SOCIETY ACT

The CONSTITUTION

1. The name of the society is:

"ABORIGINAL FRONT DOOR SOCIETY”

2. The purposes of the society are:

1. to foster, encourage and support the DTES Aboriginal People to walk through life with love, honour, respect and compassion for all things in creation, including themselves:

2. to secure, develop and operate a safe place for DTES Aboriginal People in the DTES which place will be the entry point to begin the implementation of an Aboriginal specific drug and alcohol strategy in the DTES, and will:

   • be a place where Aboriginal People can experience, learn and participate in traditional Aboriginal Culture. Teaching and Ceremonies as part of their Healing Journey through life;

   • be a place DTES Aboriginal People can call their own and feel at home, an informal, non-institutional place for people to come in for time out, help, activities:

   • be an accessible storefront, if possible, which will have areas for use and meetings such as a food preparation area, a ceremonial meeting area and multi-use area:

   • provide leadership through respected Elders and other role models;

   • be developed and operated by and with the DTES Aboriginal People themselves.

3. to foster, support and encourage DTES Aboriginal People to address their dependencies, addictions and other issues in a holistic manner using as much as possible Aboriginal Teachings;

4. to foster, support and encourage personal healing, development, education and employment of DTES People through the culture, language, ceremonies, traditions and teachings of the Aboriginal People as well as modern conventional and alternative methods:

5. to foster, encourage and develop an elimination of barriers and challenges that have restricted Aboriginal People, including Aboriginal People with disabilities, from participating fully in society in general and in industry in particular;

6. to assist in eliminating stereotypes of Aboriginal People and foster an accurate portray al of Aboriginal people; and

7. to liaise with Aboriginal and other organizations in the DTES and elsewhere, to facilitate the provision of service to DTES Aboriginal People, in particular, and to achieve the purposes of the Society, in general.

3. Upon winding up or dissolution of the Society, the assets which remain after payment of all cost, charges, and expenses which are properly incurred in the winding up shall be distributed to such charitable organization or organizations having a similar charitable purpose. This provision shall be unalterable.

The BYLAWS

The bylaws of the society are those set out in Schedule B to the Society Act. with the following variations, deletions and additions:

1. Bylaw 1 of Part 1 – Interpretation – the following is added as Subsection (3):

   3. In both these bylaws and the Constitution of the Society:

“DTES Aboriginal Person” means a person, of Aboriginal descent who presently resides in, or who has resided in the DTES;

“DTES” means that geographic area in the City of Vancouver, Province of British Columbia, bounded by Clark Drive, Terminal Avenue, Quebec Street, Cambie Street and Burrard Inlet.

“Elder” means a member of the Society who is designated by the membership of the Society as a respected Elder in accordance with traditional Aboriginal ways, and initially, shall mean the persons who sign the constating documents of the Society;

2. Bylaw 3 of Part 2 – Membership – be revised to:

The members of the society are the applicants for incorporation of the society, and those persons who subsequently become members, in accordance with these bylaws and, in either case, have not ceased to be members. No person under the age of 19 years shall be admitted as a member. The only persons who may be admitted as members, are persons who are DTES Aboriginal People.

3. Bylaw 3 of Part 2 – Membership – be revised to read:

1. The Society shall have a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer who shall be directors of the society and who shall be appointed by the directors of the society:

2. The number of directors shall be 5 or greater number determined from time to time at a general meeting provided always that a majority of the Board of Directors shall be comprised of Members of the Society who are Elders.

3. In addition to the requirements of the Society Act, in order for a person to be appointed a director of the society, the person must be a member of the society in good standing.

4. A Director shall be deemed to have resigned from the Board of Directors immediately if:

1. he/she applies for employment with the Society; or

2. he/she make s proposal to the Society to provide services for fee to the Society; or

3. he/she is concerned with or participates in the revenue of any contract with the Society

4. Bylaw 31(2), Part 6 – Proceedings of Directors, be revised to read:

(2) A quorum for a meeting of the Board of Directors shall be a majority of the Board of Directors provided that the majority of those present must be Directors who are Elders

Schedule B

SOCIETY ACT

Bylaws of: THE ABORIGINAL FRONT DOOR SOCIETY

Note: These bylaws must be read with the amendments contained in the original Constitution of the Society as file with the Registrar of Companies February 4, 2003

Part 1 –Interpretation

1. (1) In these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires:

“directors” means the directors of the society for the time being;

“Society Act” means the Society Act of British Columbia from time to time in force and

all amendments to it;

“registered address” of a member means the member’s address as recorded in the

register of members.

