DCC Constitution and By-Laws
Revised Oct 2017
Dalmatian Club Of Canada
Constitution and By-Laws
(2017 Revision)
Article 1
Name and Objects
Section 1.
The name of the Club shall be the Dalmatian Club of Canada and in its French version, Cercle Canadien du Dalmatien
Section 2.
The objects of the Club shall be:
(a) to encourage and promote the breeding of physically and mentally sound pure-bred Dalmatians;
(b) to aid and assist members and non-members in further knowledge and information of Dalmatians;
(c) to urge members, breeders and owners to accept the standard of the breed as approved by the Canadian Kennel Club;
(d) to do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of the breed by encouraging
sportsmanlike competition at dog show and in obedience trials;
(e) to conduct sanctioned and licensed specialty shows and trials, under the rules of the Canadian Kennel Club;
(f) to promote and participate in Sanctioned Road Trials.
Section 3.
The Club shall publish an official newsletter, called the Transcanadals, (TCD) periodically and shall be considered the official organ of the club, provided that a supplement may be published in the intervening months with respect to any extraordinary business of the club.
Section 4.
The Club shall not be conducted or operated for profit and no part of any profits or remainder or residue from dues or donations to the Club shall inure to the benefit of any member or individual.
Article II
Membership
Section 1.
Membership Year. Membership in the club shall be based on the calendar year.
Section 2.
Eligibility. Any person over the age of sixteen (16) years, living in Canada who supports the objects of the D.C.C may become a member of the club. Any person over the age of sixteen (16), in good standing with their National Breed Club and living outside the borders of Canada may become a voting member of the Club.
Section 3.
Types of Membership. There shall be four (4) types of membership.
(a) Regular (Voting Member) – Must be a member (in good standing) of CKC or their respective National Breed Club
(b) Associate (Non voting member) -Any person not a member of CKC or their National Breed Club.
(c) Joint Membership – Two or more persons having the same address and being in good standing with the Canadian Kennel Club may become Joint Members being entitled to one shared vote only.
(d) Life Membership – Any member in good standing with the CKC and having been a continuous member of the Dalmatian Club of Canada for 25 years or more. This person shall hold all the rights and privileges of a regular voting member. This member would no longer be required to pay yearly membership dues. Joint members that become life members will still be entitled to one shared vote only.
Section 4.
Dues.
(a) Membership dues shall be decided at the Annual Board Meeting and shall be payable on or before the first day of January of each year. No member may vote whose dues are not paid for the current year. The Treasurer, in the November-December issue of Transcanadals, shall advise the members that dues are payable for the ensuing year.
(b) The Treasurer also shall in two subsequent issues of Transcanadals advise the members that dues are payable and that any member not submitting his dues before the end of April will be struck from the Membership List as set out in Article II, Section 4.
(c) Initiation Fee. New members shall pay an initiation fee, the amount of which shall be decided at the Annual Board Meeting and shall be payable on application for membership.
Section 5.
Application for Membership. Each applicant for membership shall apply on a form as approved by the Board of Directors and which provides that the applicant agrees to abide by the Constitution and by-laws.
The applicant shall state their name and address, and it shall carry the endorsement of one (1) member. The prospective member shall submit, along with the application, payment for the current year’s dues and the initiation fee. All applications are to be filed with the Treasurer and each notice of application is to be published in the issue of Transcanadals following its receipt. An objection by any member is to be submitted in writing within thirty (30) days, and shall give reasons for the objection.
Section 6.
Approval of Membership. If no objections have been received from the membership within the said 30-day period, the person with “Applied for Membership Status” automatically attains ‘Accepted for Membership Status” and notice to this effect shall be published in Transcanadals.
Section 7.
Rejection of Membership.
Procedure for dealing with objections to a Membership Application.
(i) A copy of the letter of objection shall go to all board members.
(ii) The secretary shall send a copy of the letter of objection to the applicant, requesting a reply.
(iii) A copy of the reply from the applicant is to be sent to all board members.
(iv) The board members will vote on whether or not to accept the membership application.
