THE

CONSTITUTION
OF THE
YOUNG LIBERALS OF
GRANT MACEWAN
CLUB

Amended and Ratified as of February 1, 2011

 I. Name

1. The club’s official name will be “The Young Liberals of Grant MacEwan Club” and
may be referred to as “The Young Liberals.” No other name will be used in the
advertisement or representation of the club.

II. Club Mandate

2. The Mandate of The Young Liberals of Grant MacEwan Club is:

(a) To uphold the principles and spirit of The Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.
(b) To promote awareness of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Alberta Liberal
Party on the campus of Grant MacEwan University and the surrounding
communities.
(c) To assist the work of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Alberta Liberal
Party whenever possible.
(d) To engage the Liberal Party of Canada and the Alberta Liberal Party with
progressive policies that serve in the best interests of our country’s and
province’s future, with an additional focus on youth issues.
(e) To train the leaders of the future in political culture and organization.
(f) To provoke understanding of the philosophy and principles of Canadian
liberalism.
(g) To engage the students of Grant MacEwan University and surrounding
communities in the political process.

III. Affiliations

1. The Club shall maintain affiliation with the Alberta Young Liberals and the Young
Liberals of Canada at all times.
2. Nothing in this Constitution shall be interpreted in a way that contravenes the
governing documents of the Alberta Young Liberals, the Young Liberals of Canada,
or the Liberal Party of Canada.
3. The Club shall be sanctioned under Grant MacEwan University’s Student Association
(SA).
4. The Club acknowledges and will abide by the SA by-laws and policies unless
otherwise approved by the SA. We are aware that the association will no longer
remain an SA club if a policy or by-law is contravened without Finance Commission
ratification.

IV. Membership Criteria

1. The club’s membership is open to all MacEwan students.

2. Any non-student members, including staff members, do not have voting rights.
3. All executive members will be undergraduate students.
4. No member, nor any relative of the member, may profit or receive any benefit in any
dealings or actions taken on behalf of the club, unless that member has previously.

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 declared a conflict of interest at a club meeting.

V. Membership Classification

1. There shall be three types of membership in the club:

(a) Regular Members
(b) Alumni Members
(c) Honourary Members
2. Regular Members shall:
(a) Be considered members in good standing of the Club from the day their
membership has been purchased up to the end of the academic year in which it
was purchased.
(i) For the purposes of this Constitution, an academic year shall be considered
the beginning of a fall semester to the end of the following summer
semester.
(b) Be composed of no greater than 25% of individuals who are not members of
the Grant MacEwan Student’s Association (SA).
(c) Be entitled to vote at Annual General Meetings (AGM) of the association.
(d) Receive a membership card proving their status as Regular members.
3. Alumni Members shall:
(a) Have served on the Executive Committee of the association, and are no longer
a regular member of the club.
(b) Be considered Alumni members until they have submitted a request to the
President of the Club that they are no longer to be considered Alumni
members.
(c) Not be entitled to vote at Annual General Meetings of the association.
4. Honourary Members shall:
(a) Be elected from time to time by the Club to serve on the Executive
Committee.
(b) Be considered permanent Honourary Members of the association, and shall
have their name and date of induction recorded in the Constitution of the
association at the time of the Annual General Meeting following their
election.
(c) Be presented with a certificate or other award as is deemed appropriate by the
Executive Committee to acknowledge their status as Honourary Members.

VI. Executive Committee

1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the following:

(a) President
(b) Vice-President
(c) Treasurer
(d) Secretary
2. There may be no less than three (3) Executive Committee members at any one (1)
time.
3. If the executive sees fit, additional positions may be created to fulfill additional

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 functional roles for the Club as outlined in Article VIII, Section 1.
4. Collectively, the Executive Committee will ensure that the club’s activities do not
infringe the SA's policies and procedures, and municipal, provincial and federal laws
and Grant MacEwan University's rules and regulations.
5. No single person may hold the same position on the executive committee for more
than two (2) terms.

