Constitution & Bylaws

1. Name of the Association: The Canadian National Australian Shepherd Association Inc. hereinafter referred to as the Association.

2. Affiliation: The Association shall work in  co-operation with the Canadian Kennel Club and may further affiliate  itself with organizations devoted to the aims and objectives of the  Association. (For example: The Australian Shepherd Club of America and  The United States Australian Shepherd Association).

3. Objectives:

A. The Objectives of the Association shall be:

1. To encourage and promote the quality in the breeding, exhibiting  and education of purebred Australian Shepherds in Canada and to do all  possible to bring their natural qualities to perfection.

2. To urge members and breeders to accept the standard of the breed  as originated by the Australian Shepherd Club of America and as approved  by the Canadian Kennel Club as the premier standard of excellence for  the Australian Shepherd.

3. To do all in its power to protect and advance the interest of the  breed through rescue and education. To encourage and demonstrate  sportsmanlike conduct in all venues of competition.

4. To conduct sanctioned and approved events under the rules of the  Canadian Kennel Club. For example, Conformation Shows, Obedience Trials,  Agility Trials, Tracking Tests and Herding Trials.

5. To abide by the principles of the Canadian Kennel Club Code of Ethics, By-laws and Constitution.

6. The Association shall be operated on a non-profit basis. Any  resulting surplus shall not be used to the benefit of any member of the  Association.

7. The members of the Association shall adopt and may from time to  time revise such By-laws, Constitution and Breed Standard as may be  required to carry out these objects.

8. The Head Office by which Legalities will lay is the home Province of the President.

B. Specialty Shows:

The Association will hold a “Specialty Show” at the Board of  Directors/Executive discretion and in accordance with the CKC rules:  Policy and Procedures Manual (Conformation, Obedience, Agility, Tracking  and Herding Show Rules and Regulations books). All members of the  Association, Executive, Board of Directors and public are eligible to  participate in the Association’s Specialty Show. Those persons having  hired the Specialty Judge may not exhibit to or have dogs owned or  co-owned shown to that Judge at that years Specialty Show. A Specialty  Show must be held every 2 years at the Board of Directors/Executive  discretion in accordance with the Canadian Kennel Club Rules.

C. Area of Operation:

All Provinces and Territories consistent with the Geography of the  Dominion of Canada. Nothing herein written shall be deemed to delimit  the area in which the members may seek to achieve their purposes.

D. Revision of Constitution:

Changes in this Constitution may be made only after proposed  alterations have been published for comment in a monthly publication  immediately followed with an email notification to all members and a  post to the Facebook members group advising they have 30 days to comment  on the changes. Upon conclusion of the 30-day comment period, an online  vote or mail in ballot will be undertaken with the requirement that 2/3  of the eligible votes must be in favor of the changes. The only  exception is the CKC deeming changes to said Constitution, changes will  be made automatically, and the membership will be notified.

1. The membership year will run from January 1 up to December 31 of  the same year. Membership in the Association shall be based on the  calendar year.

2. Eligibility: Membership shall be open to all persons who are in  good standing with the Canadian Kennel Club and who subscribe to the  purposes of this Association.

1. Conditions of Membership:

1. In order to acquire and sustain membership in CNASA, all persons must agree and adhere to the following conditions:

(a) That they shall abide by the Code of Ethics and By-laws of CNASA;

(b) That they shall not engage in the breeding, buying or selling of  dogs that are not purebred (i.e. miniature Australian Shepherd). A  purebred dog means a dog registered, or eligible for registration with  the Canadian Kennel Club;

(c) That they shall never have been convicted on a charge of cruelty to animals;

(d) That they shall not be under suspension or expulsion by any other  CKC recognized national kennel club or registry body or any other  association incorporated under the Animal Pedigree Act;

(e) That they will not remain indebted to CNASA for a period greater than two (2) months after the due date for payment of fees;

(g) That the annual membership fee has been paid;

(h) That they shall never act or perform in a manner which may be  deemed as contrary to the basic principles and objects of CNASA and/or  contrary to the best interests of CNASA and its members.

