GREATER VANCOUVER BANGLADESH CULTURAL ASSOCIATION
203-519, 12th Street New Westminster, BC V3M 6V9 Telephone: 604-524-4642 Email: gvbca2006@hotmail.com(Certificate of Incorporation No. S-44141)
CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS (Effective from April 23, 2008
Article 2 – Purposes
2.01 | To promote the advancement of the social and general welfare of the Bangladesh community in the Greater Vancouver of British Columbia. |
2.02 | To promote friendship and co-operation among Bangladeshi and other ethnic races in Canada. |
2.03 | To develop friendly relationship and goodwill with other communities, societies or associations and to affiliate with other such organizations. |
2.04 | To promote culture, literature, music, arts, and education of Bangladesh in Greater Vancouver as well as to integrate them into the mainstream Canada. |
2.05 | To raise funds necessary for these purposes by donations or otherwise. |
2.06 | To acquire by purchase, lease, license, gift or otherwise to hold as owner, leassee, licensee, or otherwise any properties both real and personal, including monies, as may be considered suitable for general purposes of the Association and the same to administer, develop, operate, apply and expend for the general purposes of the Association. |
Provisions
3.0 | The purposes of the Association shall be carried out without pecuniary gain or profit to its members and any profits or other accretions to the Association shall be used in promoting its objectives. This provision is unalterable. |
4.0 | The Headquarters of the Association shall be in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia. This provision is unalterable. |
BY-LAWS
Article 1 – Interpretation
1.01 | In these by-laws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words shall have the meanings so defined: | |
(a) | the “Association” or the “Society” means the Greater Vancouver Bangladesh Cultural Association; | |
(b) | “Executive Committee” means the governing body of the Association; | |
(c) | “directors” or “officers” means the president, the vice-president, the general secretary, the treasurer, the organizing secretary and the four members-at-large; | |
(d) | “meeting” shall mean any meeting, conference, convention or seminar of the members; | |
(e) | “member” when used without qualification shall mean a person of Bangladesh origin living in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia; | |
(f) | “in the interpretation of this constitution and bylaws, the language is gender neutral and words importing the singular include plural and vice-versa. | |
Article 2 – Membership
Rights and Conditions
2.01 | All persons of Bangladesh origin, eighteen years or older, who live in the province of British Columbia shall be admitted to the general membership of the Association who shall have right to vote at any general meeting of the Association provided that only the paid members shall have the right to run for an office of the Association and to be notified by the Association of its programs and activities through appropriate means of communication. |
2.02 | Spouses of members qualified under Article 2.01 of the By-laws who are not of Bangladesh origin shall also be admitted to the general membership of the Association. |
2.03 | The annual membership dues for the paid membership shall be $10 per person which may be increased or decreased at any time at the sole discretion of the Executive Committee. |
2.04 | Any person seeking a paid membership in the Association shall make a written application in a prescribed form accompanied with dues. |
2.05 | The application for paid membership in the Association shall be subject to approval by the Executive Committee at its sole discretion and in the event of any approval by the Executive Committee at its sole discretion and in the event of any application being rejected, the dues shall be returned to the applicant. |
2.06 | The Executive Committee may create an associate membership from amongst people who are not of Bangladesh origin and establish other criteria for such membership. Associate membership shall have no right to vote. |
2.07 | All classes of membership in the Association shall be subject to the regulation, control and approval of the Executive Committee. |
2.08 | Every member shall abide by and comply with this Constitution, By-laws and other rules and regulations as may be established by the Executive Committee from time to time. |
2.09 | The total number of members of the Association shall not be limited by any number. |
Withdrawal and Suspension
2.10 | Any paid member shall cease to be a member of the Association: | |
(a) | Upon notifying in writing to the General Secretary of the Association; | |
(b) | On death; | |
(c) | On failure to pay the dues; and | |
(d) | On being expelled or suspended. | |
2.11 | Any member may be expelled or suspended: | |
(a) | For a willful violation of the Constitution or the By-laws or the rules or regulations; | |
(b) | Or for any unfair conduct which is detrimental to the Association; | |
(c) | Or for obstructing the orderly process of a meeting of the Association or failing to keep order when directed to do so by the Chairperson of any such meeting; and | |
(d) | Or for any proven activities that bring disrepute to the Association. | |
2.12 | Each expulsion or suspension shall be effected by the Executive Committee with a simple majority. | |
2.13 | A member who is subject to any such proposed expulsion or suspension shall be given the opportunity to be heard in accordance with the rules and regulations as set out by the Executive Committee. | |
2.14 | Any member who withdraws or is expelled or suspended from the Association shall forfeit all rights arising from or associated with the membership of the Association. | |
2.15 | Any paid membership who has voluntarily withdrawn from membership may reapply for such membership at any time. | |
2.16 | Any member whose membership has been expelled or suspended by the Executive Committee may reapply for membership at the end of expulsion or suspension term but such membership shall only be reinstated by the Executive Committee by a two-third majority. | |
