NAME

1. The name of the association shall be the Ottawa Centre Green Party of Canada Riding Association herein after called “the EDA”.

OBJECT

2. The EDA is bound by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Green Party of Canada (“the Party”) and the Canada Elections Act.

3.  The purpose of the EDA is to:

• Support and promote the principles, objectives and policies of the Party.
• Provide organizational and financial support to the Party’s candidate in the EDA.
• Raise money to support the fundamental purposes of the Party and the purposes and activities of the EDA.

4. The boundaries of the EDA are the boundaries of the Electoral District of Ottawa Centre (“the Electoral District”), as those boundaries are set from time to time by the Government of Canada.

MEMBERS

5. All members in good standing of the Party residing within the boundaries of the Electoral District are members of the EDA.

EXECUTIVE

6.  The Executive shall be the governing body of the EDA between General Meetings. The Executive of the EDA shall be comprised of:

• Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• Financial Agent (FA)

The Executive shall also endeavor to include at least one of the following:

• Secretary
• Membership Chair
• Fundraising Chair
• Organizing Chair
• Communications Chair
• Volunteer Chair

Additionally, the Executive can include up to three (3) Members-At-Large.

7. The CEO or any two other Executive members can call an Executive Meeting. Quorum for Executive Meetings shall be a majority of members of the Executive at the time the meeting is called to order.

8. In the event of a vacancy on the Executive, the Executive may appoint a replacement who shall hold office until the position can be filled by election at the AGM of the EDA.

9. The Executive, on the approval of two-thirds (2/3) of those present and voting, may remove an Executive member who has missed four (4) consecutive regularly scheduled meetings of the Executive without reasonable explanation; or whose conduct is judged detrimental to the objectives of the EDA. The removal may only occur at a meeting called for that purpose with at least 48 hours’ notice.

MEETINGS

10. Participation in any meeting of the EDA is subject to a minimum membership period of thirty (30) days unless specifically otherwise set by the Party.

11. Motions shall be passed with a simple majority of the votes cast by those present at the meeting and the votes cast in a mail-in vote sent to all members in good standing of the EDA, with the exception of constitutional amendments which must be passed with 60% approval. Proxy voting is not permitted.

12. The EDA shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) once per calendar year or no later than fifteen (15) months following the previous AGM. The business of the AGM shall include the election of the Executive of the EDA.

13. In addition to the AGM, the Executive shall call General Meetings as deemed necessary.

14.  The Executive shall provide notice of General Meetings to all members of the EDA by regular mail, postmarked no later than 25 days prior to meeting.  Alternatively, members can choose to be contacted by electronic mail instead of regular mail.

15. Notice of amendments to the constitution shall be included in the notice of a General Meeting at which the amendments shall be considered.

16. Quorum at General Meetings shall be the lesser of five (5) percent of the membership or twenty-five (25) members.

NOMINATIONS

17. The Executive shall appoint a Candidate Nomination Committee for the purpose of recruiting potential nomination contestants. Prior to appointment, committee members must agree to maintain neutrality with respect to the nomination process and all potential nomination contestants and agree not to seek nomination themselves.

18.  Any member of the Executive after filing nomination papers to seek the nomination as a candidate in an upcoming federal election or by-election shall take a leave of absence as an Executive member and may only resume duties when they are no longer a contender for the nomination for the election or by election, as the case may be.

19. All approved nomination contestants shall be invited to attend meetings of the Executive.

20. The EDA shall hold a Nomination Meeting to select a candidate for the Party in the Electoral District in accordance with nomination contest rules provided by the party. A Nomination Meeting is considered to be a General Meeting.

21. In the event the Executive wishes to replace a nominated candidate, a General Meeting may be called in accordance with rules provided by the Party.

AUDITS

22. The Executive will appoint an auditor as per the requirements of Elections Canada.

23. The accounts of the EDA shall be audited as required by the Elections Act.

LEGACY ARTICLE

E-2. The Riding Association will continue as long as the Ottawa Centre Riding exists. The Riding Association may not change its name or merge or join with any other political party. Notwithstanding article E-1, above, this article may not be amended without 90% consent of the membership.