Sustainable Region Intiative Meeting- July 13
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July 3, 2007 NOTICE TO THE GVRD SUSTAINABLE REGION INITIATIVE TASK FORCE You are requested to attend a Regular Meeting of the GVRD Sustainable Region Initiative Task Force to be held at 9:00 am on Friday, July 13, 2007, in the 2nd Floor Boardroom, 4330 Kingsway, Burnaby, British Columbia. A G E N D A 1. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA 1.1 July 13, 2007 Regular Meeting Agenda Staff Recommendation: That the Sustainable Region Initiative Task Force adopt the agenda for its regular meeting scheduled for July 13, 2007 as circulated. 2. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES 2.1 June 15, 2007 Regular Meeting Minutes Staff Recommendation: That the Sustainable Region Initiative Task Force adopt the minutes of its regular meeting held June 15, 2007 as circulated. 3. DELEGATIONS No items presented. 4. INVITED PRESENTATIONS No items presented. 5. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEE OR STAFF 5.1 Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Amending Bylaw Number 1066, 2007 Designated Speaker: Paulette Vetleson, Corporate Secretary Recommendation: a) That the GVRD Board introduce and give first, second and third reading to “Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Amending Bylaw Number 1066, 2007”. b) That the GVRD Board reconsider, pass and finally adopt “Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Amending Bylaw Number 1066, 2007”. 5.2 The Sustainable Region Initiative: Context for a “Strategic Plan” Designated Speaker: Johnny Carline, Chief Administrative Officer Recommendation: Recommendation: That the SRI Task Force: a) endorse the amended draft of the SRI Strategic Plan for the purpose of holding a workshop, led by the Task Force, with all Board members invited, to discuss the draft; b) direct staff to arrange the workshop and to prepare appropriate presentation materials. NOTE: Report to follow under separate cover 6. INFORMATION ITEMS 6.1 Future of the Region Sustainability Dialogues: Culture – People, Places, Values, dated July 5, 2007 6.2 Future of the Region Sustainability Dialogues: Housing – The Price we Pay, dated June 29, 2007 6.3 Update on Greater Vancouver Economic Council (GVEC), dated July 5, 2007 7. OTHER BUSINESS No items presented. 8. RESOLUTION TO CLOSE MEETING No items presented. 9. ADJOURNMENT Item 5.1 Committee Meeting Date: July 13, 2007 To: Sustainable Region Initiative Committee From: Paulette Vetleson, Corporate Secretary, Corporate Secretary Department Date: June 26, 2007 Subject: Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Amending Bylaw Number 1066, 2007 Recommendation: a) That the GVRD Board introduce and give first, second and third reading to “Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Amending Bylaw Number 1066, 2007”. b) That the GVRD Board reconsider, pass and finally adopt “Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Amending Bylaw Number 1066, 2007”. 1. PURPOSE To seek board approval to amend its procedure bylaw to provide for suspending rules of procedure. 2. CONTEXT In March when the board considered amendments to its procedure bylaw, staff was requested to investigate options for suspending the rules and suggest voting alternatives and rationale for doing so. Suspending rules enables an assembly (board) to do something that could not be done without violating its own rules and does not conflict with its constitution, bylaws, or with the fundamental principles of parliamentary law. For example, the board could not resolve to suspend the rule that, for the purpose of election of the chair and vice chair each director has one vote in each election for an office, because this is a provision of the Local Government Act; doing so would conflict with the legislation. The board’s procedure bylaw does not provide for suspending the rules. However, in unprovided cases the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly apply. It stipulates two days notice be given of a motion to suspend the rules; a majority vote is required. If two days notice is not given, a motion to suspend the rules can be made at the meeting, but unanimous consent is required. Several sources were consulted on standard rules of parliamentary procedure for suspending rules; these are noted in Table 1. Based on this survey, there seems to be no consistent method. Some require notice; others do not. The rationale for requiring some notice may be to provide time to review whether the suspension conflicts with existing bylaws or legislation. The rationale for the differing voting methods, from general consent to unanimous consent, may be to protect minority rights or to uphold the integrity of the rule. Source Rule Robert’s Rules of Notes a parliamentary procedure rule requires previous Order notice and a two-thirds vote for its amendment. Therefore, a two-thirds vote is required to suspend it. Longan’s Allows a rule to be suspended by general consent. But if Parliamentary one member objects, a formal motion is necessary and a Rules two-thirds vote. Bourinot’s Rules of Notes it is customary to insist on unanimous consent to Order suspend a rule. Standing Orders of Some Orders explicitly allow the House of Commons to the House of suspend the operation of other Standing Orders. It is also Commons common for the House of Commons, at any given time, to set aside its rules with the unanimous consent of all Members present. Table 1 If the board determines the current provision requiring unanimous vote to suspend its rules during the meeting is too stringent, then whatever option is decided upon can be implemented by way of an amendment to the procedure bylaw. 