STATUTES OF THE CANADIAN BRANCH OF THE ASSEMBLÉE PARLEMENTAIRE DE LA FRANCOPHONIE
(APF)

STATUTES

Article 1

1. A Canadian branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF) shall be created, constituted as an association. Its purpose, membership and operation shall be set out in these statutes and shall be in accordance with the by-laws of the APF, whose headquarters and general secretariat are in Paris.
2. The headquarters of the Canadian branch shall be in Ottawa.

PURPOSE AND MEMBERSHIP

Article 2– Purpose

1. The purpose of the Canadian branch, like that of the APF International, shall be to encourage initiatives of any kind that promote the spread of the French language. The Canadian branch shall participate in any initiative aimed at defending and promoting the French-language culture of wholly or partially French-speaking countries.
2. The Canadian branch shall encourage the study of cultural, economic and social matters of common interest in order to bring about close cooperation among parliamentarians who are members of the APF and to help establish genuine cultural dialogue.
3. To that end, the Canadian branch shall endeavour to take any initiative it considers appropriate in order to enable members of the Senate and the House of Commons to benefit from the advantages provided by the APF. It shall therefore encourage activities and events likely to lead to exchanges of any kind among federal and provincial parliamentarians and their counterparts in other French-speaking countries.
4. Like the APF, the Canadian branch shall be a non-profit organization and shall have no political purposes.

Article 3– Business year

The association’s business year shall coincide with the fiscal year, beginning on April 1 and ending on March 31 of the following year.

Article 4 – Membership

1. Membership is open to all members of the Senate and the House of Commons upon application and payment of annual dues.
2. Persons in the following categories may be admitted as honorary members:

   (i) Parliamentarians who use the French language in their legislative assemblies or in Canadian provinces or territories in which there is no APF branch;

   (ii) Canadian members of the Ordre de la Pléiade

3. These honorary members may be invited to attend the activities of the Canadian branch.

ENTITIES OF THE CANADIAN BRANCH

Article 5

The assembly, made up of the members of the Canadian branch, and the Executive Committee, elected by the assembly, shall be the entities of the Canadian branch.

Article 6 – Annual General Meetings

1. The members of the association shall meet at least once in each fiscal year.
2. The association shall hold an annual general meeting (AGM) within 60 calendar days of the opening of a new Parliament.
3. The Executive Committee or 15 members of the association may call an annual general meeting with at least two weeks’ notice.
4. The agenda shall be sent to the members at their Ottawa offices at least 10 calendar days before the date of the meeting.
5. Decisions shall be made by a majority of members present at the meeting. Quorum shall be one third of the total membership, up to 20 members, provided that the Senate and the House of Commons are both represented.
6. Voting shall generally be by a show of hands, unless a majority of members present request a secret ballot.
7. Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected by secret ballot.
8. The assembly shall

   (i) elect the members of the Executive Committee, and receive the summary report on the previous year’s expenditure and the President’s written report on the year’s activities;

   (ii) on one week notice, make any amendment to the association’s statutes approved by two-thirds of the members present;

   (iii) make suggestions and adopt resolutions consistent with the association’s purpose; and

   (iv) resolve any other matter.

Article 7 – Special general meeting

On two weeks’ prior notice, the Executive Committee or 15 members may call a special general meeting.

Article 8 – Executive committee - Membership

1. The Executive Committee shall be made up of ex officio members and elected members.
2. The Speakers of the Senate and the House of Commons are honorary joint presidents of the Canadian branch of APF.
3. The past president of the Canadian branch of APF shall be an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.
4. A member of the Canadian branch of APF who is president or past president of the APF International shall also be an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.
5. A member of the Canadian branch who is president of a committee or a network of the APF shall also be an ex officio member of the Executive Committee.
6. There shall be twelve elected and ex officio members, four representing the Senate and eight representing the House of Commons. Members are elected by the Members from one AGM to the next.
7. Members of the Executive Committee shall choose from among its elected members a president from the government party; two vice-presidents, at least one of whom is from the opposition.
8. Each recognized political party shall be represented on the Executive Committee in proportion to its representation in the House of Commons; independent members of the Senate or the House of Commons may serve on the Executive Committee. The position of Chair cannot be held by the Chair or Co-Chair of another parliamentary association.
9. The committee may select a member to replace any member no longer able or willing to serve, for the balance of that member’s term of office.
10. If the president of the Canadian branch of APF becomes president of the APF International, the vice-president of the government party shall become president delegate of the Canadian branch until the end of the term of office of the president of the Canadian branch.
11. If the vice-president from the government party is unable or unwilling to act as president delegate, the Executive Committee shall designate another of its members as president delegate.

