ARTICLE 1 NAME
The group shall be known as “CANADA LIFE CANADIAN PENSION PLAN MEMBERS RIGHTS GROUP”, THE GROUP or CLPENS, for short.
ARTICLE 2 PURPOSE
To promote and to encourage the exercise of and to protect the members’ rights under the Canada Life Canadian Employees Pension Plan. This is to be done first, where possible, by fostering co-operative relations with The Company and The Trustees and second by taking more affirmative action as may be required.
ARTICLE 3 DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
All Directors shall be elected from among the voting members for a term of two years. The number of such Directors shall be not less than six and not more than eleven, or such other number1 as directed by the voting members at an Annual General Meeting from time to time. Should a vacancy occur from among the Directors, the Executive Committee may fill the vacancy for the balance of the term from among the voting members.
The Directors shall elect among themselves four Executive officers; President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer each of whom shall be a Director.
1 Constitutional amendment Oct. 25, 2006 - maximum number of directors set to 13
ARTICLE 4 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee shall consist of the Directors and the immediate Past President.
The Executive Committee shall have the responsibility for conducting the business of The Group and for implementing its policies and projects. If any member of the Executive Committee consistently misses meetings, he or she shall forfeit the office and a vacancy shall be declared.
ARTICLE 5 DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
All members of the Executive Committee shall have a general duty to attend Committee meetings unless excused by the President. In addition, each Director shall have duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Committee and each Executive Officer shall have the duties described in the By Laws.
ARTICLE 6 NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Nominations for Director will be sought and made by mail or e-mail and will be finalized at the Executive Committee meeting in September. Elections shall take place at the General Meeting in October of every year. Votes may be cast in person at the meeting, by proxy at the meeting, by mail prior to the meeting or by e-mail prior to the meeting.
No Director shall be appointed to more than one Executive Office.
ARTICLE 7 MEMBERS
Members shall be of two kinds; members and voting members. Any person who is entitled to current or future benefits payable under the Plan may become a member upon application to the Executive, such application to be accompanied by such evidence of eligibility as may be required.
Any member may become a voting member upon payment of the current annual fee, an initiation fee if applicable and any other fees as may be determined by the Executive Committee and may continue to be a voting member upon payment of any annual fees and assessments as may be designated from time to time.
ARTICLE 8 FEES
Fees shall be of three kinds:
i) an annual fee,
ii) an initiation fee and
iii) special assessments
The amount and timing of any fee shall be set by a majority vote of the members or set by the Executive Committee and ratified by a majority vote of the members at the next general meeting.
A quorum of any General Meeting shall be 20 voting members or two thirds of the total number of voting members, if less. Proxy votes shall count towards the Quorum. The notice calling the Meeting shall be posted on the website at least one month prior to the date of the meeting and by any other means as may be determined by the Executive Committee to ensure the widest possible circulation.
Executive Committee meetings shall be held at the discretion of the President, at a time and place selected by him or her, except that it shall be an obligation to hold one such meeting at least every second month.
ARTICLE 10 CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE
The Constitution Committee shall consist of the Executive Officers of the Group and shall be chaired by the Past President.
Any suggested amendments to the Constitution must be made in writing and have the signatures of at least 12 voting members before submission to the Constitution Committee for consideration. These changes can only be at a General Meeting by a vote duly called by notice to all voting members and carried with a two-thirds majority of all voting members present at the meeting either in person or by proxy.
By Laws shall be enacted or amended by the same procedure, except that the change shall be carried by a simple majority vote.
ARTICLE 11 FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Treasurer shall be the Chairman of the Finance Committee which shall consist of the Treasurer, one or more Executive officers appointed by the Executive Committee and up to 2 Directors.
ARTICLE 12 SPECIAL COMMITTEES
With the exception of the Committees established by this Constitution, other special committees may be established either by a majority vote of the voting members or by the Executive Committee. Any such committee must have a stated specific purpose. The executive Committee shall appoint a chairperson of each such committee from among the voting members. Each such chairperson shall have the right to attend and to speak at Executive Committee meetings dealing with matters within the purview of the special committee but shall not have a vote at such meeting.
ARTICLE 13 TREASURER’S REPORT AUDIT
The Treasurer’s report for the fiscal year shall be audited in the month of September by persons appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting.
ARTICLE 14 PROCEDURES
Parliamentary practice shall be followed at all meetings.
The Executive will maintain a website which shall contain:
i) The purpose and mandate of The Group.
ii) Notice of any General Meeting and any known votes.
iii) Minutes of previous General Meetings (up to three in number).
iv) Notice of any Executive Committee meeting.
v) Any other notices or information.
Any item posted on the website shall be an official communication of The Group.