2. The definitions in the Society Act on the date these bylaws become effective apply to

These bylaws.

2. Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa, and words importing a

male person include a female person and a corporation.

Part 2 – Membership

3. The members of the society are the applicants for incorporation of the society, and

those persons who subsequently become members, in accordance with these bylaws and, in either case, have not ceased to be members.

4. A person may apply to the directors for membership in the society and on acceptance by

the directors is a member.

5. Every member must uphold the constitution and comply with these bylaws.

6. The amount of the first annual membership dues must be determined by the directors and

after that the annual membership dues must be determined at the annual general meeting

of the society.

7. A person ceases to be a member of the society

1. by delivering his or her resignation in writing to the secretary of the society or by

mailing or delivering it to the address of the society.

2. on his or her death or in the case of a corporation., on dissolution

3. on being expelled, or

4. on having been a member not in good standing for 12 consecutive months.

8. (1) A member may be expelled by a special resolution of the members passed at

a general meeting.

(2) The notice of special resolution for expulsion must be accompanied by a brief

statement of the reasons for the proposed expulsion.

2. The person who is the subject of the proposed resolution for expulsion must be

Given an opportunity to be heard at the general meeting before the special

Resolution is put to a vote.

9. All members are in good standing except a member who has failed to pay his or

her current annual membership fee, or any other subscription or debt due and owing by

the member to the society, and the member is not in good standing so long as the

debt remains unpaid.

Part 3 – Meetings of Members

10. General meetings of the society must be held at the time and place, in accordance with

the Society Act, that the directors decide.

11. Every general meeting, other than an annual general meeting, is an extraordinary

general meeting.

12. The directors may, when they think fit, convene an extraordinary general meeting.

13. (1) Notice of a general meeting must specify the place, day and hour of the meeting, and,

in case of special business, the general nature of that business.

(2) The accidental omission to give notice of a meeting to, or the non-receipt of a notice

by any of the members entitled to receive notice does not invalidate proceedings at that

meeting.

14. The first annual general meeting of the society must be held not more than 15 months after the date of incorporation and after that an annual general meeting must be held at least once in every calendar year and not more than 15 months after the holding of the last preceding annual general meeting.

Part 4 – Proceeding at General Meetings

15. Special business is

1. all business at an extraordinary general meeting except the adoption of rules or order, and

2. all business conducted at an annual general meeting, except the following:

1. the adoption of rules of order;

2. the consideration of the financial statements;

3. the report of the directors;

4. the report of the auditor, if any;

5. the election of directors;

6. the appointment of the auditor, if required;

7. the other business that, under these bylaws, ought to be conducted at an annual general meeting, or business that is brought under consideration by the report of the directors issued with the notice convening the meeting.

16. (1) Business, other than the election of a chair and the adjournment or termination of the

meeting, must not be conducted at a general meeting at a time when a quorum is not present.

(2) If at any time during a general meeting there ceases to be a quorum present, business then in progress must be suspended until there is a quorum present or until the meeting is adjourned or terminated.

2. A quorum is 3 members present or a greater number that the members may determine at a general meeting.

17. If within 30 minutes from the time appointed for a general meeting a quorum is not

present, the meeting, if convened on the requisition of members, must be terminated, but I in any other case, it must stand adjourned to the same day in the next week, at the same

time and place, and if, at the adjourned meeting, a quorum is not present within 30

minutes from the time appointed for the meeting, the members present constitute a

quorum.

18. Subject to bylaw 19, the president of the society, the vice president or, in the absence of both, one of the other directors present, must preside as chair of a general meeting.

19. If at a general meeting

1. there is no president, vice president or other director present within 15 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, or

2. the president and all the other directors present are unwilling to act as the chair,

the members present must choose one of their number to be the chair.

19. (1) A general meeting may be adjourned from time to time and from place to place but business must not be conducted at an adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place.

(2) When a meeting is adjourned for 10 days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting must be given as in the case of the original meeting.

