Thornhill Young Liberals (provincial) Constitution

THORNHILL YOUNG LIBERALS (PROVINCIAL) CONSTITUTION As of July 2009 ARTICLE 1 – OBJECTIVES 1.1

As required by s. 17.5.1 of the OYL Constitution, the objectives of the Thornhill Provincial Young Liberal Club shall be: a)

To promote and make widely known and understood, Liberal principles and policies;

b)

To promote the election of Liberal members to the Provincial Legislature;

c)

To develop and determine policy that reflects the concerns and ideas of the members.

ARTICLE 2 – CONSTITUTION 2.1

As outlined in s. 17.5 of the OYL Constitution, where this constitution is silent, the Ontario Young Liberals Constitution shall have authority. Where this constitution is in conflict with the Ontario Young Liberals Constitution, the Ontario Young Liberals Constitution shall have authority.

2.2

This constitution may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting.

ARTICLE 3 – JURISDICTION 3.1

As outlined in s. 5.1.2 and s. 4.1 of the OYL Constitution, the Club shall operate within the provincial constituency of Thornhill and shall be affiliated with the Ontario Young Liberals, the Ontario Liberal Party, and the Thornhill provincial Constituency Association.

ARTICLE 4 – MEMBERSHIP 4.1

As outlined in s. 6.1.2 and s. 6.2 and s. 17.5.11 of the OYL Constitution, the members of the Club shall be all members of the Thornhill provincial Constituency Association, and who are not younger than fourteen (14) years of age and not older than twenty-five (25) years of age, and whose names appear on the official Ontario Liberal Party list.

4.2

As required by s. 17.5.9 of the OYL Constitution, members of the Club must meet the requirements of the constitutions of the Ontario Liberal Party.

4.3

As outlined in s. 17.5.13 of the OYL Constitution, members may belong to any number of provincial Constituency Associations, yet a person may only vote in one Ontario Young Liberal Provincial Riding Club in any given year. A person shall be deemed to have voted in which Provincial Riding Club by virtue of the first vote cast by that person in such a year.

4.4

As required in s. 17.5.10 of the OYL Constitution, the official membership list for the Club is the list that is maintained by the Thornhill provincial Constituency Association.

ARTICLE 5 – EXECUTIVE 5.1

5.2

The members of the Executive shall be: a)

President

b)

Vice President

c)

External Affairs Director

d)

Internal Affairs Director

e)

Special Events Director

f)

Financial Director

All members of the Executive must be members of the Club.

ARTICLE 6 – EXECUTIVE MEETINGS 6.1

Quorum for meetings of the Executive shall be three-quarters (3/4).

6.2

The Executive shall meet at least four (4) times per year.

6.3

The Executive shall meet at a time and place determined by the President, or by written notice of three-quarters (3/4) of the Executive members.

6.4

Notice of Executive meetings shall be given to each member a minimum of seven (7) days in advance of the meeting unless such a notice is waived in writing by three-quarters (3/4) of the Executive.

ARTICLE 7 – EXECUTIVE RESPONSILBITIES 7.1

The Executive shall have charge of the general administration of the Club, and shall be responsible for the general affairs of the Club.

7.2

The Executive shall approve budgets and expenditures.

7.3

The Executive shall have the power to delegate any authority they see fit to committees which they may establish.

7.4

The President shall be responsible for coordinating the general management of the Club. The President shall chair all meetings and ensure that the Executive members fulfill their responsibilities. The President shall represent the Club at all meetings of the Thornhill provincial Constituency Association.

7.5

The Vice President shall act in the absence of the President and shall assume any responsibilities assigned by the Executive. In the event that the position of President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall assume the office until the next Annual General Meeting of the Club.

7.6

The External Affairs Director shall be responsible for recruiting new members, publicizing events, and any communication with organizations outside of the Ontario Young Liberals, the Ontario Liberal Party, and the Liberal Party of Canada.

7.7

The Internal Affairs Director shall be responsible for all Club correspondence, the taking of minutes of all Club meetings, maintaining a record of attendance at meetings, recording of votes at meetings, maintaining a record of memberships, and communication within the Thornhill Young Liberals provincial and federal, the federal and provincial senior associations, as well as OYL. The Internal Affairs Director is also responsible for circulating notice of meetings to the membership.

7.6

The Special Events Director shall be responsible for planning local events such as fundraisers, riding association parties, dinners, get-togethers, etc; working with both the federal and provincial senior riding associations to help organize their own events, fundraisers, etc; and working with the Ontario Young Liberals to help with province-wide events.