ARTICLE 15 FISCAL YEAR
Immediately following the Annual General Meeting there shall be held an Executive Committee meeting for the purpose of appointing the Executive Officers from amongst the Directors and for conducting any business decided upon at the General Meeting.
a) PRESIDENT: He or she shall be responsible for the overall operation of the Group, chair all general meetings of The Group as well as Executive Committee meetings. In the event of a tie vote on any matter not provided for in the Constitution, the President shall have a second vote.
b) VICE-PRESIDENT: It shall be the duty of the Vice-President to take charge of all meetings in the absence of the President and to perform any other duties as assigned by the President.
c) SECRETARY: The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping a record of all Executive Committee actions and for keeping a record of all Executive, Special and Annual General Meetings and shall be responsible for the proper handling of notices calling any such Meeting. The Secretary shall be responsible for the correspondence of The Group and for keeping records of such correspondence. The Secretary shall also be responsible for keeping an up to date roll of all members and their status.
d) TREASURER: It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to maintain the monetary assets of The Group, and in particular to deposit all money received in the bank, issue a separate receipt for all funds turned over to him or her and to make a report at each Executive Committee, Special or General meeting. All cheques shall be signed by any two of the President, Treasurer and Secretary. The Treasurer shall keep a petty cash fund not to exceed $25.00 or such greater amount as may be agreed from time to time by the Executive Committee.
e) PAST PRESIDENT: He or she shall be responsible for managing the nomination
process.
BY LAW 3 SPECIAL COMMITTEES
As soon as practical after the formation of a special committee, the Executive Committee shall appoint a chairperson (if not already appointed by the majority vote of the voting members) and shall issue a mandate in writing which clearly sets out:-
The scope of the committee’s purpose and authority and any limitations thereto,
The minimum and maximum size of the committee,
The names of any persons the Executive Committee require to have included,
The nature and timing of any written reports required.
The executive officer to whom the committee will directly report, and
Any other specific requirements or instructions.
As soon as practical after the first meeting of the committee, the chairperson shall submit to the Treasurer a budget for Executive Committee approval. The Chairperson shall also submit a list of those serving on the committee. The Chairperson may request assistance from and/or appoint to the committee any member.
Minutes shall be kept of all meetings and such minutes are to be available to any member of the Executive Committee
BY LAW 4 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
For all Executive Committee Meetings, presence of 5 Executive Committee members including at least two Executive Officers shall constitute a quorum. Any Director who misses three consecutive meetings without having been excused in advance by the Secretary shall forfeit the office.
By a notice to the Secretary at least two weeks in advance, any voting member may request to make a presentation to the Executive Committee at its next meeting or to attend the meeting as an observer. Upon approval of the request, the Secretary will send to the member an official notice of the next meeting as soon as it is fixed.
The minutes of meetings will not be published but shall be available for inspection by any voting member. If so requested and if the request is approved, extracts of the minutes may be available for publication
BY. LAW 5 SIGNING OFFICERS
Each Executive Officer shall be a signing officer. At least two signatures shall be required on any instrument unless otherwise authorized by the Executive Committee.
For cheques and any other instrument transferring money, one of the signatures must be that of the Treasurer.
For a contract, one of the signatures must be that of the President.
BY LAW 6 FEES
The annual membership fee and the initiation fee shall be established or changed by a majority of voting members at an Annual General Meeting present either in person or by proxy.
A special assessment shall be established by the Executive Committee, shall be payable immediately and shall be ratified or rejected by a majority of members present at the next General Meeting either in person or by proxy.
The Executive Committee shall decide any matters in dispute as to the collection, timing and interpretation of the fee schedule. The Executive Committee shall also make any rules or procedures to ensure the orderly collection and/or refund of fees.
BY LAW 7 MEMBERS
Once a person has applied for membership and satisfied the Secretary that the eligibility conditions are met, the person will be a member. Upon payment of an annual fee and an initiation fee together with any special assessments the Executive Committee has determined must be paid, the member will become a voting member.
A voting member will remain a voting member as long as the member remains eligible and pays all annual fees and special assessments which fall due.
A member (voting or otherwise) will cease to be a member if all benefits payable under the Plan to that member have been discharged.
BY LAW 8 FINANCE COMMITTEE
It shall be the duty of the Finance Committee to:-
a) establish a budget to be approved by the Executive Committee and to be ratified at the next General Meeting
b) establish a fundraising plan,
c) develop and review fiscal procedures, and
d) monitor spending and budget compliance.
BY LAW 9 EXPENSES AND REMUNERATION
Any person who renders service to the Group shall have any expenses so incurred refunded provided that:-
a) the establishment of an expense account shall have been authorised by the Executive Committee in advance of the expense being incurred, except that this shall not apply in the case of a member of the Executive Committee in the performance of duties of the office,
b) the Treasurer shall have received receipts or similar evidence that the expense has been incurred and paid, and
c) the total of the amounts refunded shall not exceed the maximum approved by the Executive Committee.
No person who is eligible to be a member of the Group shall receive remuneration from the Group either directly or indirectly in any form whatsoever unless the payment of such remuneration has been approved by a majority of the voting members present at a general meeting in advance of the services being rendered. Without restricting the generality of the foregoing, remuneration shall include fees, salary, wages and honoraria. Further, no person who is eligible to be a member of the Group shall receive such remuneration in respect of services performed while that person was a member of the Executive Committee or within two years after ceasing to be such a member.