(3) Except as provided in this bylaw, it is not necessary to give notice of an adjournment or of the business to be conducted at an adjourned general meeting.

19. (1) A resolution proposed at a meeting need not be seconded, and the chair of a meeting may move or propose a resolution.

(2) In the case of a tie vote, the chair does not have a casting or second vote in addition to the vote to which he or she may be entitled as a member, and the proposed resolution does not pass.

19. (1) A member in good standing present at a meeting of members is entitled to one vote.

(2) Voting is by show of hands

(3) Voting by proxy is not permitted.

19. A corporate member may vote by its authorized representative, who is entitled to speak and vote, and in all other respects exercise the rights of a member, and that representative must be considered as a member for all purposes with respect to a meeting of the society.

Part 5 – Directors and Officers

19. (1) The directors may exercise all the powers and do all the acts and things that the society may exercise and do, and that are not by these bylaws or by statute or otherwise lawfully directed or required to be exercised or done by the society in a general meeting, but subject, nevertheless, to

1. all laws affecting the society,

2. these bylaws, and

3. rules, not being inconsistent with these bylaws, that are made from time to time by the society in a general meeting.

(2) A rule, made by the society in a general meeting, does not invalidate a prior act of the directors that would have been valid if that rule had not been made.

 

19. (1) The president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and one or more other persons are the directors of society.

(2) The number of directors must be 5 or a greater number determined from time to time at a general meeting.

19. (1) The directors must retire from office at each annual general meeting when their successors are elected.

(2) Separate elections must be held for each office to be filled.

(3) An election may be by acclamation otherwise it must be by ballot

.

(4) If a successor is not elected, the person previously elected or appointed continues to hold office.

27. (1) The directors may at any time and from time to time appoint a member as a director to fill a vacancy in the directors.

(2) A director so appointed holds office only until the conclusion of the next annual

general meeting of the society, but is eligible for re-election at the meeting.

28. (1) If a director resigns his or her office or otherwise ceases to hold office, the remaining

directors must appoint a member to take the place of the former director.

(2) An act or proceeding of the directors is not invalid merely because there are less than the prescribed number of directors in office.

29. The members may, by special resolution, remove a director, before the expiration of his

or her term of office, and may elect a successor to complete the term of office.

30. A director must not be remunerated for being or acting as a director but a director must

be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily and reasonably incurred by the director while

engaged in the affairs of the society.

Part 6 – Proceedings of Directors

31. (1) The directors may meet at the places they think fit to conduct business, adjourn and otherwise regulate their meetings and proceedings as they see fit.

(2) The directors may from time to time set the quorum necessary to conduct business, and unless so set the quorum is a majority of the directors then in office.

(3) The president is the chair of all meetings of the directors, but if at a meeting the president is not present within 30 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the vice president must act as chair, but if neither is present the directors present may choose one of their number to be the chair at that meeting.

2. A director may at any time, and the secretary, on the request of a director, must, convene a meeting of the directors.

31. (1) The directors may delegate any, but not all, of their powers to committees consisting of the director or directors as they think fit.

(2) A committee so formed in the exercise of the powers so delegated must conform to any rules imposed on it by the directors, and must report every act or thing done in exercise of those powers to the earliest meeting of the directors held after the act or thing has been done.

31. A committee must elect a chair of its meetings, but if no chair is elected, or if at a meeting the chair is not present within 30 minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the directors present who are members of the committee must choose one of their number to be the chair of the meeting.

31. The members of a committee may meet and adjourn as they think proper.

31. For a first meeting of directors held immediately following the appointment or election of a director or directors at an annual or other general meeting of members or for a meeting of the directors at which a director is appointed to fill a vacancy in the directors, it is not necessary to give notice of the meeting to the newly elected or appointed director or directors for the meeting to be constituted, if a quorum of the directors is present. A director who may be absent temporarily from British Columbia may send or deliver to the address of the society a waiver of notice, which may be by letter, telegram, telex or cable, of any meeting of the directors and may at any time withdraw the waiver, and until the waiver is withdrawn,

1. a notice of meeting of directors in not required to be sent to that director, and

2. any and all meetings of the directors of the society, notice of which has not been given to that director, if a quorum of the directors is present, are valid and effective.

31. (1) Questions arising at a meeting of the directors and committee of directors must be decided by a majority of votes.

