REPORT OF THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
Presented to the 101st Annual General Meeting
The National Elections Committee is appointed by the PIPSC Board of Directors in each new calendar year. The committee conducts National Elections to positions on the Board (By-Law 17.3.2) and, from time-to-time, may conduct Constituent Body elections (By-Law 17.3.2.1). The committee will also hear, investigate and rule on complaints received relevant to elections that it may be conducting.
As per PIPSC By-Law 22.1, Date of Election/Commencement of Office: “Commencing in 2015, there shall be an election of Officers and Directors of the Institute every three (3) years”. The next scheduled National Elections will be held in 2021.
An exception to the ‘every three years’ schedule could occur. For example: if a position on the Board of Directors becomes vacant, then a ‘special’ election may be required depending on the length of time between when the vacancy occurs and the next scheduled election. The Elections Committee would refer to the PIPSC By-Laws to determine if a special election is required.
The Elections Committee was requested to conduct elections for the AFS Group. The AFS Group Executive elections were successfully run.
The previous Elections Committee developed a 2019/2020 work plan to:
- Develop and maintain a complaints roster so that there is corporate history – This has been produced and is being updated as complaints arise.
- Collaborate more closely with the Election Appeals Committee – We have had the Chair of the Election Appeals Committee attend 2 meetings.
- Review more closely the STV (Single Transferable Vote) voting system – Under review
- Review the possible use of ‘Progressive Discipline’ for elections – adjust policy wording for clarity with regard to forbidden behaviours – As a first ever discipline for the Elections, we disqualified a candidate for not adhering to the rules of the election, we also published all candidate names in violation on the Group webpage along with a message about the progressive discipline and complaint roster so that candidates are aware of the seriousness of violations.
- Research ways to have debates with presidential and vice-presidential candidates where not everyone has to be in the same room – Under review
This year, the Committee has undertaken to work very hard on trying to streamline processes, have electronic forms available instead of printable documents and reword pertinent documents for clarity before the 2021 National Election.
The 2020 Elections Committee: Tom Kirkpatrick (Chair), Leslie Hill, Nancy Lavoie, Mladen Komnenic, Christopher L’Estrange, Zul Nanji and Patrick Provost. Staff resources are Allison McAleer and Eddie Gillis (COO & Executive Secretary).
This Committee will stand as is, through until the end of 2021 to ensure stability and knowledge sharing to encourage a smooth and successful National Election in 2021.
Respectfully submitted,
Tom Kirkpatrick
Chair, Elections Committee