PREAMBLE
These By-Laws, in general, pertain to matters of Branch organization not covered by the By-Laws and Regulations of The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada and the Prairie/Northwest Territories Region, and are made pursuant to those By-Laws and Regulations.
DEFINITIONS
"Institute" and/or “PIPSC” means The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.
"Members" means those Regular and Retired members covered by the geographic area of the Branch as described by the Institute.
BY-LAW 1 NAME
The name of the Branch shall be the PIPSC Swift Current Branch hereinafter referred to as the "Branch".
BY-LAW 2 AIM
The aim of the Branch shall be to represent Branch interests to provide a forum for the discussion of Institute affairs; to administer this Constitution and By-Laws; to make recommendations to Regional Council and to the Institute on topics or matters within the objectives of the Institute, and to nominate delegates to Regional Council and Institute meetings in accordance with the Constitutions and By-Laws of those constituent bodies.
BY-LAW 3 MEMBERSHIP
All members located within the geographic area of the Branch shall be members of the Branch.
BY-LAW 4 RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
All members shall be eligible to hold office, nominate members for positions on the Branch Executive, propose amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Branch, vote in Branch affairs and attend and speak at General Meetings of the Branch.
BY-LAW 5 FINANCES
5.1 Fiscal Year: The fiscal year of the Branch shall be the calendar year.
5.2 Expenditures: Adoption of the budget by the Branch membership shall not preclude the right of the Branch Executive to expend additional funds should the need arise. Such additional expenditures shall be reported to the Branch membership at the next Branch meeting.
5.3 Branch Funds Branch funds will be maintained in an account assigned by the Institute.
(BOD - July 2007)
5.4 Signatures: The President, Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer shall be the signing officers. Cheques issued in the Branch's name shall require two (2) signatures.
5.5 Auditing: As required, auditing and verification procedures shall be carried out by members of the Branch. The review shall not be carried out by anyone responsible for the administration of Branch funds.
5.6 Additional Funding: Additional funding may be requested by submitting a budget via the Regional Executive for approval and recommendation to the Institute Executive Committee.
BY-LAW 6 EXECUTIVE
6.1 Composition: The Branch Executive shall be composed of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary-Treasurer and Members-at-Large to the maximum permitted by Institute By-Laws, elected by and from the Branch members at their first meeting.
6.2 Term of Office: The term of office shall be two (2) years with the exception of the first election when two (2) members shall be elected for a two (2) year term and one (1) member shall be elected for a one (1) year term.
6.3 Meetings: The Branch Executive shall meet as frequently as required, but at least twice a year.
6.4 Quorum: A quorum shall consist of a majority of the voting members of the Branch Executive.
6.5 Voting: Decisions shall be by majority vote.
6.6 Vacancies
6.6.1 If a position, other than that of the President, becomes vacant for any reason, the remaining members of the Executive may select an eligible member of the Branch to fill that vacancy until the next election.
6.6.2 If the position of President becomes vacant, the Vice-President shall assume the position of the President until the end of the original term of office. The position of Vice-President shall then be filled in accordance with these By-Laws.
6.6.3 Any member who is absent from two (2) consecutive meetings of the Executive without valid reason shall be considered to have resigned from the Executive.
BY-LAW 7 DUTIES OF THE BRANCH EXECUTIVE
7.1 President: To convene and chair all meetings of the Branch, and to present to the Annual General meeting a report on Branch activities.
7.2 Vice-President: To assist the President in the performance of his duties and, in the absence of the President, to perform the duties of that position.
7.3 Secretary-Treasurer: To notify the members of meetings, and to ensure that minutes are kept and a copy filed with the Institute; administer and report on Branch finances, to present a budget to Branch members at the first Branch meeting of the calendar year, to present a financial statement to the Annual General Meeting and to submit a copy to the Regional and National Offices each year; to maintain the financial records of the Branch as required by Institute policy. Copies of the financial report shall be available to all Branch members.
7.4 Committees: Committees shall be established by the Branch or the Branch Executive, with terms of reference and membership to be decided by the body that establishes them. Copies of committee reports shall be filed with the Branch Secretary. Committees shall be dissolved by majority vote of the body that established them.
BY-LAW 8 ELECTIONS
8.1 The Executive shall appoint an Elections Committee to receive nominations for positions on the Branch Executive, and to conduct the elections. Any member of the Committee who becomes a candidate in the elections shall resign from the Committee.
8.2 The Elections Committee shall ensure the distribution of a request for nominations to members of the Branch at least three (3) weeks prior to the date of election. Nominations may be made from the floor of the Branch meeting providing those nominated agree to stand and, in cases where more than one (1) candidate is running for the same position, an election by ballot shall be carried out. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for a position shall be declared elected.
8.3 The newly elected Executive shall take office immediately following the meeting at which the election is held.
8.4 The Elections Committee shall ensure the membership is informed of the results of the election as soon as possible.
BY-LAW 9 BRANCH MEETINGS
9.1 Annual General Meetings
9.1.1 An Annual General Meeting shall be held each calendar year. The interval between Annual General Meetings shall not exceed fifteen (15) months. Members shall be notified at least three (3) weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
9.1.2 Quorum Quorum at Annual General Meetings shall constitute fifty percent (50%) of the members in attendance at the beginning of the meeting.
9.1.3 Agenda The agenda shall include the following items:
- Roll Call (members of the Branch Executive)
- Approval of the Agenda
- Adoption of the Minutes of the previous Annual General meeting
- Business Arising from the Minutes
- Report of the President
- Annual Financial Report
- Report of the Elections Committee
- New Business, Including By-Law Amendments.
9.1.4 Voting All members present at the Annual General Meeting are eligible to vote. With the exception of the election of the Branch Executive, voting shall be by a show of hands and each member shall have one (1) vote. Proxy voting shall not be permitted. Decisions shall be by majority vote.
9.1.5 Filing of Documents Each year, following the Annual General Meeting, the Sub-Group Executive shall submit a copy of the draft AGM minutes, the annual financial report and the elections report to the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Institute prior to end of the calendar year.
(BOD – July 2007)
BY-LAW 10 PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
At any meetings of the Branch, matters of procedure shall be governed by a majority vote of the members present and voting upon the matters of procedure. The Chair of such meeting shall first rule on any matter of procedure or order and shall, in the absence of any By-Law to the contrary, rely upon and be governed by the latest edition of Sturgis' Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure available at the meeting.
BY-LAW 11 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
11.1 Amendment: The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended at any meeting of the Branch. Amendments may be proposed by any two (2) members of the Branch.
11.2 The notice of the Branch meeting at which the amendments will be considered, shall include:
(a) the article to be amended, and
(b) the new wording.
11.3 Approval of proposed amendments shall require a simple majority of Branch members voting.
11.4 This Constitution and By-Laws, and any amendments thereto, take effect upon approval by the Institute and ratification by the Branch.
BY-LAW 12 REGULATIONS
12.1 The Branch Executive may make such Regulations, not inconsistent with this Constitution and By-Laws, as it deems appropriate for the operating of the Branch.
12.2 All proposed Regulations and amendments thereto shall be submitted to the Institute for review and approval.
12.3 All additions, changes or deletions to the Regulations shall take effect on a date to be determined by the Branch Executive and shall be reported to the next Annual General Meeting of the Branch which may repeal or suspend any Regulation.
BY-LAW 13 CONTEXT AND GENDER
In this Constitution and By-Laws, expressions in the masculine or feminine, in plural or in singular, may be substituted to give effect to the true meaning of the Constitution and By-Laws.
Approved by the Board of Directors
August 11, 2007