Prairie/Northwest Territories Region Constitution and By-Laws

PRAIRIE/NORTHWEST TERRITORIES REGION CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE

These By-Laws, in general, pertain to matters of Regional organization not covered by the By-Laws of The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada and are made pursuant to those By-Laws.

DEFINITIONS

Board means the Board of Directors of the Institute.

Institute and/or PIPSC means the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.

Members means all regular and retired members of the Institute resident in the Region.

Region means the Prairie/Northwest Territories geographic region as defined in the By-laws and of the Institute.

Director means the Regional Director of the Prairie/Northwest Territories Region.

Executive means the Regional Executive members of the Prairie/Northwest Territories Region.

BYLAW 1 NAME

The name of the Region shall be the Prairie/Northwest Territories Region of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, hereinafter referred to as the "Region".

BYLAW 2 OBJECTIVES

2.1 To support and further the basic objectives of the Institute as contained in the Institute By-laws.

2.2 To ensure that the views of members in the Region are represented at Regional Council, Board Meetings, Annual General Meetings and other meetings of the Institute, as required.

2.3 To coordinate activities and actions of the regional bodies and submit their proposals and recommendations to the Institute.

BYLAW 3 MEMBERSHIP

3.1 Every member who resides in the Region and who is a Regular member of the Institute shall also be a Regular member of the Region.

3.2 Every member who resides in the Region and who is a Retired member of the Institute shall also be a Retired member of the Region.

BYLAW 4 REGIONAL ORGANIZATION

There shall be three (3) levels of organization within the Prairie/Northwest Territories Region:

Regional Council

Regional Executive

Branches

BYLAW 5 REGIONAL COUNCIL

5.1 Function: The Regional Council is the governing body of the Region. All members are entitled to attend. Only delegates shall be entitled to make motions or resolutions and to vote. It shall direct programs and activities within the Region, review the disbursement of Regional funds, consider any matter brought before it by Branches, and submit proposals and recommendations to Institute national bodies. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the management of staff is the exclusive responsibility of the Institute.

5.2 Meeting: The Regional Executive shall call a Regional Council once each calendar year. The interval between such meetings shall not exceed fifteen (15) months. Members shall be notified of the meeting. Delegates shall be notified of the agenda, and of any proposed changes to this constitution at least four (4) weeks prior to the date of the meeting.

5.3 Delegate Composition: Each Branch shall appoint from its members one delegate for each one hundred (100) members rounded to the nearest one hundred (100) as of the previous December 31. Each Branch shall be entitled to a minimum of one (1) delegate. The Regional Executive may, at its discretion, appoint two (2) additional delegates. The members of the Regional Executive shall be ex-officio delegates to the Regional Council.

5.4 Agenda: The agenda shall include the following items:

Introduction of the Regional Executive

Approval of the Agenda

Adoption of the Minutes of the previous Regional Council

Business Arising from the Minutes

Report of the Regional Director

Annual Financial Report

Approval of Budget

Report of the Elections Committee

New Business, including Proposed By-Law Amendments

5.5 Chair: The Regional Executive shall appoint the chair, who is normally the President of the Branch hosting the meeting.

5.6 Quorum: Fifty percent (50%) of the accredited delegates in attendance at the beginning of the meeting shall constitute a quorum.

5.7 Voting: All delegates present at the Regional Council are eligible to vote. Voting shall normally be by a show of hands and each delegate shall have one (1) vote. Decisions shall be by a simple majority vote.

5.8 Filing of Documents: Each year, following the Regional Council, the Region Executive shall submit a copy of the draft Regional Council minutes, the annual financial report and the elections report to the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Institute prior to the end of the calendar year.

5.9 Special General Meetings

5.9.1 A Special Meeting of the Regional Council may be called by the Regional Executive or at the written request of at least 10% of the Region’s members. This meeting shall be held within six (6) weeks of such call or request.

5.9.2 Only the matter(s) for which the Special Meeting was called shall appear on the agenda.

5.9.3 The same requirements shall apply to the notice, quorum, governance, attendance and voting at Special Meetings of the Regional Council as are prescribed for the Regional Council.

