ARTICLE 1: Name
The name of the Association shall be The Yukon Curling Association, with the accepted abbreviation YCA.
ARTICLE 2: Objectives
The objectives of the Association are:
- to promote, organize, conduct and manage the game of curling;
- to unite all curling clubs into one organization for the benefit of the game;
- to foster and promote friendliness and honorable conduct amongst its members;
- to foster and promote the traditions of the game;
- To coordinate and otherwise control the competitions leading to Yukon, Territorial and Canadian Championships.
ARTICLE 3: Location
The operations of the Association are to be carried out in the City of Whitehorse and the Yukon Territory; they shall also extend to neighboring Northwest Territories and British Columbia communities. The mailing address of the Association is: 4061 – 4th Avenue, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 1H1. The Yukon Curling Association office is located in the Sport Yukon building, 4061 4th Avenue, Whitehorse. All records of the association and all business activities of the association reside in or occur at this office.
ARTICLE 4: Affiliation
The Association shall be affiliated with the Canadian Curling Association.
BYLAW 1: Membership
- Individual membership shall consist of all members of affiliated curling clubs, affiliated schools, all Honorary Life Members of the Association and all Past Presidents of the Association. Individual membership shall also extend to all Honorary Life Members and Past Presidents of the Yukon Curling Association and the Yukon Ladies Curling Association that existed prior to the amalgamation of 1990.
- Any organized curling club within the jurisdiction of the Association is eligible to affiliate with the Yukon Curling Association. Each club shall make application for affiliation to the Association secretary, giving the name and permanent address of the club, and a list of its officers and members. Each club shall agree to be governed by the Constitution, Bylaws and Policies of the Association.
- Any school with an organized curling program within the jurisdiction of the Association is eligible to affiliate with the Yukon Curling Association. Each school shall make application for affiliation to the Association secretary, giving the name and permanent address of the school and a list of its members. Each school shall agree to be governed by the Constitution, Bylaws and Policies of the Association.
- All members are eligible to participate in all competitions sponsored by the Association. They shall abide by the rules and regulations set by the Committee in charge of organizing each competition.
- Annual affiliation dues payable by member clubs on behalf of their members shall be recommended by the Executive Committee and approved by a vote of members in good standing at the Annual General meeting of the Association.
- Annual affiliation fees shall be due by December 1 of each year. Club lists shall be due by December 31 of each year.
BYLAW 2: Loss of Membership
- If a club, school and/or individual member has not renewed their membership by December 1, the membership benefits from the preceding season cease.
- A member conducting him/herself in an unsportsmanlike manner or guilty of a substantial breach of the constitution or bylaws may be expelled or suspended. Such an expulsion carries with it full loss of membership and its associated benefits.
- A member can be expelled by a special resolution only. A special meeting must be called with at least 21 days notice giving the reasons for the proposed expulsion. 75% of the members present at the special meeting must vote in favor for the resolution to pass.
- Members that are expelled have the right to a hearing before an Appeal Panel of the Association. The member shall notify the President in writing requesting a hearing before the Appeal Panel. The Appeal Panel shall consist of three persons, one Director to be selected by each party and the third person to be selected from the Directors by the two persons previously selected by the parties. The decision of the majority of the Appeal Panel hearing the grievance shall be final and binding both on the Association and the member.
- Membership in the Association will be forfeited upon receipt by the Executive Committee of the written resignation of any member club or school, or the written notification of the dissolution of any member club or school.
BYLAW 3: Meetings
- The Annual General Meeting of the Association shall be held in September or October of the calendar year, at a location and specific date as decided by the Executive Committee. Reports from the Executive Committee shall be received, annual membership dues set, officers elected and other business conducted as necessary. Any special business must include the text of the special business along with the appropriate 21 day notice.
Notice of the Annual General Meeting and any General Meeting shall be set forth in writing to each affiliated club at least twenty-one days prior to the meetings. The text of any special business for the Annual General Meeting must be included with the 21 day notice.
- A quorum for the Annual General Meetings and any Special or General Meetings shall consist of fifteen members in good standing. If there is insufficient number of members to form a quorum at the time the meeting is called, the meeting shall stand adjourned for thirty (30) minutes. At the expiration of the said thirty (30) minutes, the members present will constitute a quorum.
- Teleconferencing shall be allowed for executive meetings, AGM’s and Special Meetings, acknowledging that several YCA members are from the communities, and are unable to travel to the meetings. Voting, by Teleconference shall be allowed, with voice confirmation of votes.
- Minutes will be recorded for all meetings and a copy of the minutes will be stored in the YCA office. These minutes and all other YCA records will be available to members during normal business hours upon 24 hours notice at Sport Yukon 4061 4th Avenue, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 1H1.