Section 8.
Termination of Membership. Any member who has not submitted his membership dues for the current year before the end of April of that year, as set out in Article II, Section 2, Dues, will have his/her name removed from the Membership List. Any such member wishing to be reinstated will be required to comply with the Procedure for Membership as set out in Article II, Section 3.
Section 9.
Voting Status Privileges. All members who have completed “Accepted for Membership Status” for a period of six(6) months shall be entitled to “Voting Status”.
Article III
Meetings and Voting
Section 1.
Club Meetings. Club meetings may be instigated by the President and conducted through the mails, email, telephone, or by a majority vote of members of the Board who are present and voting at any regular or special meeting of the Board, or by the Secretary upon receipt of a petition signed by five (5) members of the Club who are in good standing. It is recommended that a yearly club meeting be called by the President or the Board. Written notice of such a meeting shall be mailed or emailed by the Secretary at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date of the meeting; said notice shall state the purpose of the meeting; and no other Club business may be transacted thereat. Sealed absentee ballots will be permitted for any resolution to be placed before such a meeting which must be in the hands of the Secretary prior to the meeting.
Section 2.
Voting. Each member in good standing who has (a) completed “Acceptance for Membership Status” for a period of six (6) months and has thus attained “Voting Status” and (b) whose dues are paid for the current year shall be entitled to one vote at any meeting of the club. Sealed absentee ballots, provided by the Secretary to all paid up members will be permitted for bi-annual election of the officers and for all motions or resolutions to be placed before the Annual Club meeting, provided that all such absentee ballots are delivered to the Secretary, or as the Secretary designates, prior to such biannual election or annual club meeting. All ballots are to be counted in accordance with Article 5, Section 4.
Section 3.
Board Meetings. Meetings of the Board of Directors may be held once in every quarter, and the President shall commence the Annual Board Meeting in the month of January. Written notice of each such meeting stating the agenda and all resolutions to be voted upon shall be mailed or emailed by the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the meeting. Sealed absentee ballots will be permitted, which must be in the hands of the Secretary prior to the meeting. The President may designate that such Board meetings be conducted through the mails, email, telephone, MSN messenger, or the like, or in person. A quorum of 5 of the Board members is required for meetings.
Section 4.
Special Board Meetings. Special meetings of the Board may be instigated by the President and conducted through the mail, email, telephone or by the Secretary upon receipt of a written request signed by a simple majority of the Board. Written notice of such meetings shall be mailed or emailed by the Secretary at least 14 days prior to the meeting. Any such notice shall state the purpose of the meeting, and no other business shall be transacted thereat. Sealed absentee ballots will be permitted, which must be in the hands of the Secretary prior to the meeting.
Section 5.
At any meeting of the Board, each member, except the Chairman, shall have one vote. In the event of a tie, the Chairman shall cast a deciding vote.
Article IV
Directors and Officers
Section 1.
Board of Directors. The Board shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor and three (3) or more directors, or such other number of persons (based on the membership in the geographical locations set out in Article IV, Section 3) as may be designated from time to time by the Club, all of whom shall be elected for two-year terms at the Club’s annual meeting as provided in Article V. General management of the Club’s affairs shall be entrusted to the Board of Directors. It is suggested that all Board Members sit on at least one (1) D.C.C. Committee and participate in at least three (3) DCC Board Meetings per year. All officers of the Board shall sign and adhere to the Code of Conduct for Board Members.
Section 2.
Officers. The Club’s officers, consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Editor shall serve in the respective capacities both in regard to the Club and its meetings and the Board in its meetings. The Club’s officers (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Directors and Editor) shall be residents of Canada.
Officers Duties.
1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Board, and shall have the duties and powers normally appurtenant to the office of President in addition to those particularly specified in this Constitution and By-Laws.
2. The Vice President shall have the powers and exercise the duties of the President in case of the President’s death, absence or incapacity.