2. Types of Membership:

a. Individual (paid membership). Individual membership is for one person and allows for one vote and CNASA Newsletter.

b. Associate (paid membership). Associate membership is a non-voting  member and would be applicable to members not residing in Canada. The  Associate member is entitled to the CNASA Newsletter.

c. Family (paid membership). Family membership is for two life  partners and all children under the age of 18. The membership allows for  two votes and the CNASA Newsletter.

d. Lifetime (fee waived). Lifetime membership shall be awarded to a  member who is or has been an ordinary member and who has made an  outstanding contribution to the Association. Name of the Lifetime member  will be presented to the members by the Board of Directors for a  majority vote. All Lifetime members shall be free from all payment of  membership fees, may vote, hold any position, serve on any committee and  have all rights and responsibilities of full membership in the  Association

e. Junior membership (paid membership). Junior membership shall be  any person under the age of 18 at the time they apply to be a member of  this Association. They shall not have voting privileges or hold any  official position.

f. Breeder Associate (fee waived). Breeder Associate membership is  open to anyone who has acquired a dog from a current CNASA member in the  current calendar year. This is a non-voting membership. The membership  includes the CNASA Newsletter. Breeders may offer a one-time Breeder  Associate membership to the purchasers of their dogs. Upon acceptance,  the breeder shall supply the Secretary with the name, address, phone  number, and email address of the recipient(s).

3. Dues: 

Membership dues shall be payable by January 1 of each year. During  the month of November or December the Secretary shall notify each member  by email using the Members list, and messages posted to both the  private and public Facebook pages, that the dues for the ensuing year  are payable. Dues can be paid with cheque, money order, or e-transfer to  info@cnasa.ca If the cheque goes NSF, a minimum $40.00 service fee will  be issued to the signer of the NSF cheque. A NSF cheque does not  constitute membership. All dues will be in Canadian currency. 

Dues will  be decided upon by the current Executive and BOD, with input from the  membership.

Membership fees will be as follows:

Regular – $25.00

Associate – $20.00

Family – $30.00

Junior – $15.00 (for members under the age of 18)

Lifetime – nil

Breeder Associate – nil

All membership fees are non-refundable.

4. Application for Membership: 

Each applicant for membership shall apply on the electronic form as  provided on the website. The applicant agrees to abide by this  Constitution and By-laws, CNASA Code of Ethics and The Canadian Kennel  Club By-laws and Code of Ethics. The application shall state the name  and address of the applicant. The applicant’s name and province of  residence will be published in one (1) issue of the Association’s  Monthly Newsletter for comment from the Membership. Any comments from  the Membership must be received within 30 days of the Newsletter being  published. 

Accompanying the application, the prospective member shall submit  dues payment for the current year. Applications received past January  shall be considered payment for the current year only. Applications  received after August 31st of the current year will be pro-rated for the  following year. The applicant will receive from the Association  Secretary a current copy of the Constitution and By-Laws and Code of  Ethics, as well as a link to the CKC By-laws and Code of Ethics.

5. Approval of Membership: 

Membership is dependent on the Board of Directors/Executive voting to  accept the applicant. The Board of Directors/Executive holds the right  to refuse any membership application. Dues will be returned to the  applicant. An applicant whose membership application has been  rejected/denied will be provided with a reason for such  rejection/denial, in writing, within 30 days of the decision. An  applicant whose membership has been denied may re-apply after a period  of two years if the circumstances for the initial denial have changed.

6. Termination of membership:

a. Resignation: any member in good standing may resign from the Association upon providing written notice to the Secretary.

b. Lapsing: A membership will be considered as lapsed and  automatically terminated if such member’s dues remain unpaid 60 days  after the first day of the Current year.

c. Expulsion: A membership may be terminated by expulsion for the following reasons:

i) the person is found guilty under provincial or federal laws of cruelty to animals or neglect of animals

ii) a person has been suspended by the Canadian Kennel Cub and has been barred from being a member of The Canadian Kennel Club.

iii) a person is found to be breeding, buying or selling non-purebred  dogs (e.g., toy or miniature Australian Shepherds, Aussie mixes or  other unregistrable dogs).

iv) a person is found to be in violation more than once of the CNASA  By-laws or Code of Ethics by the CNASA’s disciplinary process.

d. If an individual or family owes the Association money or is  holding Association property or records whose return have been  requested, from the current or past years. Upon receipt of the owed  money, Association property or records, a renewal of membership can be  submitted for approval from the board of directors.

