V Elections

31. Electors

The Board of Directors, the Branch Presidents and the National Section Chairs elect the Vice President for the following year. Where a person holds more than one of these offices, they are entitled to only one vote. (24-01-A, Feb 2024) 

32. Candidates for Vice President

The Vice President is elected as follows:

  1. The current Board members are eligible to run for election as Vice President for the following year.
  2. A completed application must be received by the Chief Executive Officer on or before December 15.
  3. Where December 15 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday, the deadline for filing is the first following business day.
  4. If only one Board member applies to stand for Vice President, that candidate will be declared elected by the Chief Electoral Officer. If more than one Board member applies, there will be an election for Vice President by the electors.

33. Branch and Section Appointments to the Board of Directors

  1. A Branch Executive, the CCCA Executive Committee, the Young Lawyers Section Executive Committee, and the National Section Chairs must give notice to the Chief Executive Officer on or before March 31 of their appointment for a vacant position on the Board of Directors.
  2. Where March 31 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or statutory holiday, the deadline for giving notice is the first following business day. (24-01-A, Feb 2024)

33.1  Board Appointments to the Board of Directors

The Board members in paragraphs 18(5) and 18(6) are appointed as follows:

  1. The Governance and Equity Committee will recruit at least three candidates for the position in article 18(5) who are Indigenous and who meet the qualifications in article 19;
  2. The Governance and Equity Committee will identify the gaps in representation on the Board and will recruit at least three candidates whose lived experience as members of equity-deserving groups, as defined in the definition of diversity in article 1, can help address those gaps, and who meet the qualifications in article 19, for the position in paragraph 18(6);
  3. The Governance and Equity Committee may also consider official language, stage of practice, practice type, and Section perspective and experience;
  4. The Governance and Equity Committee may confer with any person about each candidate;
  5. The Governance and Equity Committee will review the candidates, confirm each candidate’s eligibility and consent to be considered for appointment, and make a recommendation to the Board for a single candidate for each vacant position;
  6. The Governance and Equity Committee’s report to the Board will include information about all eligible candidates, describing how the candidates meet the qualifications in article 19, the requirements in paragraphs 18(5) and 18(6) and any considerations under paragraph (3);
  7. The Board of Directors, on the advice of the Governance and Equity Committee, will appoint one candidate to each vacant position. (24-01-A, 24-03-A, Feb 2024. In effect 1 Sep 2024)

34. Chief Electoral Officer

  1. The immediate past President will act as Chief Electoral Officer. If the immediate past President is unwilling or unable to serve, the President will appoint another past President as Chief Electoral Officer.

  2. The Chief Electoral Officer will rule on any questions relating to the nomination and election procedures. They may seek the advice of the Governance and Equity Committee but their rulings are final. A declaration by the Chief Electoral Officer of the result will be determinative of the elections. (24-03-A, Feb 2024)

35. Election of Vice President

  1. The Chief Executive Officer conducts the election for Vice President.
  2. Before sending the ballots, the Chief Executive Officer will publish information about the candidates, for access by the electors and all members of the Association.
  3. The Chief Executive Officer will send a ballot to the electors. Ballots may be sent by regular mail or by electronic or other communications means. The last date for return of the ballots shall be not less than 45 days following the date they are sent to the electors by regular mail, or not less than 30 days following the date they are sent by electronic or other communications means.
  4. The candidate receiving the most votes is elected.
  5. In the case of a tie, the Chief Electoral Officer will cast the deciding vote. (24-01-A, Feb 2024)

36. Death, Incapacity or Withdrawal

  1. Repealed
  2. Repealed
  3. If at any time between the close of nominations and the close of voting all candidates for Vice President die, become unable or are unwilling to serve, the Governance and Equity Committee may call for new nominations and recruit new candidates in the manner it determines. The Chief Electoral Officer will fix a new date for the close of nominations, which will be at least 30 days and not more than 60 days from the date on which the election procedure became inoperative.
  4. If at any time between the close of nominations and the close of voting only one candidate for Vice President remains because of death, withdrawal or incapacity of the other candidates, that candidate will be declared elected by the Chief Electoral Officer.
  5. The death, move, withdrawal or disqualification of a candidate between the distribution of ballots and the close of voting does not affect the election where at least two other candidates remain. (24-01-A, 24-03-A, Feb 2024)