3. The Secretary, who may also be the Treasurer, shall keep a record of all meetings of the club and of the Board and of all matters of which a record shall be ordered by the club. The Secretary shall have charge of the correspondence, notify members of meetings, notify new members of their election to membership, notify officers and directors of their election to office, keep a roll of the members of the Club and their addresses, and carry out such other duties as are prescribed in this Constitution and By-Laws
4. The Treasurer, who may also be the Secretary, shall collect and receive all monies due and belonging to the Club, and shall acknowledge receipt thereof, when requested. The Treasurer shall deposit the same in a Bank satisfactory to the Board, in the name of the Club. The books shall at all times be open for inspection by the Board and annually, through Transcanadals, the Treasurer shall report the condition of the Club’s finances by setting out an account of all monies received and expended during the preceding year and submit the books to an auditing committee previously appointed by the President.
5. The Editor shall publish Transcanadals, the official newsletter of D.C.C. on a periodic basis and shall publish any Special Editions as deemed necessary by a majority of the Executive Members. The Editor shall be considered an officer of the Board and may also hold an additional officer position on the Board.
Section 3.
Directors. The Club’s Directors, consisting of at least seven (7) other elected persons, all of whom shall be elected for a two-year term at the Club’s Annual Board Meeting as provided in Article V. The geographic regions will be divided in accordance with the CKC and a minimum representation will consist of:
(a) One person residing in the Maritime Provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador.
(b) Two persons residing in the Province of Ontario.
(c) One person residing in the Province of Québec.
(d) Two persons residing in the Prairie Provinces.
(e) One person residing in the Province of British Columbia.
Additional Directors may be elected for each area on the basis that representation will not exceed one Director for every fifteen memberships (except where necessary to meet the minimum number). The membership numbers will be based on the membership at the time that nominations are called for.
Suggested duties for Directors are as follows:
Coordinate one (1) Dalmatian Booster per year, one (1) Dalmatian education event per year, and coordinate D.C.C. rehoming
information within their region, receive and distribute fund-raising merchandise, submit a regional update to the Transcanadals at least three (3) times a year.
Section 4.
Resignation. An officer of the Club may resign from office upon 30 days written notice to the President.
Section 5.
Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring on the Board during the year shall be filled, where possible, by the runner up in the previous election. If this is not possible, the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term of office by a majority vote of all the then members of the Board.
Article V
The Club Year, Annual Meetings and Elections
Section 1.
Club Year. The club’s fiscal and official year shall begin on the first day of January and end on the 31st day of December of the same year.
Section 2.
Finances. The club must have a separate and independent bank account in the name of The Dalmatian Club of Canada and all cheques drawn from the club account must have the signature of a minimum of two (2) officers Treasurer and President.
,
Section 3.
Biennial Elections. The Biennial Election occurs every even number year. The following will be published in the Club’s official newsletter, Transcanadals:
(a) Nominations for Officers and Directors of the Club.
(b) Personal profiles, when available
(c) Results
The Officers and Directors shall be elected by secret ballot, either by mail or by use of an on-line voting system, from among those nominated in accordance with Section 4 of this Article. They shall take office on January 1st of each odd numbered year and each retiring Officer shall turn over to his successor in office all properties and records relating to that office within thirty (30) days after the election.
Section 4.
(a) Elections. Ballots or for online votes to be valid must be received by the Secretary by September 15th. Ballots shall be counted by a person or persons having no connection with the club or member of the club and shall be chosen by the Secretary, or by way of online voting system results. The nominated candidate receiving the greatest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. The candidates nominated for other positions on the Board who receive the greatest number of votes for such positions, shall be declared elected, subject to the restrictive clause of Article IV, Section 3. The results of the election shall be published in the Transcanadals in the first Issue published following the election.
(b) In case of a tie in ballots for any position on the Board, a re-election will be held for that position only, in accordance with the by-laws set out in Article V with the election ballots or online votes having to be received by the secretary no later than November 15th.
Section 5.
Nominations. No person may be a candidate in a Club election who has not been nominated. Nominations forms must have the signatures of both the candidate and the proposer. The slate of nominees shall be published in Transcanadals. The completed Nomination form is to be sent to the Secretary during the prescribed time frame
(a) Each candidate shall be requested to submit a profile to the Editor by a prescribed date, for publication in Transcanadals.
