Notice of June 2025 COPE AGM

COPE's AGM is Sunday, June 22nd

Topic: COPE's 2025 AGM
Time: June 22, 2025 02:00 PM 

At the 2025 COPE AGM, we'll be covering the following territory:

• An update from the co-chairs and campaign team on our  exceptional performance in the 2025 election, electing COPE's Sean Orr as Vancouver's newest City Councillor at the top of the ballot.

• An update from the Interim Treasurer on COPE's finances

• Updates from Suzie Mah on School Board, and Sean Orr on City Council

• Executive elections to fill the following roles:

  • Co-chair

  • Corresponding Secretary (1 Year remaining in term)

  • Treasurer (1 Year remaining in term)

  • Fundraiser

  • Member-At-Large (3)

  • Member-At-Large (1) (1 Year Remaining in Term)

• A motion to amend COPE's constitution and by-laws to reduce mandatory notice times. Details below.

If you're considering seeking a role on the executive, please reach out to cope@copevancouver.ca for more information on what each role entails. 

We’re also recruiting for committee roles which are not elected to the executive, but are also very important. We have room for you.


Notice of By-Law Amendment:

On April 14th, the COPE Executive requested the Policy & Constitution Committee draft a motion to shorten the requirements for mandatory meeting notices. On May 7th, the COPE Policy aand Constitution Committee is recommending the adoption of the following motion:

REDUCING MANDATORY NOTICE OF MEETING PERIOD

WHEREAS the COPE Constitution requires 45 days notice for General Meetings and Constitutional Amendments which is beyond beyond standards in political parties, or under the Societies Act;

WHEREAS the large notice of 45 days has sometimes created organizational issues, as turning to the membership for approval requires planning months in advance;

THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED THAT the COPE Membership endorse a mandatory meeting notice requirement aligned with the BC Societies act of 14 days, with an amendment to suggest that 21 days notice be the suggested notice period except in exceptional circumstances.

THEREFORE IT BE RESOLVED THAT the COPE Constitution be amended as follows:

• Part 3 - General Meetings, Section 2 is amended to change mandatory notice time to 14 days, add a suggestion of 21 days, and remove special provisions for shortened meeting notice for by-elections which would now be redundant.
  
  "Notice of a General Meeting, Special Meeting, Issues Meeting, Policy Conference, Annual General Meeting, or Nominating Conference shall specify the time day and in general terms the nature of the business to be discussed, no later than 14 days prior to the date of the specified meeting, with the suggested meeting notice being a minimum of 21 days except in exceptional circumstances. Notice of meeting place shall be given no later than 14 days before the specified meeting. These meeting notices shall be given in writing to all members in good standing and may, without limitation, be given by email, fax, personal delivery, or mail.
  
  Notice of Motions for amendments to the Constitution and/or Bylaws shall be similarly submitted to the membership no later than 14 days before a General Meeting or AGM, or may be given at a preceding General Meeting or AGM."
  

• Part 4 - The Executive, Section 7 be amended to reflect this change to 14 days as follows:
  

  7. If a Table Officer or Member-at-Large ceases to hold office,

  (a) an election for the vacant position shall be held at the next general meeting, provided it is possible to give 14 days’ notice of the election to the membership

  (b) where 14 days’ notice cannot be given, the election shall be announced at the next general meeting and take place at the following meeting.

 Comparison between current and new by-laws.

More details on meeting location and agenda to follow.

Tanya Webking & Shawn Vulliez
Co-Chairs, COPE