PURPOSE OF THE FEDERATION
-
To promote, through educational activities and other means, the teaching of the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church as applied to the practice and the provision of health care.
-
To contribute to the development of public policy in relation to medical ethics and health care, in accordance with the dignity and worth of human life.
-
To support the growth and foster the creation of Catholic Physicians’ Associations, Guilds and Societies in Canada.
These statutes can be downloaded here.
The Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians and Societies La Fédération Canadienne des Sociétés et Médécins Catholiques
STATUTES
Article I: Name
The name of the organization is the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians and Societies (CFCPS) hereinafter referred to as “the Federation.”
Article II: Purpose
-
- To promote, through educational activities and other means, the teaching of the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church as applied to the practice and the provision of health care.
- To contribute to the development of public policy in relation to medical ethics and health care, in accordance with the dignity and worth of human life.
- To support the growth and foster the creation of Catholic Physicians’ Associations, Guilds and Societies in Canada.
Article III: Membership Categories
A. Members
-
- The members of the Federation shall consist of Catholic Physicians’ Associations, Guilds, and Societies in Canada which subscribe to the purposes of the Federation described in Article II, hereinafter referred to as “the A1 Members”.
- Members of the Federation may also be Physicians in Canada who endorse the teaching of the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church and who subscribe to the purposes of the Association described in Article II, hereinafter referred to as “the A2 Members”.
- The A1 and A2 Members shall be admitted to the Federation at the discretion of the Executive Board.
- The Members shall contribute financially to support the Federation as recommended by the Executive Board and approved at the AGM.
- The Guild members shall be autonomous with respect to their organization. Conjoint activities between the Federation and individual Guilds is encouraged.
B. Affiliated Member
-
- An Affiliated Member shall consist of a non-physician individual who supports and subscribes to the purposes of the Federation described in Article II.
- An Affiliated Member shall be admitted to the Federation at the discretion of the Executive Board.
- An Affiliated Member shall contribute financially to the Federation as recommended by the Executive Board and approved at the AGM
Article IV: Executive Board
-
- The business of the Federation shall be managed by the Executive Board (“Board”), consisting of 5 Officers and a Chaplain as listed herein:
- The Officers shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Immediate Past President.
- Officers shall be physicians and members in good standing of the Federation and shall be required to sign the “Promises of the Catholic Physician”.
- The Officers shall be elected as described in article VI with the exception of the Immediate Past President who assumes the position as a matter of course.
- The Federation shall have an Episcopal Advisor, chosen by the Board, who will act as the liaison between the Federation and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
- The Chaplain shall be a Roman Catholic priest appointed by the Board in consultation with the Episcopal Advisor.
Article V: Duties of the Executive Board
President: The President assumes primary responsibility for managing the affairs of the Federation so as to accomplish its purposes. The President represents and acts as the spokesperson for the Federation in its official acts. He/she is required to be one of the two required signing authorities for Federation documents. He/she shall convene and preside at all meetings of the Board and the Federation Council. The President shall establish whatever Committees are deemed necessary and shall designate the Chairpersons of those committees.
The President shall preside at the annual meeting and shall deliver an annual report on the state and activities of the Federation.
Vice President: The Vice President shall be available to generally assist the President in the performance of his/her or her duties. In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall perform the President’s duties. The Vice President coordinates the presentation of proposed amendments to the Statutes of the Federation. The Vice President may function as the second of two required signing authorities (in addition to the President) for Federation documents.
Secretary: The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings and actions of the Board and the Annual Meeting: issue notices of such meetings at the direction of the President; maintain a record of the Federation membership; and maintain custody of all correspondence and papers belonging to the Board or the Federation as a whole. The Secretary may function as the second of two required signing authorities (in addition to the President) for Federation documents.
Treasurer: The Treasurer shall maintain custody and make an accounting of all monies received and disbursed by the Federation. The Treasurer is authorized to make disbursements on behalf of the Federation, except that disbursements in excess of $200 shall be authorized by the Board. All cheques shall be signed by at least two Officers one of whom shall be the President or the Treasurer and the other can be any member of the elected board. The Treasurer prepares and administers an annual budget and the financial statement that are submitted for approval to the annual general meeting. The Business Year for the Federation is the Calendar Year. The Treasurer may function as the second of two required signing authorities (in addition to the President) for Federation documents.