- Each attending member in good standing shall be allowed one vote for each question. One written proxy vote will also be accepted per attending member for each question. The written proxy must be submitted to the secretary prior to the start of the meeting for verification. Members with a proxy vote will be allowed 2 votes (their own vote plus the proxy vote.) Voting, except for the election of officers, is by a show of hands, or by voice confirmation for teleconferencing.
- Other than special bylaw resolutions, motions made at executive and general meetings shall pass by a simple majority.
- A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee to present a slate of officers that the Annual General Meeting for the coming year. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor. Written confirmation must be provided if nominees are not present. Elections will take place at the Annual General Meeting and the new Executive shall take office at the first executive meeting after the Annual General Meeting.
- Special General Meetings may be called by the Executive Committee if deemed necessary, or by presentation to the Secretary of a petition signed by at least twenty-five members. Notification of any special meeting shall be set forth in writing to each affiliated club at least twenty-one days prior to such meetings.
- Executive meetings shall be held on a monthly or bimonthly basis at the discretion of the President of the Association or a majority of the Executive Committee and Directors.
- A quorum for executive meetings shall consist of a minimum of 4, or fifty percent of the Executive Committee and Directors. If there are an insufficient number of members to form a quorum, the meeting will be cancelled.
- Disputes will be settled according to the Arbitration Act of the Yukon.
BYLAW 4: Executive Committee
- The Executive Committee of the Association shall consist of: a minimum of 6 and maximum of 14 directors.
- To ensure consistency in decision-making within the Executive Committee at least 3 Executive committee positions will be eligible for election at the Annual General Meeting. Continuity will be represented by at least 3 standing members of the Executive Committee. The new directors shall take office at the first executive meeting after the AGM. The returning directors will retain their positions until the first executive meeting after the AGM.
- The positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer will be determined by the Executive Committee at the first executive meeting after it is elected by the membership at large.
- The Technical Director, Head Official, and Learning Facilitator of the Association shall sit as ex-officio members of the Executive Committee.
- No remuneration shall be paid to any member of the Executive Committee or ex-officio member during his/her time of office.
BYLAW 5: Vacation of Office
- Any Executive Committee member who is absent from three or more consecutive meetings (including General, Annual General, Special and Executive Meetings) without just cause as determined by the Executive Committee shall cease to hold office.
- A member of the Executive Committee may vacate his/her office by submitting a written notice to that effect.
- The term of a member of the executive Committee may be terminated by a special resolution passed by a three-quarters majority vote of those present at a special general meeting of the Association called for that purpose, providing that the 21 days notice was given of the intent to propose the special resolution.
- Vacancies in the Executive Committee may be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee until the next General or Annual General Meeting.
BYLAW 6: Honorary Office
The Association may, at the Annual General Meeting, elect or appoint Honorary Life Members. Honorary members may be appointed on a temporary basis at an executive or general meeting. Such Honorary Life Members need not be members of affiliated clubs.
BYLAW 7: Finances
- The fiscal year shall be from September 1 to August 31.
- The classification for financial accountability (as specified in the Societies Act) shall be determined at each Annual General Meeting depending upon the revenues, assets, grants and/or donations from the previous fiscal year.
- Financial statements must be prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and be approved by the Executive committee and be signed by at least two members of the Executive Committee.
- Financial statements shall consist of a balance sheet and a statement of revenue and expenditure and shall include statements of the amounts:
- received as grants from government bodies
- received as donations from the public, and
- paid as remuneration to any member.
- The financial statements shall be reviewed by a professional accountant appointed by the Executive Committee if the Association’s classification for financial accountability (as determined by the Societies Act) for that fiscal year is either Category A or B.
- The requirement for a review by a professional accountant may be waived by passing of a special resolution at the Annual General Meeting if the Association is Category B for that fiscal year.
- The exercise of borrowing power shall be decided by a majority vote of three-quarters at a meeting of the general membership.
- Cheques and other documents requiring signing authority shall be countersigned by two of the following four positions: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, or director designate as appointed by the executive committee.
BYLAW 8: Alteration of Bylaws
The bylaws of the Association may be altered by a special resolution passed at a General Meeting, Annual General Meeting, or Special Meeting of the Association by a majority of at least three-quarters of the members present and in good standing, provided that the notice specifying the intent to propose the special resolution is given and distributed in writing at least twenty-one days prior to the meeting called for that purpose.
BYLAW 9: Rules of the Game
The Association, its member clubs and individual members shall be governed by the rules and policies of the Canadian Curling Association, by such Association rules and policies of the Canadian Curling Association and by such Association rules and policies as determined by the Executive Committee and outlined in the Policy and Procedures Manual of the Association.
BYLAW 10: Use of Seal
The Association shall not have custody or use of a seal.
BYLAW 11: Dissolution
In the event of the dissolution of the Yukon Curling Association, and assets remaining after payment of all debts and obligations shall be distributed to a Yukon Society as chosen by the membership by special resolution.