2.17 | Any expelled or suspended member shall not be eligible for at least two years from the date of reinstatement to be a member of the Executive Committee. | |
2.18 | In the event of expulsion or suspension of membership there shall be no right to cause of claim. | |
Article 3 – Executive Committee
3.01 | The Association shall have an Executive Committee composed of the nine elected officers as referred to in Article 1.01(c) of the By-laws who shall be elected for a term of two years. |
3.02 | To qualify to run for an elected office of the Association, a person must be of Bangladesh origin who has been a paid member of the Association and residing in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia for a consecutive term of at least two years. |
3.03 | Separate elections must be held for each office to be filled. If a successor is not elected, the person previously elected continues to hold office. |
3.04 | The President of the Association shall not hold office for more than two (2) consecutive terms (four (4) years). He will be eligible for re-election to this office after a lapse of one (1) term (two (2) years). |
3.04 | The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the President. The President may call a meeting of the Executive Committee at any time. The President shall call a meeting of the Committee upon the written request of four (4) of its Members. |
3.05 | The Executive Committee shall meet not less than six (6) times in each year at such time and place as shall be determined by the President. |
3.06 | The notice of such meetings shall be sent at least three (3) days before the date of the meeting. This notice may be waived by written consent of majority of members of the Executive Committee. |
3.07 | The quorum of the Executive Committee shall be five (5) Members. |
3.08 | The members present at the meetings of the Executive Committee shall each have one vote. All questions arising at such meetings shall be decided by a majority of votes. In case of equality of votes the President or a Chairperson shall have a casting vote. |
3.09 | If a member of the Executive Committee shall be absent at three (3) consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee without providing a good reason to the President then such a member shall be deemed to have resigned. |
3.10 | The Executive Committee may, at any time and from time to time, appoint an acting officer to fill a casual vacancy in the Executive Committee. |
3.11 | Any Member of the Executive Committee may be temporarily suspended from the Committee for serious harmful acts by a three-fourth majority but such suspension must be finally approved by a three-fourth majority of the general membership present at the next Annual General Meeting of the Association following the suspension. |
3.12 | The Executive Committee shall be authorized to transact business in writing or by telephone conference, in a manner to be determined by the Committee. |
3.13 | The Executive Committee may constitute committees and/or sub-committees as and when necessary to implement its plan of actions. The composition and duties of such committees shall be determined by the Executive Committee. |
Article 4 – Duties of Officers
4.01 | The duties of the President of the Association shall include: | |
(a) | To preside at all meetings of the Association and its Executive Committee. | |
(b) | To be a signing officer of the Association. | |
(c) | interpret Association activities and policies to other external bodies. | |
(d) | To act as the chief executive officer of the Association and to supervise all the other members of the Executive Committee in the execution of their duties. | |
(e) | To be an ex-officio member of all other committees and/or sub-committees. | |
4.02 | The duties of the Vice-President of the Association shall include: | |
(a) | To assume the duties of the President at the request of the President, or in the case of the President’s absence or inability to act. | |
(b) | To assume the office of the President should that office become vacant between elections. | |
4.03 | The duties of the General Secretary of the Association shall include: | |
(a) | To keep custody of all records and documents and documents of the Association except those which are required to be kept by the Treasurer. | |
(b) | To conduct the correspondence of the Association. | |
(c) | To issue notice of meetings of the Association and the Executive Committee. | |
(d) | To be a signing officer of the Association. | |
(e) | To keep custody of the common seal of the Association. | |
4.04 | The duties of the Treasurer of the Association shall include: | |
(a) | To maintain books of accounts and other financial records supporting all monies received and disbursed. | |
(b) | To report to the Executive Committee on a regular basis the financial state of the Association. | |
(c) | To keep the register of paid membership of the Association. | |
(d) | To be a signing officer of the Association. | |
(e) | To cause to have the books of the Association audited each year by any member of Bangladesh community duly appointed by the Executive Committee. | |
(f) | To make a financial report of the Association at every Annual General Meeting. | |
4.05 | The duties of the Organizing Secretary of the Association shall include: | |
(a) | To supervise all public relation affairs of the Association. | |
(b) | To co-ordinate and arrange for all logistics necessary to present all programs and events of the Association. | |
(c) | To maintain liaison with news and other media for portraying the positive image of the Association. | |
(d) | To maintain liaison with other organizations belonging to the Bangladesh community to avoid possible conflicts. | |
(e) | The Organizing Secretary shall perform all his duties stated in Articles 4.05 (a), (b), (c) and (d) above under the guidance of the Executive Committee. | |
Article 5 – Election of Officers
5.01 | The officers and members of the Executive Committee of the Association shall be elected by its members in each even-numbered year. |