Immediate Past President: The immediate Past President shall advise the President and lend continuity to the conduct of Federation affairs. The Immediate Past President may function as the second of two required signing authorities (in addition to the President) for Federation documents.
Chaplain: The Chaplain is a non-voting member of the Board who shall provide guidance in harmony with the teaching of the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church as applied to the practice of medicine and the provision of health care. The Episcopal Advisor may also act as the Chaplain.
Article VI: Elections
-
- Election of the Board will occur at the annual meeting of the Association.
- Those elected to the Board shall serve for a term of two (2) years
- Two Board officers, President and Secretary or Vice President and Treasurer, will be elected each year.
- Officers may not serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
- An attempt should be made to nominate officers of the Board for election such that representation acknowledges the geographic diversity of Canada.
- Should a vacancy occur mid-term in one of the Officer positions, it shall be the responsibility of the President to identify and nominate a replacement candidate (Vice-President in the case of a vacancy in the position of President).
- A replacement, to complete the remaining term of office shall be elected by a majority vote of the Executive Board at the earliest opportunity.
- All A1 Members (as described in Article IIIA) in good standing with the Federation who are present at the AGM are eligible to vote and must be present to vote. Virtual (electronic) presence at the meeting is acceptable for voting. Proxy votes are not permissible.
- Members may stand for election whether they are present or not at the AGM.
Article VII: Executive Board Meetings
-
- The Board shall meet regularly at a time and place designated by the President, or by conference call, at least once every four months, pursuant to notice, at the direction of the President. The President shall conduct the meetings. A quorum consists of not less than one half of the current number of Board members plus one. Decisions of the Board shall be made upon a majority vote of the Board members present.
- Notice of Board meetings shall be given to all Board members in writing by mail, electronic mail or fax not less than 15 days before the meeting. Notice shall include the time and place of the meeting, the agenda and the minutes of the previous meeting.
- All Members are welcome to attend and participate in Board meetings, although only Board members may vote.
- Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the governing rules for the meetings.
Article VIII: Federation Council
-
- The Federation Council shall be comprised of the Executive Board and one representative of each of the member Associations, Guilds and Societies (membership category A1), appointed by them for a term of 2 years.
- The President of the Federation chairs the Federation Council
Article IX: Duties of the Federation Council
-
- The Federation Council exists to maintain communication between the Federation and the various Affiliated Associations, Guilds and Societies as to each to others activities across Canada.
- The Federation Council receives suggestions and makes recommendations to the Executive Board concerning the Federation objectives, policies, priorities and activities.
- The members of the Federation Council inform their respective Associations, Guilds, and Societies about the activities of the Federation.
- Associations, Guilds and Societies can collect and forward Federation fees to the Federation from their individual members on behalf of the Federation.
Article X: Meetings of the Federation Council
-
- The Federation Council may meet at the discretion of the Chairman but not less than once a year; alternatively communication may be carried out electronically or by telephone.
- Notice of Federation Council meetings shall be given by mail, electronic mail or fax not less than 30 days before the meeting.
- A quorum shall consist of not less than one half of the current Council members plus one.
Article XI: Annual General Meeting of the Federation
-
- Once each year an annual general meeting, called by the President of the Federation, shall be held in a place and at a date designated by the Board.
- The meeting shall be open to all Members, Affiliated Members, and to all individual members of the Associations, Guilds, and Societies which are members of the Federation.
- The Board shall propose the agenda, which shall include a report by the President and by the Treasurer on the state of the Federation.
- Notice of the annual meeting shall be received by all Federation members and Affiliated Members at least 90 days previous to the meeting. This communication may occur electronically.
- Only A1 Members can vote at the AGM.
Article XII: Amendments of these Statutes
-
- With the exception of Article II these statutes may be amended by two-thirds affirmative vote of the members of the Federation Council in attendance at the AGM. Virtual (electronic) presence at the meeting is acceptable for voting. Proxy votes are not admissible.
- Guild members are required to designate one individual for voting purposes.
- Notice of the proposed amendment shall have been made public to each member at least 30 days in advance of the meeting. Electronic notice of amendment is acceptable.
