By-Laws

Adopted: June 14, 1994

WHEREAS the Vancouver Regional Group of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada is an established regional group of the National body; and

WHEREAS the Bylaws of the institute of Public Administration of Canada permits a Regional Group to prescribe such rules or regulations as are necessary for the conduct of its affairs; and

WHEREAS The Vancouver Regional Group has deemed it advisable to have Bylaws to govern the procedures of the Regional Group;

NOW THEREFORE be it enacted by the members of the Vancouver Regional Group of the Institution of Public Administration of Canada:

BYLAWS - VANCOUVER REGIONAL GROUP

Name and Purpose:

The name is "Vancouver Regional Group of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada", hereafter called "the Group".

These rules and regulations shall be consistent with the Bylaws of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, hereafter called the "Institute". In case of conflict, the Bylaws of the Institute take precedence.

The purposes of the Group are consistent with purposes outlined in the Bylaws of the Institute. The goals of the Group are:

(a) To provide a Forum for Public Administrators to meet and discuss issues;

(b) To provide an opportunity for members to meet and listen to experts;

(c) To enhance the professional practice and image of public administration in Vancouver;

(d) To support education in the teaching of public administration.

Membership and Fees:

Any person who is a member in good standing of the Institute is a member of the Group.

Membership in the Institute is set out in Part I and II of the National Bylaws and is attached as Schedule A to these rules. Members of the Institute may invite non-members as guests to meetings of the Regional Group. The Executive Committee of the Group may establish differential rates for members and non-members attending Regional Group meetings.

Meetings:

Meetings of the Group shall be held at such time and place as the Executive Committee decides.

An Annual General Meeting shall be held at least once in every calendar year and not more than 15 months after the holding of the last preceding annual general meeting.

A general meeting may be called at any time by the Executive Committee, and shall be called on receipt of a request, in writing, specifying the nature of business and submitted by a minimum of one quarter or 20 of the Group members whichever is the lesser.

Regular meetings of the Group shall be held with a minimum of four program/activity meetings per year, including an annual general meeting.

The agenda for the Annual General Meeting is as follows:

• Minutes of the preceding Annual Meeting

• Chairperson's Report

• Committee Reports

• Financial Report

• Nomination Committee Report

• Election of Officers

• Such other business as deemed necessary

Written notice of an annual general meeting shall be sent to all bona fide members specifying the location, the day, and the hour of the meeting, a minimum of fourteen days in advance of the meeting.

The Executive Committee will, within three months of an Annual General Meeting, have prepared an audited financial statement available to any member of the Group who wishes to view it.

A quorum at an annual general meeting or a general meeting shall consist of 10 members or 10 percent of the Group membership whichever is the greater.

If, within one-half hour from the time appointed for an annual general meeting, or general meeting, a quorum is not present, then the meeting shall stand adjourned to such time and place as a majority of the members present shall direct.

Every member present at any meeting, shall have one vote, including the Chairman. There shall be no proxy vote. In the case of a tie, the motion falls.

Organization and Officers

The affairs of the Group shall be governed by an Executive Committee elected from the membership of the Group at the annual general meeting.

The Executive Committee shall consist of a Past Chairman, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Regional Group Representative on National Board and any member of the Vancouver Regional group who may sit on the National Board can serve with ex officio status, and five members at large or more as the general meeting may determine.

The positions of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined.

Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held as often as the business of the Group may require and shall be called by the Chairman.

The Executive Committee shall have power to:

a) establish committees and sub-committees,

b) assign such duties and delegate such power to the officers and members of such committees as it may deem appropriate,

c) prepare and approve an annual budget, and

d) make expenditures which it deems necessary to carry out the objectives of the Institute,

e) prepare amendments to relevant bylaws and rules for adoption by the Group,

f) establish policies and procedures for administering the Group,

g) fill vacancies that occur on the Executive Committee due to any reason between annual general meetings.

Fifty percent members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum, including at least one named officer.

The Executive Committee may at any time and for any reason consider a motion to remove a member from the Executive Committee.

Where possible, the Nominating Committee shall try to include representatives from the following groups on the Executive:

1. The Public Service of Canada

2. The Public Service of British Columbia

3. Municipal Corporations including School Districts

4. Regional Corporations

5. The Faculties, Students and Administrative Services of Universities, Colleges or other post-secondary institutions.

The officers on the Executive Committee shall have the following duties:

1. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Group and chair the Annual General Meeting. The Chairman is the chief executive of the Group and shall assign and supervise the other officials in the execution of their duties.

2. The Vice-Chair shall:

a) carry out the duties of the Chairman in his absence.

b) facilitate and cause the implementation of the long range plan of the Group.

3. The Secretary shall:

a) conduct the correspondence of the Group

b) issue notices of meetings of the Group and the Executive Committee

c) keep minutes of all meetings of the Group and the Executive Committee

d) have custody of all records and documents of the Group as directed by the Executive Committee except those required to be kept by the treasurer, and

e) maintain a register of members.

4. The Treasurer shall:

a) keep such financial records, including the books of account, as are necessary

b) render financial statements to the Executive Committee and others when required and the National Executive Committee to be sent annual reports of activities and financial statements

c) receive and account for all funds paid to the Group. All such funds which are not required for immediate expenditure shall be deposited or invested in an account or investments in the name of the Group in a chartered bank, trust company or credit union approved by the Executive Committee

d) the signing officers shall be the President, Treasurer, Vice-President and Secretary; cheques shall be signed by two of the signing officers.

5. The Past-Chair shall:

a) chair the Nominating Committee which will be composed of three Past-Chairs, which is to be ratified by the Executive Committee

b) prepare and present the Nominating Committee reports to the Annual General Meeting.

c) advise the Chair in the performance of his duties.

d) represent the Group on the committee charged with selecting candidates for the British Columbia Lieutenant Governor's Award. In doing so, he will discuss the candidate with the Executive Committee of the other Regional groups within British Columbia, receiving their approval prior to final selection.

Executive Committee members shall only serve three consecutive terms in one position. Following a one-year absence from that position, and the individual may be re-appointed.

Any expenditure greater than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) shall be approved by an approved motion of an Executive Committee meeting other than for prepayment for any service for which a revenue is to be received.

Amendments

The By-laws may be repealed or amended by a two-thirds majority of members present at an Annual General Meeting.

Notice of proposed amendment shall be made in writing to the Secretary at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Notice of proposed amendment shall be circulated to the membership at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the Annual general Meeting.

SCHEDULE A

IPAC NATIONAL BYLAWS

Available at:
http://www.ipac.ca/about/about_bylaws.html