5.02 | There shall be Election Commission appointed by the general membership of the Association at the Annual General Meeting, consisting of a Chairman and two Members of whom two would be from the paid membership and the other from the general membership. |
5.03 | The Election Commission shall hold the election within one month from the date of its formation. |
5.04 | The Election Commission in consultation with the Executive Committee shall set rules for obtaining, filing, scrutinizing and withdrawing nominations for the offices of the Association. |
5.05 | The Election Commission shall sell nominations for offices to intending candidates at a fixed price as determined by the Commission for each office. Such nominations shall be received by the Commission by a determined date prior to Election Day. Election Day shall be determined by the Commission and approvedby the Executive Committee. The Election Commission shall announce a list of nominees for each office through different means of communication for wider circulation. |
5.06 | The Election Commission shall receive all material and logistic support from the Executive Committee to conduct and complete the whole electoral process. |
5.07 | The Election Commission shall oversee the election independently and report the results of the election within two (2) days from the date of election to the Executive Committee and the candidates. |
5.08 | The voting shall be held by secret ballot only and no proxy shall be permitted. The Election Commission shall declare elected to office the candidates who receive the largest number of votes. Whenever there is but one (1) candidate for any of the offices, the votes shall be dispensed with and the Election Commission shall declare that candidate elected. |
5.09 | In the event of a tie vote, a name will be drawn by the Chairman of the Election Commission. |
5.10 | Any candidate who wishes to file a dispute about an election shall do so in writing to the Election Commission within three (3) days from the date of declaration of the election result. The Election Commission shall have the sole authority to make rulings on such issues after conducting a thorough and fair investigation. |
Article 6 – Meeting of Members
6.01 | General meetings of the Association must be held at the time and place, in accordance with the Society Act, that the Executive Committee decides. |
6.02 | Notice of a general meeting must specify the place, day and hour of the meeting and in case of special business, the general nature of that business. |
6.03 | Notice of any general meeting including the annual general meeting shall be given in writing by the General Secretary of the Association to all members not less than fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting. Such notice of meetings shall also be posted on the Association’s website and other places of business and interest frequented by members of Bangladesh community. |
6.04 | The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in the month of May every year. |
6.05 | Every general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, is an extraordinary general meeting. |
6.06 | The Executive Committee may, when it deems advisable, convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Association. |
6.07 | An extraordinary general meeting may, in addition, be convened upon submission to the General Secretary of the Association of a written requisition stating purpose thereof and signed by at least one hundred (100) general members or two-third (2/3rd) of the paid members of the Association. |
6.08 | The Association shall provide a list of paid members to any requisitioner once such a request is made in writing. |
6.09 | A quorum of an extraordinary general meeting shall be two-third (2/3rd) of the Members signing for the requisition. |
6.10 | A resolution shall only be passed at an extraordinary general meeting with a three-fourth (3/4th) majority of the members present. |
Article 7 – Maintenance of Bank Account
7.01 | The Association shall maintain a bank account with a chartered bank or credit union located in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia. |
7.02 | All financial documents of the Association including the cheques shall be signed by any two of the three signing officers indicated in Article 4.01, 4.03 and 4.04 of these by-laws. |
7.03 | All other documents pertaining to the business of the Association shall be signed by at least one signing officer indicated in Article 4.01, 4.02 and 4.03 of these by-laws. |
7.04 | The Executive Committee may, from time to time, temporarily borrow limited amount of funds on behalf of the Association to execute any of its programs or events. Such borrowings must be approved by at least two-third members of the Executive Committee and be paid off from funds raised from the programs or events for which the funds were borrowed. |
Article 8 – Non-Receipt of Notice
8.01 | The accidental omission to give notice of any meeting to or the non-receipt of any notice by any of the members entitled to receive the notice shall not invalidate the proceedings of that meeting. |
Article 9 – Constitution and By-laws
9.01 | The By-laws of the Association shall not be altered or amended except by special resolution at an annual general meeting. |
9.02 | Notice of every resolution proposing such amendment shall be signed by the proposing member and shall be filed with the General Secretary of the Association at least thirty (30) days before the Annual General Meeting. |
9.03 | Any resolution to amend the By-laws shall only be passed two-third (2/3rd) majority of the members present at the Annual General Meeting. |
Article 10 – General
Contingency | |
10.01 | The Constitution and By-laws of the Association are intended as a general guide and cannot specifically cover each situation that may arise. Therefore, the Executive Committee shall have the authority to interpret and decide to the best of its judgment with regard to all circumstances of any specific case, any matters pertaining to and all clauses contained herein. |
Conflict | |
10.02 | In the event of any conflict between the By-laws and the provision of the Society Act the later shall prevail. |
