B-5 BY-LAW 12 – STEWARDS - Appendix A

BY-LAW 12 – STEWARDS – Sponsor:  Board of Directors

Appendix A to B-5

While an election is one mechanism to recommend a steward for appointment, pursuant to the current language of By-Law 12.4.1, no such election has ever taken place. 

This is likely because the Institute, for many years, has welcomed all members who wish to become stewards to apply in the normal manner so their applications may be considered by the President. Therefore, it has been unnecessary to hold elections for Stewards.

A constituent body is free to nominate an individual to become a steward in accordance with By-Law 12.4.2.1.  This ability obviates the need to hold an election, as the will of the Branch membership can be expressed through the recommendation.  Likewise, given the wording at By-Law 12.4, a steward election is no more than a means to recommend the appointment of a steward; the authority to appoint the steward remains exclusively with the President.

The process for holding such an election is set out in Reg. 12.4.1.  It calls for the Executive Committee to appoint an elections committee to administer the election and send a call for nominations in the “area of jurisdiction”.  The term “area of jurisdiction” is not defined in the Institute’s By-Laws, Regulations or in the Steward Policy.  In practice, we do not have areas of jurisdiction.

The election process set out in the Regulation further requires the elections committee to provide all members in the area of jurisdiction with an opportunity to vote.  It does not provide any information about how many stewards may potentially be elected as a result of this election.

A significant amount of effort and potentially resources are involved in carrying out an election which will ultimately result in one or more individuals being recommended for appointment as stewards.  The President will choose to accept or reject those recommendations.  The Executive Committee should not be bound to engage time and resources in a process that will not achieve any palpable results.

As such, unless the Institute wishes to restrict the number of applications for stewardships to be considered in the normal manner, the election process serves no useful purpose.  Even when more individuals apply than the Institute feels is required, the President may keep that consideration in mind that as part of her decision-making process when determining whether or not to accept the recommendation.