Article 9 – Executive Committee – Nomination and election

1. The secretary of the association shall distribute nomination forms to all members.
2. Nominations shall be received at least three working days before the AGM, whereupon the secretary shall prepare a report and shall make the names public.
3. Only those who have been members for at least seven days may vote at the AGM. When the time limit expires, the names of all those eligible to vote shall be placed on a voter list.
4. Nominations from the floor shall be accepted at the AGM only for offices for which there are no nominees.
5. The election shall be chaired by a member who is not standing for election to the Executive Committee. Voting shall be by secret ballot, with the assistance of the secretary of the association and staff of the International and Interparliamentary Affairs Directorate.
6. The ballot box shall be in plain view, and each member shall deposit his or her own ballot.
7. Following the election of the members of the Executive Committee by the Assembly, all Executive Members will meet in camera in order to fill the following positions:

   Officers of the Canadian Branch (3):

   1. Chair
   2. Vice-Chair (Government)
   3. Vice-Chair (Opposition)

   Canadian International APF Positions (7):

   1. Canadian Representative to the Commission des affaires parlementaires (CAP)
   2. Canadian Representative to the Commission des affaires économiques, sociales et environnementales (CAESE)
   3. Canadian Representative to the Commission de l’éducation, de la culture et de la communication (CECC)
   4. Canadian Representative to the Commission politique (CP)
   5. Canadian Representative to the Réseau des femmes parlementaires
   6. Canadian Representative to the Réseau des jeunes parlementaires
   7. Canadian Representative to the Réseau parlementaire de lutte au VIH/SIDA, à la tuberculose et au paludisme
8. Once the elections are complete, the Executive Committee, will present the results to the Assembly

Article 10 – Executive committee – Meetings and functions

1. The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the chair or four members.
2. Quorum shall be one third of the members of the committee, up to five members, provided both Houses are represented.
3. The Executive Committee shall prepare the agendas of meetings of the Canadian branch. The Executive Committee shall meet before each meeting of the Canadian branch to draw up the agenda and prepare its work.
4. The Executive Committee may also create the committees it considers necessary in order to study certain matters.
5. The Executive Committee shall meet at least twice a year in order to

   (i) direct and manage the business and budget of the association in accordance with the decisions of the assembly and instructions from the Joint Interparliamentary Council (JIC);

   (ii) draw up a work plan for submission to the assembly;

   (iii) authorize all activities, including travel, added to the work plan during the year;

   (iv) call the AGM;

   (v) draft a budget for the coming year for submission to the JIC;

   (vi) report to members as appropriate; and

   (vii) report regularly to the Senate and the House of Commons, in accordance with their respective Rules and Standing Orders.

Article 11 – Designation of delegates

1. When the JIC has approved the budget, the Executive Committee shall meet to set the level of participation in each activity in that year’s work plan.
2. The names of the members taking part in each activity, if known, shall be decided at the meeting and submitted to the whips for approval.
3. If there are vacancies within delegations, the association shall canvass its members with a view to having the party whips designate delegates, given the need to send strong Canadian delegations to international conferences.

Article 12 – Administrative secretary

1. A position shall be established for an executive secretary, the duties of which shall be performed by a member of the International and Interparliamentary Affairs Directorate.
2. The Executive Secretary shall generally assist the Executive Committee and the assembly, preparing for their meetings and taking the minutes.

FINANCIAL PROVISIONS

Article 13

1. The funds required for the purposes of the Canadian branch and its operation shall come from its annual membership dues, which shall be set by the JIC, and from an annual allocation from the Parliament of Canada.
2. Any donation or grant offered to the Canadian branch may be accepted by the Executive Committee and shall be paid into the Canadian branch’s bank account.
3. The president of the Canadian branch, assisted by the Secretary, shall be responsible for managing the finances of the Canadian branch. The president shall present an annual financial report to the assembly.

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Article 14

1. The Canadian branch may be dissolved only by a vote to that effect by a two-thirds majority of its members at a regular or special meeting called by the Executive Committee.
2. The Executive Committee then in office shall be responsible for solving problems arising from the dissolution of the Canadian branch and distributing the assets of the Canadian branch to one or more associations whose purpose is to promote the spread of the French language and French-speaking cultures.

Article 15

The Executive Committee may adopt by-laws governing the internal organization of the Canadian branch, subject to approval by the assembly.

Article 16

The Canadian branch shall observe the Rules of the Senate and the Standing Orders of the House of Commons to the extent that they are applicable.

Article 17 – Dissolution of Parliament

Upon the dissolution of Parliament, the Executive Committee shall continue to manage the affairs of the Canadian branch until a new Executive Committee is elected, with due regard for the policies and related procedures set out in the Financial Management and Policy Guide for Parliamentary Associations.

Article 18

These revised statutes shall come into effect as soon as they are adopted by the assembly.

as amended at the General Meeting on March 25, 2024