BYLAW 6 REGIONAL EXECUTIVE

6.1 Role: The Executive is responsible for implementing policies approved by the Regional Council, exercising the authority of the Regional Council between council meetings, representing the interests of the Institute, and furthering the interests of the Region.

6.2 Composition: The Executive shall normally consist of the Director, the Secretary, the Treasurer, one (1) member-at-large from each of the Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, and Edmonton Branches, and two (2) members-at-large from among the remaining Branches in the Region. Each year, the Executive shall choose a Vice-Chair from its members at its first Executive meeting held after the Regional Council.

6.3 Selection

6.3.1 The Secretary and the Treasurer shall be elected by the Regional Council for two (2) year terms. The Secretary shall be elected in odd years and the Treasurer in even years.

6.3.2 The Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, and Edmonton Branch members in attendance at each Branch’s AGM shall each nominate one (1) member to represent their respective Branches on the Regional Executive. The representative’s term on the Regional Executive will commence at the end of the Branch’s AGM.

6.3.3 Two (2) additional Executive members shall be elected from the remaining Branches by the delegates in attendance at the Regional Council, that are members of the remaining Branches. A Call Letter shall be sent to all remaining branches at the time of the notice of the Regional Council. The term of office shall be two (2) years and elections will be in odd numbered years.

6.4 Meetings: The Executive shall meet as frequently as is required, but at least four (4) times a year. If a member-at-large is unable to attend a meeting, the corresponding Branch(es) may choose an alternate.

6.5 Quorum: A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the Executive.

6.6 Voting: Decisions shall be by majority vote.

6.7 Vacancies

6.7.1 If the position of Director becomes vacant for any reason, the remaining members of the Executive shall recommend the Vice-Chair as a replacement to the Board in accordance with the Institute’s By-laws.

6.7.2 If the position of Secretary or Treasurer becomes vacant for any reason, the members of the Executive may select an eligible member from the Region to fill that vacancy until the next election.

6.7.3 If any other Executive position becomes vacant, the corresponding Branch(es) shall choose the replacement.

6.7.4 Any member of the Executive (with the exception of the Director) who, in the opinion of the Executive, is absent without just cause from two (2) consecutive Executive Meetings, shall cease to be a member of the Executive.

6.8 Duties

6.8.1 Director: The Director shall chair the Executive meetings and is responsible for the overall function of the Region and its constituent bodies, including further development of Institute structure in the Region. The Director shall uphold the Region’s By-Laws and ensure decisions made at the Regional Council are acknowledged and followed up to determine whether they can be implemented. Other functions include, but are not limited to, representing the interests of the Institute to members in the Region, reporting to Regional Council on the activities of the Executive and on current business of the Board.

6.8.2 Vice-Chair: The Vice-Chair shall assist the Chair in the performance of their duties, and in the absence of the Chair, perform the duties of that position. The Vice-Chair shall assist the Director in the performance of his duties, and in the absence of the Director, perform the duties of that position.

6.8.3 Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for sending notices of all meetings of the Regional Executive. The Secretary shall record minutes of meetings, including attendance, maintain records and correspondence of the Region and of the Regional Executive, and shall ensure that a copy of minutes are filed with the Institute.

6.8.4 Treasurer: The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the Region as required by Institute policy, prepare a financial report for each meeting of the Regional Executive and each Regional Council of the Region, submit a detailed financial statement to the Institute as required, and prepare the request for the annual allowance of the Region. Copies of the financial report shall be available to all members of the Region.

6.8.5 Members-at-Large: Members-at-Large shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the Executive and shall liaise with their respective branches as required.

6.9 Committees: The Executive may establish committees as necessary, with terms of reference and membership to be decided by the Executive. Copies of committee reports shall be filed with the Secretary. Committees shall be dissolved by majority vote of the Executive.

6.9.1 Regional Training Committee: The committee’s mandate is to liaise with the Regional Executive, the Training and Education Committee and Regional Staff with respect to regional training initiatives; to solicit input concerning the Institute training programs from the Regional Council, Stewards’ Council and Regional Constituent Bodies; to review the training applications

6.10 National Committees: The Regional Executive shall make recommendations for regional representation on National Committees.