7. Voting Privileges: 

An individual must be a member for ONE FULL YEAR prior to being  granted voting privileges. Unpaid membership dues shall constitute  denial of voting privileges. Only lifetime, regular and family members  are entitled to a vote. Individual membership and lifetime membership  equals 1 vote. Family membership equals 2 votes. No members under the  age of 18 will be allowed a vote.

Section 1 – General Meetings:

1. An Annual General Meeting of the Association may be held using an  online format. Notice of date and hour as designated by the Board of  Directors/Executive will be sent to each member of the Association by  email at least 60 days prior to the date of the meeting. The quorum for  the annual meeting shall be 20% of the total current membership, all of  whom must be in good standing with the Association.

2. Special General Association Meetings:

a. The Board may call a special general meeting of the Association at  any time by providing such notice to the membership. In the case there  is no National Specialty being hosted by a Zone, the Board/Executive  will pick the suitable time and place or use an online forum.

b. The board is obligated to call a special general meeting upon the  Secretary receiving a formal request. Such request must be signed by at  least 50% of the members in good standing with the Association. Such  meeting shall be held at such place, date and hour as may be designated  by the Board of Directors/Executive. Email notification of such meeting  shall be sent by the Secretary at least 30 days and not more than 45  days prior to the meeting. The notice of the meeting shall state the  purpose of the meeting and no other Association business may be  transacted. The quorum for such a meeting shall be 20% of the members in  good standing.

3. Board Meetings: The first meeting of the Board shall be held by  electronic mail on or about March 2000, at that time a Board of  Directors and Executive will be selected. Therein after, Board meetings  shall be held directly following an Annual General Meeting and any  election. Meetings of the Board of Directors/Executive shall be held at  such time and place as designated by the Board/Executive with at least  40% of the board in attendance for a quorum. Electronic mail or chat  rooms can be deemed as meetings for the convenience of the  Board/Executive. Written notice of such meetings shall be emailed, by  the Secretary or President to each member of the Board/Executive at  least 30 days prior to the meeting. The Board of Directors/Executive may  conduct its day-to-day business by electronic mail. The number of  meetings per year to be held is at the discretion of each current  Board/Executive as deemed essential with no less than four meetings per  year.

Section 1 – Board of Directors/Executive:

1. The Board of Directors shall be comprised of the Executive  (President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer) plus a minimum of  four Directors representing a minimum of 4 of the 6 regions across  Canada. All must be Canadian residents and members in good standing with  the Canadian Kennel Club/The Canadian National Australian Shepherd  Association. No more than two Directors may be elected from any one  region and Directors must reside in the region they represent. They  shall be elected for 2-year terms as provided and shall serve until  their successors are elected. All Executive and Directors are voluntary  positions; no Officer or Director, or member of the Association shall  receive any remuneration for their services. General management of the  Association’s affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of  Directors/Executive. A person holding a position on the Board shall be  entrusted to keep Board matters confidential, and by accepting a  position has agreed to keep confidentiality.

2. Executive: The officers of the Association shall be the President,  Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. All must be residents of  Canada and members in good standing of the Canadian Kennel Club/The  Canadian National Australian Shepherd Association.

a. The President shall chair all Board and General meetings of the  Association, they will have a deciding vote in the instance of a voting  tie; they will run orderly and timely meetings; they will enforce the  By-laws and Constitution of this Association; they will assist where  needed and offer sportsman like behavior and shall have such duties and  responsibilities as specified in these By-laws.

b. The Vice-President shall assume the duties and exercise the  responsibilities of the President upon the direction of the President or  in such case as the President is unable to carry out the duties and  responsibilities of the President. They will enforce the By-laws and  Constitution of this Association; they will assist where needed and  offer sportsman like behaviour and shall have such duties and  responsibilities as specified in these By-laws.