7.9

The External Affairs Director shall be responsible for keeping of a bank account and shall present a financial report at the Annual General Meeting of the Club.

ARTICLE 8 – ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

8.1

As required by s. 17.5.2 of the OYL Constitution, the Club must hold an Annual General Meeting. If no such meeting is held within one (1) year of the previous Annual General Meeting, the Executive Board of the Ontario Young Liberals shall have the authority to call such a meeting at a time and place in the riding as it sees fit. If no such meeting is held within fifteen (15) months of the previous Annual General Meeting, the Executive Board of the of the Ontario Young Liberals shall have the authority to deratify the Club.

8.2

As required by s. 17.5.3 and 17.3.1 of the OYL Constitution, written notice must be given a minimum of fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting, to all members of the Club, to the Ontario Young Liberals President, to the Ontario Young Liberals Riding Director, to the corresponding Ontario Young Liberals Regional Coordinator, and to the Thornhill provincial Constituency Association President.

8.3

As required by s. 17.3.1.1 of the OYL Constitution, notice of the Annual General Meeting must include the following: the date, time, and location of the meeting; the date, time, and location of the cut-off meeting that shall be held seventy-two (72) hours before the meeting; contact information for the Club President; and the recommend Chair of the meeting.

8.4

As required by s. 17.5.4 of the OYL Constitution, to be eligible to vote at the Annual General Meeting, members must be in good standing seventy-two (72) hours prior to the time of the Meeting, at which time a membership cut-off meeting must be held, provided that an immediate past member of the Constituency Association may still renew at the Annual General Meeting.

8.5

As required by s. 17.5.5 and 17.3.2.1 of the OYL Constitution, quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be ten (10) members, or ten percent (10%) of members eligible to vote, whichever is greater.

8.6

As required by s. 17.5.14 of the OYL Constitution, voting in absentia and voting by proxy are expressly forbidden at the Annual General Meeting.

8.7

The Executive shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

8.8

Candidates for the Executive shall be nominated and seconded from the floor by members of the Club.

8.9

Candidates shall be allowed to address the Meeting. The speaking time shall be determined by the Chair, and Candidates shall speak in reverse order of nomination.

8.10

The Chair shall determine the means of balloting, and may appoint a Returning Officer to conduct voting procedures. A secret ballot shall be taken for those positions for which more than one candidate is nominated.

8.11

The candidate receiving the most votes shall be declared elected. In the case of a tie, a coin toss shall determine the winner.

8.12

As required by s. 17.5.7 and 17.3.2 of the OYL Constitution, within fourteen (14) days of the Annual General Meeting, the Club must submit to the OYL office the following: the constitution of the Club; the list of Executive members; the membership list of the Club; and the minutes of the meeting, including a list of those in attendance.

ARTICLE 9 – DELEGATE SELECTION MEETINGS 9.1

As required by s. 17.4 of the OYL Constitution, Delegate Selection Meetings for Ontario Liberal Party events shall be governed by the rules set out by that organization, including such things as membership cut-off, notice, chair, and number of delegates.

9.2

As required by s. 17.5.3 and 17.3.1 of the OYL Constitution, written notice must be given a minimum of fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the Delegate Selection Meeting for the OYL AGM, to all members of the Club, to the Ontario Young Liberals President, to the Ontario Young Liberals Riding Director, to the corresponding Ontario Young Liberals Regional Coordinator, and to the Thornhill provincial Constituency Association President.

9.3

As required by s. 17.3.1.1 of the OYL Constitution, notice of the Delegate Selection Meeting for the OYL AGM must include the following: the date, time, and location of the meeting; the date, time, and location of the cut-off meeting that shall be held seventy-two (72) hours before the meeting; contact information for the Club President; and the recommend Chair of the meeting.

9.4

As required by s. 17.5.4 of the OYL Constitution, to be eligible to vote at the Delegate Selection Meeting for the OYL AGM, members must be in good standing seventy-two (72) hours prior to the time of the Meeting, at which time a membership cut-off meeting must be held, provided that an immediate past member of the Constituency Association may still renew at the Delegate Selection Meeting.

9.5

As required by s. 17.5.6 of the OYL Constitution, quorum for the Delegate Selection Meeting for the OYL AGM shall be five (5) members, or ten percent (10%) of members eligible to vote, whichever is greater.