(As
adopted at a Meeting of the General Membership on June 17, 1981, and amended on
November 24, 1984)
ARTICLE I - NAME:
The organization shall be known as the "Canada-Germany
Interparliamentary Group".
ARTICLE II - STATUS:
It shall function within the mandate of
the Speakers of the Senate and House of Commons and with the support of the
Parliamentary Relations Secretariat and in affiliation from time to time with
selected groups of German parliamentarians.
ARTICLE III - PURPOSE:
The purpose of the Group is to work for
a greater friendship and goodwill between parliamentarians of Canada and
Germany and thereby serve to further cooperative relations and mutual
understanding between national parliaments of both countries and between both
countries.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP:
The following are entitled to become
members of the Canada-Germany Interparliamentary Group:
a) The Speakers of the Senate and the House of Commons,
shall be ex-officio honorary Chairman of the Interparliamentary Group;
b) Members of the Canadian Senate and the House of Commons,
upon application and payment of the annual fee as determined from time to time
by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE V - FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS AND OPERATIVE YEAR:
1. The operating year of the Group is the federal fiscal
year commencing on the first day of April and ending on the thirty first day of
March.
2. The Group shall maintain a comprehensive financial
reporting and auditing system of accounts as approved from time to time by the
Speakers of the Senate and House of Commons.
3 The Executive Secretary shall be the custodian of the
records of the Group including the financial accounts and shall report
regularly thereon to the Executive.
ARTICLE VI - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
1. An Annual General Meeting of the membership shall be held
at least once in each fiscal year when Parliament is in Session at the call of
the Executive Committee or any ten members of the Group. Notice of the Annual
General Meeting shall be given in writing and mailed at least two weeks in
advance of the proposed date to the parliamentary office of each member.
2. It shall:
a) elect the Executive Committee; the Annual Meeting, in its
choice, shall take into account the representative nature of the recognized
parties of both Houses;
b) receive and act on an Annual Financial Statement for the
preceding year;
c) receive and approve any proposals for amending the
Constitution;
d) receive the report of activities of the preceding year.
3. Following a general election, the Executive Committee
duly elected during the previous Parliament shall be required to call an Annual
General Meeting in order to elect a new Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VII - SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING:
A Special General Meeting of the
membership may be called at any time by the Chairman or any ten members of the
Group. It shall transact only such business as was designated in the notice of
the meeting.
ARTICLE VIII - QUORUM:
1) Fifteen members shall constitute a Quorum at an Annual
General or Special General Meeting.
2) Four members shall constitute a Quorum at an Executive
Committee Meeting.
ARTICLE IX - THE EXECUTIVE:
1) The Executive shall have the responsibility for the
general management of the affairs of the Group and shall report thereon at each
Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting.
2) The Executive shall be elected for a period of two years
at an Annual General Meeting.
3) The Executive shall consist of:
i) a Chairman;
ii) two Vice-Chairmen, at least one of whom shall be from
the Senate;
iii) four additional members, of whom, at least one shall be
from the Senate, and one of whom shall be designated Parliamentary Treasurer of
the Group by the Executive.
4) The Executive shall meet at least twice in each fiscal
year. Its responsibilities include the preparation and presentation of the
Annual budget, financial statement and program activities for the ensuing year.
5) Following a general Federal election, the Executive
Committee shall be duly elected at the first Annual General Meeting to be held
in the new Parliament.
ARTICLE X. NOMINATIONS:
Nominations for any position on the
Executive Committee may be received from the floor.
ARTICLE XI - SUPPORT STAFF:
1. The Executive Secretary of the Canadian Group shall be
assigned from the staff of the Parliamentary Relations Secretariat by the
Secretary General for such term of office as may be determined by the Secretary
General, with the approval of the Executive Committee.
2. His of her functions shall include:
a) Being accountable to the Officers of the Canadian Group,
particularly to the Chairman and to the Parliamentary Treasurer for financial
matters;
b) Being responsible for providing the administrative
management for activities of the Canadian Group and for determining and
coordinating any additional resources required to support these activities;
c) Attending meetings of the Group and acting as clerk
thereof;
d) Giving notice of all meetings and being responsible for
keeping the records and papers of the Group.
ARTICLE XII - RULES OF PROCEDURE:
Meetings of the Group shall be
conducted in accordance with the procedures and practices of the Canadian
Parliament as applicable to public meetings in Canada.
ARTICLE XIII - VOTING:
Voting at meetings shall be by show of
hands unless a written ballot is demanded by at least five members present (two
in the case of an Executive Committee meeting).