VII. Powers, Duties, and Responsibilities of the Executive Committee

1. The President shall:

(a) Be the official representative of the Club to the Alberta Young Liberals and
the Young Liberals of Canada.
(b) Oversee all club related activities (as assisted by the Vice-President.
(c) Chair all club meetings.
(d) Be responsible for calling and serving as chair of Executive Committee
meetings with the approval of the rest of the members of the Executive
Committee as to time, date, and location of such meeting.
(e) Coordinate the other executives in the performance of their duties.
(f) Serve as the official spokesperson for the club in all liaisons with other
organizations including, but not limited to,
(i) The SA.
(ii) Inter-camp and any other media outlet as circumstance requires.
(iii) Other clubs and organizations at Grant MacEwan University.
(g) Maintain public relations, communication, as well as update any existing
media outlets (e.g. Internet Web Pages or Electronic Mail Accounts) with the
co-approval of all other members of the Executive Committee as outlined in
Article IX, Section 1.
(h) Authorize the creation of the Fund-raising Committee.
(i) Have residual powers to carry out or delegate duties where appropriate, in
addition to those mentioned in the Constitution.
(j) Promote co-operation and unity among the executive board.
(k) Oversee the genesis of policies by the association.
(l) Plan, promote, and oversee the organization of events carried out in the name
of the association as assisted by the Vice President.
2. The Vice-President shall:
(a) Be responsible for organizing club events.
(b) Maintain public relations, communication, as well as update any existing
media outlets (e.g. Internet Web Pages or Electronic Mail Accounts) with the
co-approval of all other members of the Executive Committee as outlined in
Article IX, Section 1.
(c) Serve the duties of President in the event that the President is removed from
office or is unable to fulfill his role.
(d) Present policies on behalf of the Club to the Alberta Young Liberals, Young
Liberals of Canada, Liberal Party of Canada and Alberta Liberal Party when
appropriate.

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 (e) Search and gather, for Grant MacEwan University City Centre Campus (CCC)
classrooms and lounges, schedules and then proceed to develop a roster of
rooms in which when booking a room through Grant MacEwan, availability is
guaranteed. This is to be done for both the fall and winter semesters to ensure
year round availability. He or she shall provide this “Schedule” to the
Executive so as such executive will be able to book rooms with guaranteed
capacity to do such.
3. The Treasurer will:
(a) Have full responsibility for all finances related to the club.
(b) Serve as the Chair of all present and future fund-raising committees.
(c) Be responsible for seeking and acquiring any club related funds from the SA.
(d) Publish a full financial report to be presented at the AGM Report.
(e) Maintain public relations, communication, as well as update any existing media
outlets (e.g. Internet Web Pages or Electronic Mail Accounts) with the co-
approval of all other members of the Executive Committee as outlined in
Article IX, Section 1.
4. The Secretary will:
(a) Keep the “Minutes” of all Club and executive Committee meetings.
(b) Be responsible for the administrative affairs of the club including but not
limited to:
(i) The registration of new members at large and their addition to the club
roster (which shall be classified by alumni, honourary, and regular
members.
(ii) Ensuring that the club roster in the possession of the Student's association of
MacEwan is up to date.
(iii)All actions regarding the attraction, registration of, or removal of club
members.
(c) Update as required, and make available the Constitution of the association.
(d) Maintain public relations, communication, as well as update any existing media
outlets (e.g. Internet Web Pages or Electronic Mail Accounts) with the co-
approval of all other members of the Executive Committee as outlined in
Article IX, Section 1.

VIII Directors and the Creation of the Position(s) of Director(s)

1. Should the Executive Committee see fit, additional positions may be created to serve
additional functions of the Club.
2. Such positions are to be titled Director--Hyphen--followed by the title of the duty
they have been assigned (e.g. Director-Policy Paper #1).
3. Such Directors, while sitting on the Committee, do not have voting rights and are
only enumerated any powers (such as those outlined in the constitution) only by a
unanimous vote of the members of the Executive Committee.
4. Any director positions created are automatically dissolved exactly 365 days after their
creation by the Executive Committee.

IX Finances

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1. Cheques under $300.00 must be signed by two (2) executive members one must be
the treasurer.
2. Cheques greater to or equal than $300.00 will require the signature of two (2)
executive members one being the treasurer and one (1) faculty advisor.
3. A sum of roughly $50.00 should remain in the account at the end of each school year.
4. A financial report must be published as part of the AGM Report by the Treasurer as
outlined in Article VII, Section 3(d).

