSG? Not if there are one or two people to do
the paper work here. Accountability could be maintained by only allowing
withdrawals/payments on approval of the executive (normal practice). In my
case with the museum, for transparency I share the monthly bank statement
with the executive. Of course, for that to work one has to trust those
involved..which is always the case in any event. 
So, the NPOC account exists and always has had a balance of zero. There is
scope for additional accounts. Oh! The Bank now charges a S3/mo service
change,...unless the balance is zero (-:
Sam L.

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