c. The Secretary shall keep a record of all votes taken in the order  of business. The Secretary shall receive and send correspondence on  behalf of the Association to notify CKC of changes to the  Executive/Board of Directors. The Secretary or President shall notify  members of meetings and compile the agenda for Association meetings. The  Secretary shall keep minutes of all Association meetings, notify new  members of their membership, notify Officers and Directors of their  election to office, and keep a roll of current members of the  Association complete with addresses, telephone numbers and email  addresses. In an election year it is also the responsibility of the  outgoing Secretary to make sure that all changes to the Executive/Board  of Directors have been sent to the CKC, and carry out such other duties  as are prescribed in these by-laws.

d. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all revenues of the  Association and shall deposit same in an Association bank account as  approved by the Board/Executive in the name of the Association. The  Treasurer will make sure that “the application for club renewal” with  the CKC is filled out and that payment is issued for the appropriate  amount in a timely manner. The Treasurer may also assist the Secretary  in their duties at the direction of the Secretary. The books of the  Association shall be open to inspection by the Board at any time and a  financial report shall be provided at every meeting of the Board and  every annual general meeting of the Association. The Financial records  of the Association shall be the property of the Association and handed  over to the President at their request. The Secretary and Treasurer  positions can, if necessary, be a combined position.

Section 2 – Signing Authorities:

To prevent controversy and for the protection of the Association, no  two signing authorities of the Association will be members of the same  family, living common-law or living in the same residence (family  dwelling). The President, Treasurer and Secretary, as they have signing  authority, shall have access to the online bank account to further  protect the Association’s assets. No officer or director, or member of  the Association shall receive any remuneration for their services.  Payments shall not be undertaken without the consent of the Board.

Section 3 – Bank of Choice:

Signing authorities will be the Treasurer, President and Secretary,  for their term. Online access to the bank account will be granted to the  Treasurer, President and Secretary. The Bank of Choice will be a  National Bank in Canada. All funds will be held in the country of  Canada. No payments will be undertaken without Board approval.

Section 4 – Vacancies:

Should any vacancy occur on the Board/Executive, the Board/Executive  may in its own discretion, appoint a member of the Association to fill  the vacancy. Should a vacancy occur in the office of President, such  vacancy shall be filled automatically by the Vice-President and  resulting vacancy in the office of Vice-President shall be filled by a  majority vote of the Board/Executive.

Section 5 – Terms of Office:

The elected Executive and Directors shall take office on January 1st  of the year following the election. Each of the former Board  members/Executive shall turn over to their successor in office, all  properties and records relating to that office by January 1st of the new  term.

Section 6 – Zones:

The Zones are defined as the following:

– Zone 1 (BC & Yukon)

– Zone 2 (Alberta)

– Zone 3 (Manitoba, Saskatchewan & NWT)

– Zone 4 (Ontario and Nunavut)

– Zone 5 (Quebec)

– Zone 6 (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI & Labrador)

Leaving this open to change when more individuals from all areas of  Canada become involved with the Canadian National Australian Shepherd  Association.

Association Year, Voting, Nominations and Elections

Section 1 – Association Year:

The Association’s fiscal/financial year shall begin on the 1st day of January and end on the 31st day of December.

Section 2 – Voting Privileges:

An individual must be a member for ONE FULL YEAR prior to being  granted voting privileges. Unpaid membership dues shall constitute  denial of voting privileges. Membership dues must have been paid by  January 31st of the election year to be eligible to vote. Only Lifetime,  Individual or Family members are entitled to a vote. One Individual  membership equals one vote. Family membership equals 2 votes. The  following are not entitled to a vote: Associate members, members under  the age of 18, or non-residents of Canada.

Section 3 – Voting:

At an Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting of the  Association, voting shall be limited to those members in good standing  who are present at the meeting (either in person or using an online  format), except for the election of Executive and Directors and  amendments to the Constitution and By-laws (and Standard for the Breed)  which shall be decided by electronic poll secured to one anonymous vote  per person. The Board of Directors may decide to submit other specific  questions for decision of the members by electronic poll. Associate  members, a member under the age of 18, and non-residents of Canada are  ineligible to vote.