(2) In the case of a tie vote, the chair does not have a second or casting vote.

31. A resolution proposed at a meeting of directors or committee of directors need not be seconded, and the chair of a meeting may move or propose a resolution.

31. A resolution in writing, signed by all the directors and placed with the minutes of the directors, is as valid and effective as if regularly passed at a meeting of directors.

Part 7 – Duties of Officers

31. (1) The president presides at all meetings of the society and of the directors

(2) The president is the chief executive officer of the society and must supervise the other officers in the execution of their duties.

31. The vice president must carry out the duties of the president during the president’s absence.

31. The secretary must do the following:

1. conduct the correspondence of the society;

2. issue notices of meetings of the society and directors;

3. keep minutes of all meetings of the society and directors;

4. have custody of all records and documents of the society except those required to be kept by the treasurer;

5. have custody of the common seal of the society;

6. maintain the register of members

31. The treasurer must;

    1. keep the financial records, including books of account, necessary to comply with the Society Act, and

    2. render financial statements to the directors, members and others when required.

31. (1) The office of secretary and treasurer may be held by one person who is to be known as the secretary treasurer.

31. In the absence of the secretary from a meeting, the directors must appoint another person to act as secretary at the meeting

Part 8 -- Seal

31. The directors may provide a common seal for the society and may destroy a seal and substitute a new seal in its place.

32. The common seal must be affixed only when authorized by a resolution of the directors and then only in the presence of the persons specified in the resolution, or if no persons are specified, in the presence of the president and secretary or president and secretary treasurer.

Part 9 – Borrowing

31. In order to carry out the purposes of the society the directors may, on behalf of and in the name of the society, raise or secure the payment or repayment of money in the manner they decide, and in particular but without limiting that power, by the issues of debentures.

31. A debenture must not be issued without the authorization of a special resolution.

31. The member may, by special resolution, restrict the borrowing powers of the directors, but a restriction imposed expires at the next annual general meeting.

Part 10 – Auditor

31. This part applies only if the society is required has resolved to have an auditor.

31. The first auditor must be appointed by the directors who must also fill all vacancies occurring in the office of auditor.

31. At each annual general meeting the society must appoint an auditor to hold office until the auditor is re-elected or a successor is elected at the next annual general meeting.

31. An auditor may be removed by ordinary resolution.

31. An auditor must be promptly informed in writing of the auditor’s appointment or removal.

31. A director or employee of the society must not be its auditor.

31. The auditor may attend general meetings.

Part 11 – Notice to Members

31. A notice may be given to a number, either personally or by mail to the member at the member’s registered address.

32. A notice sent by mail is deemed to have been given on the second day following the day on which the notice is posted, and in proving that notice has been given, it is sufficient to prove the notice was properly addressed and put in a Canadian post office receptacle.

31. (1) Notice of a general meeting must be given to

    1. every member shown on the register of members on the day notice is given, and

    2. the auditor, if Part 10 applies

(2) No other person is entitled to receive a notice of a general meeting.

Part 12 – Bylaws

31. On being admitted to membership, each member is entitled to, and the society must give the number without charge, a copy of the constitution and bylaws of the society.

31. These bylaws must not be altered or added to except by special resolution.

 

 

Our services will be developed

 

and maintained by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people. We will serve our members with a culturally sensitive way to assist them in assuming responsibility for themselves. We will respect the member’s rights to a working relationship of mutual trust, privacy, and confidentiality.

Adherence to standard essentials of health and safety of members, is fundamental to the quality of life and will be a primary concern. We will strive to provide our members with the opportunity for positive change, self-development, and personal fulfillment. We are committed to assisting Aboriginal people with priority given to DTES Aboriginal people. We will not condone homophobic, racism or violent behavior. We will distinguish clearly between statements and actions made as private individuals and as representatives of agencies or organizations. We will work for positive change and improvement in the provision of services to Aboriginal people in the spirit of cooperation and the Cultural traditions. We will support Traditional Aboriginal values, knowledge and spiritual practices in developing and providing services to Aboriginal people. We will liaise and work with other Aboriginal service providers in order to more effectively serve the DTES Aboriginal people. We will follow the guidance of our Elders in following our traditional Aboriginal ways in all that we do.