X Communication

1. The club executive will use adequate social networks and e-mail to communicate
necessary information to club members and all such active sources shall be jointly
administered by all members of the Executive Committee.
2. Event details and volunteer information will be disclosed during meetings.

XI Annual General Meeting(s)

1. An AGM shall be held once a year at the end of Grant MacEwan University’s
academic year. It is advised by this constitution that due to the schedules of all
faculties at Grant MacEwan University that the annual AGM ought to be held at the
end of March and no later than the first week in April.
2. An AGM shall be held for the election of new Executive Members and for
consideration of other necessary business.
3. Elected Executive Members will serve a term of one (1) year; and,
(i) No less than 2 weeks notice shall be given prior to an AGM.
4. The Executive Board shall elect a Chief Returning Officer (CRO) for the AGM no
less than 14 days prior to the AGM.

XII Elections and By-elections

1. Any person who does not wish to run for a position on the Executive Committee and
is in good standing with the Club can and must be chosen by the Executive
Committee to receive nominations for candidates and oversee the AGM elections and
by-elections. This person is to be titled as the Elections Officer of The Young
Liberals of Grant MacEwan Club.
2. Any person may nominate himself or herself for an Executive position one (1) day
prior to AGM by fully completing and handing in the Club’s Nomination forms.
3. The nomination period will end on the day before the AGM.
4. If no nominations have been placed prior to the election deadline nominations will be
accepted at the AGM.
5. The club’s election procedures must be made available when requested.
6. All voting will be done on separate ballots, one ballot for each position.
7. The Elections Officer must initial each ballot prior to distributing the ballots to the
membership in order to ensure that all ballots are valid.
8. The Elections Officer is responsible for counting the votes. In the event that a

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 candidate disputes the results they have the right to count the ballots themselves.
9. In the event that no one has submitted written notice to run for a position on the
Executive Board, nominations from the floor will be entertained at the AGM.
10. Ties shall be broken by a secret ballot among members of the previous year’s
executive board.
11. Once a new Executive Committee has been elected, the outgoing President must
forward a list of the new Executive members with their telephone numbers and email
addresses to the SA within three (3) business days of the election-taking place. Via
the “Executive Update" form.

XIII Removal of Members of the Executive Committee

1. Any member of the club who commits an act negatively affecting the interests of the
club and its members, including non-disclosure of a significant or continuing conflict
of interest, may be given notice of removal.
2. A member from a delegation who does not meet requirements in any of the following
areas can be removed; research, trainings, meetings, volunteer hour requirements,
and/or assignment deadlines.
3. Members may be removed from the club during any Young Liberals trip if they fail to
meet the basic expectations of the executive. Removal of the member will be
determined by unanimous executive decision and advisor approval.
4. Delegate(s) up for removal shall have the right to defend their actions.
5. A three-quarter vote of the Executive is required to remove a delegate during regular
operations of the club (within Edmonton).
6. Refunds to removed members will not be guaranteed depending on the time of
removal, however, all efforts will be made to refund if possible.
7. The member will be removed from the club’s membership and will lose any
privileges associated with being a member of the club.
8. An executive member can be removed from their position by a faculty advisor on the
recommendation of three (3) executive members.

XIV Amendment(s) to this Constitution

1. Any amendments to this Constitution must be passed by a two-thirds majority vote by

the current members present at the AGM.
2. Two (2) weeks prior to the AGM the Executive shall ask club members for any
recommendations or suggestions with regard to alterations and amendments to the
constitution. Set amendments must be submitted one (1) week in advance in order to
contemplate these prior to the meeting date.
3. Amendments to this constitution during the school year are limited to the executive
by a unanimous vote. Amendments made by the executive will automatically be
presented as amendments during the follow AGM and will be subject to section one
(1).

XVI Stewardship

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1. In the event that the Young Liberals of Grant MacEwan club finds its outgoing
executive to be short of a required Executive Committee, the Committee shall vote to
declare the club under stewardship for the upcoming year.
2. Under stewardship, the club shall be overseen by a steward and two (2) co-stewards
to ensure that the club is sustained until recruitment of a new or full executive.
3. Under steward ship, the Steward and two (2) Co-stewards must ensure that,
(a) All finances and duties are to be stayed until the club regains full operations.
(b) The annual executive update forms are to be signed by the steward and two
(2) co-stewards to ensure that the club is to be sustained until otherwise.