Section 4 – Elections:

1. Ballots: The Election of Executive and Directors shall be  conducted by ballot. No voting by proxy. Type of ballot used may be of a  form chosen by the Board (e.g., hard copy via mail or electronic). Hard  copy ballots must be received by the Secretary in a sealed envelope.  Ballot count will be verified by the Secretary and a second person who  is a member in good standing with the Association and may not be a  candidate on the ballot. An electronic ballot will be secure to have one  person read the results. The person receiving the largest number of  votes from each position shall be declared elected. If any nominee is  unable to serve for any reason, such nominee shall not be elected. In  this instance, the person receiving the second largest number of votes  for the position shall be declared elected. Once elected, if a candidate  is unable to serve for any reason, the position shall be filled by the  new Board of Directors/Executive in the manner provided by Article III,  Section 4.

a. Executive shall be elected by the membership of the Association.

i. The Directors of the Association shall reside in the region which  they are representing and shall be elected by the members residing in  each specific region.

ii. In the beginning (March 2000) the Executive and Directors will be  appointed according to interest on their part. This is the only time  the Executive and Directors will be appointed.

iii. Nominations: No person may be a candidate in the Association  election who has not been nominated in accordance with these By-laws. A  Nominating Committee shall be chosen by the Board of Directors 120 days  (4 months) before elections. The Nominating Committee shall consist of  three (3) members from different areas of Canada. The Nominating  Committee may conduct its business by email. A Candidate may be  nominated by any member of the Association. The Candidate may not be  nominated for more than one office or position (except in the case of  the Secretary/Treasurer positions being combined). The Nomination must  be sent to the Nomination Committee. The Nominee must sign an agreement  to accept the nomination. The Nomination Committee shall check the list  of members whose dues are paid for, and shall certify the eligibility of  the voters. The Committee shall then submit its slate of candidates to  the Secretary.

In the case of electronic voting, the Secretary shall email the list,  including the full name of each candidate and the name of the province  or region in which they reside, to each eligible voting member of the  Association on or before 90 days, together with a link to the online  ballot. The Membership will be notified of the deadline to vote. The  Secretary shall announce the results of the electronic ballots at the  close of voting.

In the case of using hard copy ballots, the Secretary shall mail the  list, including the full name of each candidate and the name of the  province or region in which they reside, to each member of the  Association on or before 90 days, together with a blank envelope and a  return envelope addressed to the Secretary. The marked ballot will be  returned to the Secretary, post-marked within 45 days from the initial  mailing. The Secretary will sort the ballots and provide digital copies  to the Nomination Committee for transparency. The Membership will be  notified of the specific return date on the ballot. The Secretary shall  announce the results of the ballots upon verification of the Nomination  Committee.

Section 5 – Committees

1. Standing Committees: The Board may each year appoint  standing committees to advance the work of the Association in such  matters as Conformation Shows, Obedience Trials, Membership, Newsletter,  Elections and Nominations, etc. Such Committees shall always be subject  to the final authority of the Board of Directors/Executive.

2. Committee Appointments: Any committee appointment may be  terminated by a majority vote of the Board/Executive upon written notice  being sent to the appointee, and the Board/Executive may appoint a  successor to the person whose services have been terminated.

3. The Board, with a majority vote, may terminate any committee  formed for the above purpose once the committee has fulfilled its  purpose (as per CKC policy).

Suspension/Complaints/Disciplinary Proceedures

Section 1 – Canadian Kennel Club Suspension:

1. Any member who is suspended, debarred, expelled or deprived of  privileges from the Canadian Kennel Club automatically shall be  suspended from the privileges of the Association, for a like period.  Anyone who has been charged and found guilty Provincially/Federally of  criminal abuse of animals will be barred membership. If any member of  the Association is found guilty of the above, they will automatically  lose their membership in the Association.

Section 2 – Discipline

1. A Discipline Committee, of not less than five members in good  standing, shall be formed from a call for volunteers and approved by the  Board. All members should have a thorough understanding of the CNASA  By-laws. No member of the Discipline Committee shall be a member of the  current Board of Directors. They must have an impartial and unbiased  viewpoint without any perceived conflict of interest. No former member  of the Board of Directors is entitled to be a member for a period of two  years following expiration of their term. The Committee shall appoint a  Chair from its number. The Discipline Committee shall be dissolved upon  resolution of the complaint. A new Discipline Committee shall be formed  for each complaint in order to avoid conflict of interest with the  parties involved.

