By-laws of The International Society for Nomenclature of Paediatric and Congenital Heart Disease (ISNPCHD)/Société internationale de nomenclature des maladies pédiatriques et congénitales du coeur (SINMPCC)

Reviewed September 22, 2014  BE IT ENACTED as a by-law of the Corporation as follows:

SECTION 1 – GENERAL

1.01 Definitions

In this by-law and all other by-laws of the Corporation, unless the context otherwise requires:

  1. “Act” means the Canada Not-For-Profit Corporations Act S.C. 2009, c. 23 including the Regulations made pursuant to the Act, and any statute or regulations that may be substituted, as amended from time to time;
  2. “articles” means the original or restated articles of incorporation or articles of amendment, amalgamation, continuance, reorganization, arrangement or revival of the Corporation;
  3. “board” means the board of directors of the Corporation and “director” means a member of the board;
  4. “by-law” means this by-law and any other by-law of the Corporation as amended and which are, from time to time, in force and effect;
  5. “meeting of members” includes an annual meeting of members or a special meeting of members; “special meeting of members” includes a meeting of any class or classes of members and a special meeting of all members entitled to vote at an annual meeting of members;
  6. “ordinary resolution” means a resolution passed by a majority of not less than 50% plus 1 of the votes cast on that resolution;
  7. “proposal” means a proposal submitted by a member of the Corporation that meets the requirements of section 163 (Member Proposals) of the Act;
  8. “Regulations” means the regulations made under the Act, as amended, restated or in effect from time to time; and
  9. “special resolution” means a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast on that resolution.

1.02. Interpretation

In the interpretation of this by-law, words in the singular include the plural and vice-versa, words in one gender include all genders, and “person” includes an individual, body corporate, partnership, trust and unincorporated organization. Other than as specified in 1.01 above, words and expressions defined in the Act have the same meanings when used in these by-laws.

1.03. Corporate Seal

The Corporation may have a corporate seal in the form approved from time to time by the board. The board of the Corporation shall appoint a custodian of the corporate seal who shall be a director or officer of the Corporation.

1.04. Execution of Documents

Deeds, transfers, assignments, contracts, obligations and other instruments in writing requiring execution by the Corporation may be signed by any two (2) of its officers or directors. In addition, the board may from time to time direct the manner in which and the person or persons by whom a particular document or type of document shall be executed. Any person authorized to sign any document may affix the corporate seal (if any) to the document. Any signing officer may certify a copy of any instrument, resolution, by-law or other document of the Corporation to be a true copy thereof.

1.05. Financial Year End

The financial year end of the Corporation shall be determined by the board of directors.

1.06. Banking Arrangements

The banking business of the Corporation shall be transacted at such bank, trust company or other firm or corporation carrying on a banking business in Canada or elsewhere as the board of directors may designate, appoint or authorize from time to time by resolution. The banking business or any part of it shall be transacted by an officer or officers of the Corporation and/or other persons as the board of directors may by resolution from time to time designate, direct or authorize.

1.07. Borrowing Powers

The directors of the Corporation may, without authorization of the members,

  1. borrow money on the credit of the corporation;
  2. issue, reissue, sell, pledge or hypothecate debt obligations of the corporation;
  3. give a guarantee on behalf and
  4. mortgage, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise create a security interest in all or any property of the corporation, owned or subsequently acquired, to secure any debt obligation of the corporation.

1.08. Annual Financial Statements

The Corporation may, instead of sending copies of the annual financial statements and other documents referred to in subsection 172(1) (Annual Financial Statements) of the Act to the members, send a summary to each member along with a notice informing the member of the procedure for obtaining a copy of the documents themselves free of charge.

SECTION 2 – MEMBERSHIP – MATTERS REQUIRING SPECIAL RESOLUTION

2.01. Membership Conditions

Subject to the articles, there shall be one class of members in the Corporation. Membership in the Corporation shall be available only to individuals interested in furthering the Corporation’s purposes and who have applied for and been accepted into membership in the Corporation by resolution of the board or in such other manner as may be determined by the board. Each member shall be entitled to receive notice of, attend and vote at all meetings of the members of the Corporation.

Pursuant to subsection 197(1) (Fundamental Change) of the Act, a special resolution of the members is required to make any amendments to this section of the by-laws if those amendments affect membership rights and/or conditions described in paragraphs 197(1)(e), (h), (l) or (m).

2.02. Membership Transferability

A membership may only be transferred to the Corporation. Pursuant to Section 197(1) (Fundamental Change) of the Act, a special resolution of the members is required to make any amendment to add, change or delete this section of the by-laws.

2.03. Notice of Meeting of Members

Notice of the time and place of a meeting of members shall be given to each member entitled to vote at the meeting by telephonic, electronic or other communication facility, during a period of 21 to 35 days before the day on which the meeting is to be held. If a member requests that the notice be given by non-electronic means, the notice will be sent by mail, courier or personal delivery, during a period of 21 to 60 days before the day on which the meeting is to be held.

