PREAMBLE
These By-Laws, in general, pertain to matters of Group organization not covered by the By-Laws and Regulations of The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada and are made pursuant to those By-Laws and Regulations.
DEFINITIONS
"Employer shall be as defined in the Group's collective agreement.
"Institute" means The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.
BY-LAW 1 NAME
The name of this organization shall be The Canadian Museum of Nature Professional Group of The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, hereinafter referred to as the "Group".
BY-LAW 2 GROUP AIM
The aim of the Group shall be to further the professional interests of its members, to protect the status and standards of their professions, and to formulate and express the views of the members on matters affecting them. Notwithstanding the above, an individual member has the right to approach the Institute directly.
BY-LAW 3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Any person who belongs to The Canadian Museum of Nature Professional Group and who is a Regular member of the Institute shall also be a Regular member of the Group.
3.2 Any Regular member of the Group who becomes a Retired member of the Institute shall also become a Retired member of the Group.
BY-LAW 4 RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
4.1 Only Regular members shall be eligible to vote on matters related to collective negotiations, including the method of dispute resolution and the ratification of proposed collective agreements.
4.2 Regular and Retired members shall be eligible to hold office, nominate members for positions on the Group Executive, propose amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Group, and vote in Group affairs.
4.3 All members shall be eligible to attend and speak at General Meetings of the Group.
BY-LAW 5 FINANCES
5.1 Fiscal Year The fiscal year of the Group shall be the calendar year.
5.2 Expenditures The Group Executive shall expend such monies as it considers necessary for the conduct of the business of the Group.
5.3 Bank Account The Group Executive shall maintain an account in the name of the Group at the financial institution of its choice for the deposit of the funds of the Group.
5.4 Signatures Financial transactions shall require the signature of any two (2) of the Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary-Treasurer of the Group. A written account shall be kept of all expenditures.
5.5 As required, auditing and verification procedures shall be carried out by members of the Group who are not responsible for the administration of the funds of the Group.
BY-LAW 6 GROUP EXECUTIVE
6.1 Composition The Group Executive shall be limited to one (1) Executive member per ten (10) members of the Group rounded to the nearest ten (10) with a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of eleven (11) members. The Group Executive shall be composed of a Chair, a Vice-Chair, a Secretary-Treasurer and such additional members to the maximum permitted.
6.2 Term of Office The term of office shall be two (2) years.
BY-LAW 7 DUTIES OF THE GROUP EXECUTIVE
7.1 Chair The Chair shall call and preside at all meetings of the Group and of the Group Executive.
7.2 Vice-Chair The Vice-Chair shall assist the Chair in the performance of his duties. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair.
7.3 Secretary-Treasurer The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for sending notices of all meetings of the Group and of the Group Executive, keeping records of all meetings and correspondence of the Group and of the Group Executive and filing a copy of minutes of meetiings with the Institute., maintaining the financial records of the Group, preparing a financial report for each general meeting of the Group, submitting a detailed financial statement to the Institute as required, and preparing the request for the annual allowance of the Group.
7.4 Committees The Executive shall establish committees as necessary, with terms of reference and membership to be decided by the Executive.
BY-LAW 8 ELECTIONS
8.1 Elections to the Executive shall take place during each calendar year for those positions vacated by the completion of the term of office.
8.2 All members of the Executive shall be elected by secret ballot. Once members of the Executive have been elected, they shall meet and elect from amongst themselves members to the positions of Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary-Treasurer.
8.3 The Executive shall appoint an Elections Committee to receive nominations for positions on the Group Executive and to conduct the elections.
8.4 The Elections Committee shall distribute a request for nominations to all Regular and Retired members of the Group at least four (4) weeks prior to the closing date for nominations.
8.5 Nominations must be supported by at least two (2) members of the Group and the nominee must indicate a willingness to serve if elected.
8.6 Any member of the Elections Committee who becomes a candidate in the election shall resign from the Elections Committee.
8.7 Nomination forms must be received at the National Office of the Institute by the close of business on a date to be determined by the Elections Committee. In the event that insufficient nominations are received to fill the vacancies, the Elections Committee shall attempt to obtain the names of additional persons willing to serve. If none are forthcoming, the Executive may appoint someone to that position.
8.8 The Elections Committee shall scrutinize the nominations for eligibility and, if necessary, arrange for ballots to be distributed to all members eligible to vote in the election.
8.9 Ballots must be distributed at least four (4) weeks prior to the date set as the deadline for the return of ballots.
8.10 Ballots must be received at the National Office of the Institute by the close of business on a date to be determined by the Elections Committee.
8.11 The member receiving the highest number of votes for a position shall be declared elected.
8.12 The Elections Committee shall ensure the membership is informed of the results of the election as soon as possible.
8.13 The newly elected Executive shall take office immediately following the elections.
BY-LAW 9 VACANCIES
9.1 If a position, other than that of the Chair, becomes vacant for any reason, the remaining officers of the Executive may, at their next meeting, act to fill the vacancy until the end of the original term of office.
9.2 If the position of the Chair becomes vacant for any reason, the Vice-Chair shall become Chair until the end of theoriginal term of office. The position of Vice-Chair shall then be filled in accordance with these By-Laws.
9.3 Any officer 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 10 GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE GROUP
10.1 Annual General Meeting
10.1.1 The Executive shall call a General Meeting of the Group at least once each calendar year. The interval between such meetings shall not exceed fifteen (15) months.
10.1.2 The quorum for these meetings shall be fifteen (15) voting members).
10.1.3 If the quorum is not obtained, the meeting shall be rescheduled by the Executive. Notice of the rescheduled meeting shall be sent within two (2) weeks of the original meeting date. Fifty percent (50%) of the Regular and Retired members present when the meeting is called to order shall constitute the quorum.
10.1.4 Regular and Retired members are eligible to vote at the Annual General Meeting. Voting shall normally be by a show of hands and each member shall have one (1) vote. Decisions shall be by a simple majority vote.
10.2 Special General Meetings
10.2.1 A Special General Meeting of the Group shall be called on the decision of the Group Executive or at the written request of at least five (5) voting members of the Group. This meeting shall be held within four (4) weeks of such decision or request. Only the matter(s) for which the Special General Meeting was called shall appear on the agenda.
10.2.2 The same requirements shall apply to the quorum and voting at Special General Meetings as are prescribed for the Annual General Meeting.
10.3 Notice of each Annual and Special General meeting shall be sent to all members at least two (2) weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
BY-LAW 11 RULES OF PROCEDURE
At any meeting of the Group or Group Executive, 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 version of Sturgis' Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure available at the meeting.
BY-LAW 12 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
12.1 All proposals for amendments to these By-Laws shall be submitted, in writing, to the Executive. Proposed amendments may be submitted by any Regular or Retired members of the Group.
12.2 Amendment These By-Laws may be amended at a General Meeting of the Group or by a referendum of the Group. Approval for amendments requires a simple majority of those voting.
12.3 This Constitution and By-Laws, and any amendments thereto, take effect upon approval by the Institute and ratification by the Group.
BY-LAW 13 REGULATIONS
13.1 The Executive may make such Regulations, not inconsistent with these By-Laws, as it deems appropriate for the operation of the Group.
13.2 All proposed Regulations and amendments thereto shall be submitted to the Institute for review.
13.3 Each such Regulation shall be presented to the next General Meeting of the Group, and may be rescinded or amended by such meeting.
BY-LAW 14 CONTEXT AND GENDER
In this Constitution and By-Laws, expressions in the masculine or feminine gender, 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
November 4, 1992
Amendments approved by the Board of Directors
September 20, 1997