2. Any member may lay a complaint against another member for alleged  misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the Association,  Constitution, By-laws and/or Code of Ethics. Complaints alleging  violations must be in the form of a sworn affidavit and filed with the  Secretary, together with a deposit of $50.00 which shall be returned to  the complainant if the complaint is upheld at a hearing of the Committee  duly appointed for this purpose. Should a complaint be laid against the  Secretary, then the President shall act in accordance with these  by-laws. When a Member has been formally cited for disciplinary action,  they shall not be permitted to initiate disciplinary action concerning  any other Member of the Association until their case has been completed.  

3. Any matter before the Discipline Committee in which legal  proceedings have been filed in which the outcome may have a direct  bearing on the Committee’s decision, will be held in abeyance pending  the completion of those proceedings.

4. The Discipline Committee will not entertain complaints that  involve contractual agreements between parties in which there is no  allegation of a violation of the Animal Pedigree Act or the  Association’s By-Laws. Any such complaints shall be refused by the  Association and the complaint fee returned along with a comment stating  that the Complainant may wish to consider seeking redress in civil  court.

5. The Secretary, upon receiving such a complaint, shall notify the  Executive/Board for immediate review and consideration. If the  Executive/Board determine that insufficient grounds exist for  disciplinary action by the Association, the matter may be referred back  to the Complainant for further supporting evidence or the recommendation  may be rejected if the Executive/Board determine that insufficient  grounds exist for action. If sufficient grounds exist for action, a call  for Disciplinary Committee volunteers will be initiated. Within 30 days  the Secretary shall forward a copy of the complaint, along with the  notice of hearing to the defendant, the complainant and each member of  the Discipline Committee. Should a complaint be laid against the  Secretary, then the President shall act in accordance with these  by-laws.

6. The hearing date shall be set no later than 90 days from the date  of receipt of the complaint. Should a complaint be laid against the  Secretary, then the President shall act in accordance with these  by-laws.

7. The Discipline Committee shall ensure that both the complainant  and the defendant are treated fairly and in accordance with the rules of  natural justice. The parties concerned shall have the right to be heard  and may be represented by a person of their choice. As per CKC policy,  the order in which the complaint will be heard by the Discipline  Committee shall be:

· Call to Order

· Chair Opening Remarks

· Complainant

· Defendant

· Questions

· Deliberations

Should the complaint be sustained after hearing all the evidence and  testimony presented by the complainant and defendant, the Committee may,  by a majority vote, impose an appropriate decision. The Secretary shall  then notify each of the parties of the decision within 30 days of the  decision. Should a complaint be laid against the Secretary, then the  President shall act in accordance with these by-laws.

A decision of the Discipline Committee may only be altered by the  Appeal Committee. The Board of Directors/Executive do not have the  authority to vary a decision of the Discipline Committee.

Section 3 – Appeals

1. Appeal – Any person who is subject to any decision of the  Discipline Committee shall have the right to appeal that decision. Any  person wishing to appeal a decision shall notify the Secretary within 30  days from the date of notice of the decision of the Discipline  Committee. Should the appeal come from the Secretary, then the President  shall act in accordance with these by-laws.

2. Appeal Committee – The Committee shall consist of five  voting members of the Association upon a call for volunteers sent by  email using the current membership list and posted in the FaceBook  group. No member of the Appeal Committee shall be a member of the  current Board of Directors. No member of the Appeal Committee shall have  been a member of the Discipline Committee. They must have an impartial  and unbiased view without any perceived conflict of interest. No former  member of the Board of Directors is entitled to be a member for a period  of two years following expiration of their term. The Committee shall  appoint a Chair from its number. The Appeal Committee is authorized to  allow an appeal in whole or in part, to set aside or vary any decision  of the Discipline Committee, and dismiss an appeal in whole or in part.

Both the appellant and respondent shall have the right to attend the  hearing. An appeal hearing must not be a retrial, but rather a hearing  to determine whether or not there is just cause to overturn the findings  of the decision-making committee. Arguments presented by the parties to  the complaint during the appeal process should therefore be limited to  this aspect. The Secretary shall inform both the appellant and  respondent of any decision in writing within 30 days of the hearing.  Should the appeal come from the Secretary, then the President shall act  in accordance with these by-laws. The procedure for the hearing shall  be:

· Call to Order

· Chair Opening Remarks

· Appellant

· Respondent

· Questions

· Deliberations

Both the appellant and respondent shall be treated fairly and without prejudice. Decisions of the Appeal Committee are final.