Pursuant to subsection 197(1) (Fundamental Change) of the Act, a special resolution of the members is required to make any amendment to the by-laws of the Corporation to change the manner of giving notice to members entitled to vote at a meeting of members.

2.04. Members Calling a Members’ Meeting

The board of directors shall call a special meeting of members in accordance with Section 167 of the Act, on written requisition of members carrying not less than 5% of the voting rights. If the directors do not call a meeting within twenty-one (21) days of receiving the requisition, any member who signed the requisition may call the meeting.

2.05. Absentee Voting at Members’ Meetings

Pursuant to Section 171(1) of the Act, a member entitled to vote at a meeting of members may vote by proxy by appointing in writing a proxyholder, and one or more alternate proxyholders, who are not required to be members, to attend and act at the meeting in the manner and to the extent authorized by the proxy and with the authority conferred by it subject to the following requirements:

  1. a proxy is valid only at the meeting in respect of which it is given or at a continuation of that meeting after an adjournment;
  2. a member may revoke a proxy by depositing an instrument or act in writing executed or, in Quebec, signed by the member or by their agent or mandatary
    1. at the registered office of the corporation no later than the last business day preceding the day of the meeting, or the day of the continuation of that meeting after an adjournment of that meeting, at which the proxy is to be used, or
    2. with the chairperson of the meeting on the day of the meeting or the day of the continuation of that meeting after an adjournment of that meeting;
  3. a proxyholder or an alternate proxyholder has the same rights as the member by whom they were appointed, including the right to speak at a meeting of members in respect of any matter, to vote by way of ballot at the meeting, to demand a ballot at the meeting and, except where a proxyholder or an alternate proxyholder has conflicting instructions from more than one member, to vote at the meeting by way of a show of hands;
  4. if a form of proxy is created by a person other than the member, the form of proxy shall
    1. indicate, in bold-face type,
      1. the meeting at which it is to be used,
      2. that the member may appoint a proxyholder, other than a person designated in the form of proxy, to attend and act on their behalf at the meeting, and
      3. instructions on the manner in which the member may appoint the proxyholder,
    2. contain a designated blank space for the date of the signature,
    3. provide a means for the member to designate some other person as proxyholder, if the form of proxy designates a person as proxyholder,
    4. provide a means for the member to specify that the membership registered in their name is to be voted for or against each matter, or group of related matters, identified in the notice of meeting, other than the appointment of a public accountant and the election of directors,
    5. provide a means for the member to specify that the membership registered in their name is to be voted or withheld from voting in respect of the appointment of a public accountant or the election of directors, and
    6. state that the membership represented by the proxy is to be voted or withheld from voting, in accordance with the instructions of the member, on any ballot that may be called for and that, if the member specifies a choice under subparagraph (iv) or (v) with respect to any matter to be acted on, the membership is to be voted accordingly;
  5. a form of proxy may include a statement that, when the proxy is signed, the member confers authority with respect to matters for which a choice is not provided in accordance with subparagraph (d)(iv) only if the form of proxy states, in bold-face type, how the proxyholder is to vote the membership in respect of each matter or group of related matters;
  6. if a form of proxy is sent in electronic form, the requirements that certain information be set out in bold-face type are satisfied if the information in question is set out in some other manner so as to draw the addressee’s attention to the information; and
  7. a form of proxy that, if signed, has the effect of conferring a discretionary authority in respect of amendments to matters identified in the notice of meeting or other matters that may properly come before the meeting must contain a specific statement to that effect.

Pursuant to Section 197(1) of the Act, a special resolution of the members (and if Section 199 applies, a special resolution of each class of members) is required to make any amendment to the articles or by-laws of the Corporation to change this method of voting by members not in attendance at a meeting of members.

SECTION 3 – TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

3.01. Termination of Membership

A membership in the Corporation is terminated when:

  1. the member dies or resigns;
  2. the member is expelled or their membership is otherwise terminated in accordance with the articles or by-laws;
  3. the member’s term of membership expires; or
  4. the Corporation is liquidated and dissolved under the Act.

3.02 Effect of Termination of Membership

Subject to the articles, upon any termination of membership, the rights of the member, including any rights in the property of the Corporation, automatically cease to exist.

SECTION 4 – MEETINGS OF MEMBERS

4.01. Place of Meeting of Members

Meetings of the members will be held at any place within or outside of Canada, as determined from time to time by the Board.

4.02. Persons entitled to be Present at Members’ Meetings

The only persons entitled to be present at a meeting of members shall be those entitled to vote at the meeting, the directors and the public accountant of the Corporation and such other persons who are entitled or required under any provision of the Act, articles or by-laws of the Corporation to be present at the meeting. Any other person may be admitted only on the invitation of the chair of the meeting or by resolution of the members.

