OUR CONSTITUTION
Hay River and Area Métis Local #51
Part 1 - Constitution
Article 1
Article 2
The objects of the Society are;
a) to unite the Métis people of the Hay River area;
b) To promote a pride and heritage among the Métis people of Hay River and area;
c) to promote the participation of Métis people in local and territorial organizations;
d) to ensure that all Métis are aware of and assured of access to their legal social, constitutional, and political rights as members of the Hay River and Area Métis community and the greater Métis Nation;
e) To promote the culture of the Métis people to emphasize their role in the history and development of the Northwest Territories before and after 1870;
f) To promote unity among all aboriginal peoples;
g) To promote the participation of the Métis and aboriginal people in all spheres of economic activity in the Northwest Territories.
Article 3
The operations of Local #51 are to be primarily carried in the Hay River area with the Local #51 office to be located in the town of Hay River in the Northwest Territories.
SCHEDULE A
Part 2 - Constitution
BY – LAWS
ARTICLE 1. MEMBERSHIP
a. ACTIVE MEMBERS – Voting Rights
Mètis who;
Such persons who self-identify as Métis distinct from other Aboriginal peoples who, being of historic Métis ancestry connected with the Hay River and other communities in the North-Western Territory and Rupert’s Land, the traditional territory of the Métis as verified by the Board:
(i) are residents in the Hay River area and have resided in the community a minimum of 3 (three) months.
(ii) are not registered with any other Métis Local or organization.
(iii) are not registered “Indians” under the Indian Act, (R.S.C.,1985, c.1-5)
b. HONOURARY MEMBERS – Non Voting
Such persons as Local 51 wishes to honour who are accepted as Honourary Members by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Board of Directors
c. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS – Non Voting
Such persons who meet the requirements of paragraph (a)(i) and (ii) who are non-registered “Indians”, or registered “Indians” under amendments pursuant to the Indian Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. 1-5) proclaimed since 1984, and Inuit, who are living off reserve or settlement lands in Canada and whose ancestry, through an application process, is verified by the Board of Directors.
- With the exception of Honourary Members eligibility for Membership will be determined by the Board of Directors upon receipt of an application for Membership in the prescribed form.
- Once an applicant has been accepted for membership the Board of Directors shall provide that person with a membership card specifying the class of membership.
- There shall be no membership fees for the members of Local 51
- No Member of Local 51 shall, in his/her individual capacity be liable for any debts or liabilities of Local 51
- All Members of Local 51 shall have the right to take part in all Local 51 activities and to use all the facilities established by Local 51 for the promotion of its objects, subject to such fees as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe for specific activities
- Any Member wishing to withdraw his/her membership may do so upon giving notice in writing to the Local 51.
- Any Member may be expelled by the Board of Directors for proven dishonesty or gross misconduct or failure to comply with the Constitution and By-Laws of Local 51.
- Any person eligible for membership can become a Member of Local 51 providing that he/she does not belong to another Local or Métis organization.
ARTICLE 2. ASSEMBLIES
a) Elect the following officers to serve until the next assembly;
(i) President
(ii) Vice – President
(iii) Secretary – Treasurer
(iv) Seven (7) Board Members, which include one Elder & one Youth
b) Review the Constitution and By-Laws;
c) Review the audited Financial Statement
d) Set General Policy and Direction
- Notice by way of Public Poster and/or Social Media of the Annual General Assembly shall be given to all Members at least thirty (30) days in advance of the proposed date of the date of the meeting and the purpose for holding such a meeting shall be stated in the notice.
- A Special General Assembly and/or Special Meeting may be called from time to time by the Board of Directors for the purpose of transacting special business of Local 51.
- Notice by way of Public Poster and/or Social Media of a Special General Assembly and/or Special Meeting shall be given to all members at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the proposed date of the meeting, and the purpose for holding such a meeting shall be stated in the notice.
- Notice by way of Public Poster and/or Social Media of a Special General Assembly and/or Special Meeting shall be given to all members at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the proposed date of the meeting, and the purpose for holding such a meeting shall be stated in the notice.
- Only Active Members sixteen (16) years of age or older may stand for election to the positions of; President, Vice-President, Secretary – Treasurer and Board Member.
- Only Active Members sixteen (16) years of age or older may vote at Local 51 meetings and on issues relating to Métis rights and interests.
- Quorum at Annual General Meetings and any Special Meetings will consist of ten (10) voting Active members, plus one of either the President, Vice Present or Secretary Treasurer of the current Executive as outline in Article 4.
ARTICLE 3. VOTING
- At all meetings of Local 51 a motion shall be passed if it is supported by the majority of votes cast, except for those motions which must be approved by an extraordinary resolution pursuant to these By-Laws or to the Societies Act. An Extraordinary resolution must be supported by three quarters (3/4) of those present and voting.
ARTICLE 4. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
- PRESIDENT
a) Shall preside as chairman at Board and Executive Committee meetings; but, as chair, shall not vote at Board meetings except as provided for in Article five section 7.
b) Shall be an ex-officio member of all committees of Local 51
c) Shall serve at the Local 51 representatives on the Board of Directors of the Métis Association of the Northwest Territories;
d) Shall be responsible for overseeing the operation and administration of Local 51, subject to the authority of the Board of Directors;
e) May with the consent of the Board of Directors, delegate such responsibilities as are deemed necessary to facilitate the effective conduct of the business of Local 51.