3. ALTERNATIVES Any option considered would be subject to the suspension not being inconsistent with or in contravention of any statutory requirement. a) Maintain the status quo for suspending the rules through the Rules of the Legislative Assembly whereby two days notice is required, or if notice is not given, then unanimous consent is required. b) Amend the procedure bylaw by adding a provision for suspending the rules by requiring a vote of two thirds of the votes cast. Alternative b) is recommended and is reflected in Attachment 1, Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Amending Bylaw Number 1066, 2007. It is consistent with the procedure bylaw requirement for a two thirds vote to add items to the agenda, and to move ‘that the vote on the motion be called’. 4. CONCLUSION The board’s procedure bylaw does not include a provision for suspending rules, however the board is able to do so through the Standing Orders of the Legislative Assembly which requires a unanimous vote if notice is not provided. This provision can be changed by amending the procedure bylaw. Doc No. 4515386 GREATER VANCOUVER REGIONAL DISTRICT BYLAW NUMBER 1066, 2007 A Bylaw to Amend “Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Bylaw Number 1009, 2005” to provide for suspension of the rules. WHEREAS the Board of Directors of the Greater Vancouver Regional District has adopted “Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Bylaw Number 1009, 2005”, a Bylaw to govern the proceedings of the Greater Vancouver Regional District Board and Committees pursuant to section 794 of the Local Government Act ; and WHEREAS the Board of the Greater Vancouver Regional District wishes to amend “Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Bylaw Number 1009, 2005”; NOW THEREFORE the Board of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, in open meeting assembled, enacts as follows: 1. “Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Bylaw Number 1009, 2005” is hereby amended as follows: In Part 1, by adding Sections 1.4 and 1.5 as follows: “Motion to Suspend the Rules 1.4 Any member may give notice of a motion to temporarily suspend any one or more of the rules contained in this Bylaw, provided that such suspension is not inconsistent with or in contravention of any statutory requirement, by providing the secretary with a written copy of such motion no later than two working days prior to the scheduled meeting, and the secretary shall add the motion to the agenda for said meeting. The notice must specify which rule is to be temporarily suspended and the item on the agenda to which that suspension will apply. 1.5 At a meeting, any member may at any time introduce a motion to temporarily suspend any one or more of the rules contained in this Bylaw provided that such suspension is not inconsistent with or in contravention of any statutory requirement, but such motion may only be adopted by at least two thirds of the votes cast.” 2. This bylaw shall be cited as “Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Amending Bylaw Number 1066, 2007”. READ A FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD TIME this _____ day of _________________, 2007. RECONSIDERED, PASSED AND FINALLY ADOPTED this _____ day of _________________, 2007. __________________________________ Lois E. Jackson, Chair __________________________________ Paulette A. Vetleson, Secretary Greater Vancouver Regional District Procedure Amending Bylaw Number 1066, 2007 Page 1 of 1 Item No. 5.2 Committee Meeting Date: July 13, 2007 To: Sustainable Region Initiative Task Force From: Johnny Carline, Commissioner/Chief Administrative Officer Date: July 5, 2007 Subject: The Sustainable Region Initiative: Context for a “Strategic Plan” Recommendation: That the SRI Task Force: a) endorse the amended draft of the SRI Strategic Plan for the purpose of holding a workshop, led by the Task Force, with all Board members invited, to discuss the draft. b) direct staff to arrange the workshop and to prepare appropriate presentation materials. 1. PURPOSE This report affords the SRI Task Force a further opportunity to provide input to the development of the GVRD (SRI) Strategic Plan. The plan will articulate the commitment and strategic priorities: • of the GVRD as a corporate body to contributing to a livable and sustainable future through its mandated functions, and • of the GVRD as a political entity to providing leadership and advocating for collaborative solutions to the broader sustainability challenges and opportunities facing the region.