4.03. Chair of Members’ Meetings:

In the event that the President, the First Vice-President, and the Second Vice President of the board are absent, the members who are present and entitled to vote at the meeting shall choose one of their number to chair the meeting.

4.04. Quorum at Members’ Meetings

A quorum at any meeting of the members (unless a greater number of members are required to be present by the Act) shall be 10% of the members entitled to vote at the meeting, or a minimum number of 8 members. If a quorum is present at the opening of a meeting of the members, the members may proceed with the business of the meeting even if a quorum is not present throughout the meeting.

4.05. Votes to Govern at Members’ Meetings

At any meeting of members every question shall, unless otherwise provided by the articles or by-laws or by the Act, be determined by a majority of the votes cast on the questions. In case of an equality of votes either on a show of hands or on a ballot or on the results of electronic voting, the chair of the meeting in addition to an original vote shall have a second or casting vote.

4.06. Participation by Electronic Means at Members’ Meetings

If the Corporation chooses to make available a telephonic, electronic or other communication facility that permits all participants to communicate adequately with each other during a meeting of members, any person entitled to attend such meeting may participate in the meeting by means of such telephonic, electronic or other communication facility in the manner provided by the Act. A person participating in a meeting by such means is deemed to be present at the meeting. Notwithstanding any other provision of this by-law, any person participating in a meeting of members pursuant to this section who is entitled to vote at that meeting may vote, in accordance with the Act, by means of any telephonic, electronic or other communication facility that the Corporation has made available for that purpose.

4.07. Members’ Meeting Held Entirely by Electronic Means

If the directors or members of the Corporation call a meeting of members pursuant to the Act, those directors or members, as the case may be, may determine that the meeting shall be held, in accordance with the Act and the Regulations, entirely by means of a telephonic, electronic or other communication facility that permits all participants to communicate adequately with each other during the meeting.

SECTION 5 – DIRECTORS

5.01. Number of Directors

The board shall consist of the number of directors specified in the articles, and shall not exceed twenty (20). The minimum number of directors may not be fewer than three (3), at least two of whom are not officers or employees of the Corporation or its affiliates. The board shall be comprised of the fixed number of directors as determined from time to time by the members by ordinary resolution or, if the ordinary resolution empowers the directors to determine the number, by resolution of the board.

5.02. Term of Office of Directors

The directors shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring not later than the close of the fourth annual meeting of members following the election. Said term may be renewed as often as deemed appropriate by the members, at an annual meeting of members.

SECTION 6 – MEETINGS OF DIRECTORS

6.01. Calling of Meetings of Board of Directors

Meetings of the board may be called by the president, the first vice-president, or any two (2) directors at any time.

6.02. Notice of Meeting of Board of Directors

Notice of the time and place for the holding of a meeting of the board shall be given in the manner provided in the section on giving notice of meeting of directors of this by-law to every director of the Corporation not less than 7 days before the time when the meeting is to be held. Notice of a meeting shall not be necessary if all of the directors are present, and none objects to the holding of the meeting, or if those absent have waived notice of or have otherwise signified their consent to the holding of such meeting. Notice of an adjourned meeting is not required if the time and place of the adjourned meeting is announced at the original meeting. Unless the by-law otherwise provides, no notice of meeting need specify the purpose or the business to be transacted at the meeting except that a notice of meeting of directors shall specify any matter referred to in subsection 138(2) (Limits on Authority) of the Act that is to be dealt with at the meeting.

6.03. Votes to Govern at Meetings of the Board of Directors

At all meetings of the board, every question shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast on the question. In case of an equality of votes, the chair of the meeting in addition to an original vote shall have a second or casting vote.

SECTION 7 – OFFICERS

7.01. Appointment of Officers

The board may designate the offices of the Corporation, appoint officers on an annual or more frequent basis, specify their duties and, subject to the Act, delegate to such officers the power to manage the affairs of the Corporation. A director may be appointed to any office of the Corporation. An officer may, but need not be, a director unless these by-laws otherwise provide. Two or more offices may be held by the same person.

SECTION 8 – EFFECTIVE DATE

8.01. By-laws and Effective Date

Subject to the articles, the board of directors may, by resolution, make, amend or repeal any by-laws that regulate the activities or affairs of the Corporation. Any such by-law, amendment or repeal shall be effective from the date of the resolution of directors until the next meeting of members where it may be confirmed, rejected or amended by the members by ordinary resolution. If the by-law, amendment or repeal is confirmed or confirmed as amended by the members it remains effective in the form in which it was confirmed. The by-law, amendment or repeal ceases to have effect if it is not submitted to the members at the next meeting of members or if it is rejected by the members at the meeting. This section does not apply to a by-law that requires a special resolution of the members according to subsection 197(1) (fundamental change) of the Act because such by-law amendments or repeals are only effective when confirmed by members.

Dated September 22, 2014