BYLAW 7 BRANCHES

Branches shall be established in accordance with Institute By-Laws and shall be regulated as per their Branch By-laws. The normal functions of the Branch include providing a forum for discussion of Institute business, making recommendations to Regional Council, administering Branch funds, submitting names of candidates to be delegates at Regional Council and Institute General Meetings.

BYLAW 8 ELECTIONS:

8.1 Elections Committee Chair: The Executive shall appoint an Elections Committee Chair. The Committee Chair shall choose two (2) other members for that Committee. The Committee will receive nominations for elected positions on the Regional Executive and conduct the election. Any member of the Elections Committee who becomes a candidate in the election shall resign from the Committee.

8.2 Procedure for Nominations

8.2.1 Nominations may be made in advance of the Regional Council or from the floor of the Regional Council.

8.2.2 Nominees must indicate a willingness to serve if elected.

8.2.3 The Elections Committee shall scrutinize the nominations for eligibility and, if necessary, arrange for ballots to be distributed to all Regional Council delegates to vote in the election.

8.3 Election Procedure

8.3.1 The Elections Committee shall serve as Returning Officers and shall establish procedures for the efficient conduct of an election, the counting and tabulating of ballots and all matters directly related thereto not otherwise specified in these By-Laws.

8.3.2 Elections shall be conducted by secret ballot.

8.3.3 The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for a position shall be declared elected. Any candidate may request a recount.

8.3.3.1 In the case of a tie vote involving three (3) or more candidates, a re-vote involving the tied candidates will be done. Should there be a tie vote for two candidates; the tie will be broken by a re-vote involving the tied candidates. Should there be a tie vote for two candidates; the tie will be broken by the flip of a coin.

8.3.4 The Elections Committee shall inform the Regional Council of the results of the election.

8.3.5 The results of the election are final upon a successful motion by the Regional Council to destroy the ballots.

8.3.6 The new Executive members shall take office immediately following the Regional Council.

BYLAW 9 FINANCES

9.1 Fiscal Year: The fiscal year shall be the calendar year.

9.2 Expenditures: The Executive shall expend such monies as it considers necessary for the conduct of the business of the Region.

9.3 Funds will be maintained in an account assigned by the Institute.

9.4 Signing Officers: Financial transactions shall require the signatures of any two (2) of the Director, Vice-Chair, and Treasurer. A written account shall be kept of all expenditures.

9.6 Auditing: As required, auditing and verification procedures shall be carried out by members of the Region who are not responsible for the administration of Regional funds.

BYLAW 10 RULES OF PROCEDURE

At any meeting, matters of procedure, insofar as they are not specifically provided for, shall be governed by a majority vote of the members present and voting on the matter 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 the American Institute of Parliamentarians Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure available at the meeting.

BYLAW 11 CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

11.1 These Bylaws may be amended at a Regional Council. Approval of proposed amendments requires a simple majority of those voting.

11.2 All proposals for amendments to these By-laws shall be submitted, in writing, to the Executive. Proposed amendments may be submitted by any member of the Region. The notice of the Council meeting at which the amendments will be considered, shall include:

a) the article to be amended; and

b) the new wording

11.3 New Constitutions and Bylaws, as well as any amendments, shall be submitted to the Institute Bylaws and Policies Committee for review.

11.4 This Constitution and Bylaws and any amendments thereto shall take effect upon ratification by the Regional Council and approval by the Institute.

BYLAW 12 REGULATIONS

12.1 The Executive may make such Regulations and any amendments thereto, not inconsistent with these Bylaws, as it deems necessary or convenient for the operating of the Region.

12.2 All proposed Regulations and amendments thereto shall be submitted to the Institute for review and approval. They shall take effect on a date determined by the Executive, but not earlier than the date they were approved by the Institute.

12.3 Each such Regulation shall be presented to the next Regional Council, and may be rescinded or amended by such meeting. These constitute changes to the Regulations and shall be subject to Article 12.2.