The Liberal Party of Canada Constitution
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The Liberal Party of Canada Constitution As adopted and amended at the Biennial Convention on November 30 and December 1, 2006, further amended at the Biennial Convention in Vancouver on May 2, 2009, at the Extraordinary Convention on June 18, 2011, at the Biennial Convention in Ottawa on January 14 and 15, 2012, and at the Biennial Convention in Montreal on February 23, 2014, and ratified by the National Board of Directors in accordance with Subsection 84(6) on April 26, 2014 CONTENTS PART 1 – THE PARTY ................................................................................................................1 Preamble .....................................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1 – Founding provisions .............................................................................................1 1 Establishment and name ..................................................................................................1 2 Purposes ...........................................................................................................................1 3 Authority of this Constitution ..........................................................................................2 PART 2 – PARTY STRUCTURES ..............................................................................................3 Chapter 2 – Membership ..........................................................................................................3 4 Qualification for membership ..........................................................................................3 5 Application and admission ...............................................................................................3 6 Membership fees ..............................................................................................................4 7 National register of members ...........................................................................................4 8 Term of membership and renewal ...................................................................................4 9 Expiry of membership .....................................................................................................5 10 Rights of members ...........................................................................................................5 11 Bylaws .............................................................................................................................6 Chapter 3 – Supporters .............................................................................................................7 12 Qualification as a supporter .............................................................................................7 13 Application and admission ...............................................................................................7 14 National register of supporters .........................................................................................8 15 Term of registration as a supporter ..................................................................................8 16 Deregistration of supporters .............................................................................................8 17 Rights of supporters .........................................................................................................8 18 Bylaws .............................................................................................................................8 Chapter 4 – Electoral District Associations .............................................................................9 19 Purposes, constitutions and certification of EDAs ..........................................................9 20 Rights and responsibilities of an Electoral District Association ....................................11 21 Associate membership in an EDA .................................................................................11 Chapter 5 – Provincial and Territorial Associations ............................................................12 22 Federation ......................................................................................................................12 23 Rights .............................................................................................................................14 Chapter 6 – Council of Presidents ..........................................................................................15 24 Composition of the Council of Presidents .....................................................................15 25 Responsibilities and powers ...........................................................................................15 26 Officers of the Council of Presidents .............................................................................16 27 Meetings of the Council of Presidents ...........................................................................17 28 Committees of the Council of Presidents ......................................................................18 29 Bylaws of the Council of Presidents ..............................................................................18 Chapter 7 – National Board of Directors ...............................................................................19 30 Composition of the National Board of Directors ...........................................................19 31 Responsibilities and powers ...........................................................................................21 32 Responsibilities of officers ............................................................................................22 33 Meetings of the National Board of Directors .................................................................24 34 Party Bylaws ..................................................................................................................24 ii Chapter 8 – Committees ..........................................................................................................25 35 Standing committees of the Party ..................................................................................25 36 Creation of new committees ..........................................................................................25 37 Conduct of committee business .....................................................................................26 38 National Management Committee .................................................................................27 39 National Election Readiness Committee .......................................................................28 40 National Policy and Platform Committee ......................................................................29 Chapter 9 – Commissions ........................................................................................................32 41 Establishment, purposes and constitutions of Commissions .........................................32 42 The Aboriginal Peoples’ Commission ...........................................................................33 43 The National Women’s Liberal Commission ................................................................34 44 Commission of Young Liberals of Canada ....................................................................34 45 The Senior Liberals’ Commission .................................................................................34 46 Recognition of Commission clubs .................................................................................35 47 Commission conventions ...............................................................................................35 48 Rights and responsibilities of a Commission .................................................................35 49 Finances and property of a Commission ........................................................................36 Chapter 10 – Other Party offices ............................................................................................36 50 Chief Agent ....................................................................................................................36 Chapter 11 – Permanent Appeal Committee ........................................................................37 51 Establishment and composition .....................................................................................37 52 Jurisdiction .....................................................................................................................37 53 Rules of procedure .........................................................................................................38 PART 3 – POLITICAL OFFICES .............................................................................................39 Chapter 12 – Leader ................................................................................................................39 54 Establishment and role ...................................................................................................39 55 Responsibilities and powers of the Leader ....................................................................39 Chapter 13 – Candidates .........................................................................................................39 56 Eligibility .......................................................................................................................39 Chapter 14 – Caucus ................................................................................................................40