Section 4 – Disciplinary Action/Expulsion

1. The Discipline Committee has the authority to warn, reprimand, or  expel (which means termination of membership and depriving a person from  all privileges of the Association) for a set period of time. Subsequent  infractions, not necessarily for the same offence, will carry penalties  of increasing severity. The Board of Directors does not have the  authority to change the decision of the Disciplinary Committee. A  decision made by the Disciplinary Committee may only be altered by the  Appeal Committee if the defendant wishes to pursue this avenue.

Definitions:

“reprimand” an official statement of rebuke issued by the Association

“censure” the loss of some or all privileges associated with  Membership, such as suspension of participation in the Breeders  Directory, suspension of the right to place personal or kennel  advertising in the Quarterly, or suspension of all Membership privileges  for a specified period of time

“expulsion” revoking membership, and the right to withhold membership for a minimum of three (3) years.

Amendments

Section 1 – Proposal for Amendments:

1. Amendments to the Constitution, the By-laws and Breed Standard may  be proposed by the Executive/Board of Directors or by electronic  petition addressed to the Secretary signed by 75% of members of the  Association in good standing. Amendments proposed by such petition shall  be considered by the Board of Directors at the next regular meeting and  must subsequently be presented to the members of the Association with  the recommendations of the Board/Executive within 90 days of the date  when the petition was received by the Secretary.

2. Amendment by Vote: The Constitution, By-laws, and Breed Standard  may be amended at any time, provided a copy of the proposed amendment  has been mailed or emailed by the Secretary to each member in good  standing, accompanied by a ballot on which they may indicate their  choice for or against the action to be taken. Notice with such ballot  shall specify a date, which is not less than 30 days after the date of  mailing. The ballots must be returned to the Secretary to be counted.  The majority of the members in good standing, who participate in the  vote, shall be required to affect any such amendment. In the case of the  Breed Standard, a 75% majority vote is required to affect an amendment,  of which 60% of the online or mail in ballots have been returned. As  per CKC By-laws the Breed Standard cannot be changed within the first 5  years of the Club’s affiliation with the CKC.

3. Canadian Kennel Club Approval: Amendments to the Constitution  and/or By-laws will be forwarded to the CKC Shows and Trials Division  within thirty (30) days of being passed. No amendment to the  Constitution, By-laws, Breed Standard shall become effective until it  has been approved by the CKC. CKC approved amendments will be effective  immediately. The membership will be kept apprised by the Board of  Directors of any changes the CKC wish upon the Association’s By-laws and  Constitution.

Section 1 – Dissolution:

The Association may be dissolved at any time by the written  documented consent of 2/3 majority vote of the eligible voting members.  Proxies are not permitted in this case. In the event of the dissolution  of the Association, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of  law, none of the property of the Association, or any of the proceeds  thereof, or any assets of the Association shall be distributed to any  members of the Association. After payment of the debts of the  Association, its property and assets shall be given to a charitable  organization for the benefit of dogs, such organization being selected  by the Board of Directors at the time of dissolution. A copy of the  Association’s Minutes where it was voted to dissolve the club, showing  the number of votes in favour and not in favour of dissolution, and a  list of all members with the signatures of the members that voted in  favour of dissolution must be provided to the CKC within 30 days of  dissolution, as per CKC policy.

Section 1 – Order of Business:

1. At meetings, the Order of Business shall be governed by the Common  Law of Procedure of Canada, Roberts Rules of Order, current edition.  Meeting agendas will consist of the following:

• Call to Order
• Approval of the Agenda
• Reading of Minutes of the Last Meeting (sent via email prior to start of current meeting)
• Amendments and Approval of Minutes
• Secretary’s Report
• Treasurer’s Report
• Correspondence
• Committee Reports
• Unfinished Business
• New Business
• Roundtable
• Notice of Next Meeting
• Adjournment