- VICE – PRESIDENT
a) Shall preside as chairman at the Board and Executive Committee meetings in the absence of the President, but as chair, shall not vote at Board meetings except as provided for in Article 5, Section 7.
b) Shall perform such other duties to assist the President as may be required from time to time;
c) Shall, in the event of the death of the President perform all duties of the President until such time as a new President has been duly elected in accordance with these By-Laws.
- SECRETARY TREASURER
a) Shall attend all meetings of the Local 51 and keep or cause to be kept an accurate record of all such meetings;
b) Shall receive or cause to be received all monies of Local 51 and shall also be responsible for the accounting for such funds, including the keeping of books and records with audit copies of all receipts and disbursements;
c) Shall prepare or cause to be prepared an audited financial statement at the end of the fiscal year and such other interim statements as may be required by Local 51 from time to time.
d) Shall make the books and records of Local 51 available for inspection at the Local 51 office to any member who has given twenty-four (24)hours written notice of an intention to inspect
- The Executive Committee shall have responsibility for conducting the business of Local 51 on a day to day basis. Decisions taken by the Executive Committee shall be ratified by the Board of Directors at its next meeting..
ARTICLE 5. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- The Board of Directors of Local 51 shall consist of the officers elected under Article 2, Section 1 and the seven (7) Board Members of Local 51.
- The Board of Directors shall meet at least four times annually and at other such time as is deemed necessary by the Executive to facilitate the effective conduct of the business of Local 51.
- A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum at a duly called Board Meeting, or a meeting conducted by telephone conference or virtual or video conference pursuant to paragraph (11) of the Article.
- Notice of each meeting shall be given to each member of the Board of Directors at least four (4) days in advance of the proposed date of the meeting unless time and place have previously been agreed upon at a Board Meeting.
- The Board shall interpret and implement all objectives of Local 51 contained in the Constitution and in these By-Laws through its administrative and political structures.
- The Board of Directors shall ratify all arrangements for the holding of Annual and Special General Assemblies of Local 51.
- Decisions of the Board of Directors require the support of a majority of members of the Board present and voting. The member of the Board chairing the meeting does not have a vote except, in the event of a tie vote, the chair shall have the deciding vote.
- Any Director may be expelled by the Board of Directors for failure to attend three (3) Board Meetings in the course of a year, or proven dishonesty, gross misconduct or failure to comply with the By-Laws of Local 51.
- A majority of Directors shall have the power to appoint any Active Member of Local 51 to fill a vacancy on the Board of Local 51. Any member so appointed shall retire from office on completion of the unexpired portion of the term of the Director he/she has replaced.
- At any meeting of the Board of Directors, votes may be cast either personally or by proxy. Any instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing and signed by the appointer, and the person so named in the proxy shall be a voting member for that meeting and he/she will be entitled to vote and take part in the said meeting and shall have the same rights and duties as his/her appointer would have been entitled to.
- In the event that the Board of Directors must take action in circumstances where a formal Board meeting is not possible. The Board of Directors may convene in telephone conference or a virtual conference, provided that attempts are made to poll all members of the Board of Directors, and further provided that any action so taken by the Board shall be confirmed at the next formal meeting of the Board of Directors.
- The Board of Directors may authorize a per diem payment to remunerate Directors who attend meetings of Local 51. Directors shall not receive any further remuneration without the express authorization of an extraordinary resolution of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE 6. FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS
- Accounts and books of Local 51 shall be examined at the completion of each fiscal year and their accuracy shall be ascertained by an auditor to be appointed by the Board of Directors. This audited statement shall be presented to the Annual General Assembly of Local 51.
- Each fiscal year of Local 51 shall end at March 31st.
- All monies received by or on behalf of Local 51 shall be deposited in chartered bank accounts in trust for Local 51.
- All disbursements from the trust bank accounts shall be made by cheques signed by two of the three members of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE 7. BORROWING POWER
ARTICLE 8. SEAL AND SIGNING AUTHORITY
- The seal of Local 51 shall consist of the word “seal” in a circle formed by the words ‘Hay River & Area Métis Local 51’.
- The seal shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary – Treasurer of Local 51 and shall not be affixed to any instrument or document except on the authority of a resolution of the board of directors and in the presence of the Secretary – Treasurer and at least on other Member of the Board of Directors.
- Any two of the three members of the Executive Committee shall have authority to sign instruments or documents on behalf of Local 51.
ARTICLE 9. AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
- The Constitution of Local 51 may be amended by the extraordinary resolution of an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.
- The By-Laws of Local 51 may be amended by the majority vote of an annual General Assembly or by the extraordinary resolution of a Special General Assembly.
- No amendment shall have any effect until it has been registered by the Registrar of Societies.
- Notice of an intention to propose an amendment to the Constitution and/or By-Laws shall be given at least fourteen(14) days prior to the Annual General Assembly and fourteen (14)days prior to a Special General Assembly.