(b) All sealed absentee ballots or online votes, whether received via an online voting system, by the Secretary, or the person designated by her, as set out in Article III, Section 4, shall be turned over for counting to a person or persons having no connection with the club or member of the Club.
(c) If an online voting system is used, the Secretary shall report the results to the Board within 48 hours after the closing date of the online voting system.
Article VI
Committees
Section 1.
The President shall appoint standing committees to advance the work of the Club. These committees may include Membership, Finance, Education, Constitution, Versatility, Fundraising, Dalmatian Rehoming, Breed Columnist, Webmaster, and Dalmatian Standard. In addition the President may appoint other committees relating to dog shows and trials, trophies, annual prizes and other fields which may well be served by Committees. Such committees shall always be subject to the final authority of the Board. Special Committees may also be appointed by the board to aid in on particular projects.
Section 2.
Any committee appointment may be terminated by a two-third (2/3) vote of the full membership of the Board upon written notice to the appointee; and the board may appoint successors to those persons whose service has been terminated. Committees will only last as long as required, to serve the purpose for which they were created.
Article VII
Discipline
Section 1.
Canadian Kennel Club Suspension. Any member who is suspended from the privileges of the Canadian Kennel Club will automatically be reviewed by the Executive and only be suspended with a majority vote.
Section 2.
Charges. Any member may prefer charges against another member for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interest of the Club or the Board. Written charges with specifications must be filed in duplicate with the Secretary, together with a deposit of fifty dollars ($50.00), which shall be forfeited if such charges are not sustained. The Secretary shall immediately notify the President who will fix a date no more than six (6) weeks thereafter and will appoint an ad-hoc committee to receive and assess the evidence submitted by the complainant and defendant. Said committee will consist of the Director representing the complainants region, and the President or his/her appointee. If both parties reside in the same region, then the President shall appoint another committee member who is a Director of the Club. The Secretary shall immediately send one copy of the charges to the accused by registered mail, together with a notice of the hearing and as assurance that the defendant may personally defend himself if he wishes.
Section 3.
Committee Hearings. The committee shall have complete authority to decide whether counsel may attend the hearings, but both the complainant and defendant shall be treated uniformly in that regard. Should the charges be sustained, after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by the complainant and the defendant, the committee may by majority vote recommend suspension of the defendant. If made, such a recommendation shall be submitted to the Board of Directors who shall have final authority on the matter. If the charges are dismissed by the ad-hoc committee, the case history will be filed with the Secretary who will inform the parties of the Committee’s decision.
Article VIII
Amendments
Section 1.
Amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws may be proposed by the board or any member in good standing, addressed to the Secretary, not less than four (4) weeks prior to the Annual Board Meeting. The proposed Amendments shall then be sent to the Constitution and By-Laws Committee for review and they shall make recommendations to the Board at the next Board meeting. The Board shall vote on the proposed Amendments, and with a majority vote of the Board, the Amendments proposed by such petition shall be subject to the provisions of Section 2 of this Article.
Section 2.
The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members voting, provided the proposed amendments have been circulated to the total membership via Transcanadals with a mail-in ballot or via email and the members will be able to reply via email or mail in ballot
.
Article IX
Dissolution
The Club may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than two-thirds (2/3) majority of the members voting. In the event of the dissolution of the club, whether voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law, none of the property of the Club, nor any proceeds thereof, nor any assets of the Club shall be distributed to any member of the Club, but after payment of debts of the Club, its property and assets shall be given to a charitable organization for the benefit of dogs, selected by the Board of Directors.
Article X
Order of Business
Section 1.
At meetings of the Club the order of business, so far as the character and nature of the meeting may permit, shall be as follows:
Roll Call – Minutes of last meeting – Reports of Officers - Report of President - Report of Secretary -Report of Treasurer – Report of Committees - Elections of Officers and Board (at annual meeting) – Unfinished Business – New Business – Adjournment