ARTICLE 6. THE LEADER
(a) The Leader shall be elected by the members of the Party by secret vote.
(b) To be entitled to vote in a Leadership Vote, a member of the Party must have been a member in good standing of the Party according to the records maintained by the Party at its National Office on the date on which the Leadership Vote is announced by the Executive Council.
(c) At every Assembly, each voting delegate shall be asked "Do you want a Leadership Vote to be called?" Responses shall be by secret ballot by paper or by using appropriate telephonic and computer technology. The results of the ballot shall be announced to the Assembly before the end of the afternoon session on the same day.
(d) If more than 50% of the votes cast are in the affirmative, the Executive Council shall, within 15 days of the Assembly Vote, announce when a Leadership Vote will be held and notice shall be given to all members of the Party by the Executive Council within a further 21 days. The Leadership Vote must be held not sooner than 3 months and not later than 6 months from the date of the vote held at the Assembly.
(e) When the office of Leader becomes vacant, a Leadership Vote must be called by the Executive Council within 15 days from the time that the office becomes vacant, and notice shall be given to all members of the Party within a further 21 days. The Leadership Vote shall be held not less than 3 months and not more than 6 months from the date it is announced. In the event of a vacancy, an Interim Leader may be appointed by the Executive Council.
(f) The Executive Council shall be empowered to establish the procedure and mechanisms including appropriate telephonic and computer technology, not inconsistent with the provisions hereof, whereby the Leadership Vote shall be conducted.
(g) In the event of a Leadership vote there shall be a strict limit placed on the campaign expenses of the Candidates. This limit to be established by the Executive Council.
(h) In order for a person to be considered as a candidate for the leadership of the Party, the individual must:
(i) have been a Member of the Party according to the records maintained by the Party at its National Office on the date on which the Leadership Vote is announced by Executive Council; and
(ii) complete an application form deemed to be suitable by Executive Council, and which shall include but not be limited to the signatures of 100 Members who are eligible to participate in the Leadership Vote. Such Members shall come from no fewer than ten (10) different Associations and five (5) Provinces and/or Territories.
ARTICLE 7. ASSEMBLIES
(a) The Assembly of the Party shall be a meeting of the persons referred to in Articles 7(d) and 7(f). Subject to the provisions of Article 8 hereof with respect to referendum voting by the Party membership, the Assembly shall be the supreme governing body of the Party, subject only to the authority of the Party Constitution and the Party Membership as a whole.
(b) An Assembly shall be held at least every two years at a time and place fixed by the Executive Council. Executive Council may provide that person referred to in Articles 7(d) and 7(f), though not present at the place of Assembly, may communicate with those present through the use of appropriate satellite, telephonic and computer technology and shall be deemed present at the place of Assembly. An Assembly also shall be held forthwith after written request for same to the Secretary by one-quarter of all recognized Constituency Associations, where said Associations have held a General Meeting for the stated purpose of debating this matter and the request has been approved by a Majority Vote. "Forthwith" in 7(b) shall mean as soon as reasonably possible, but in any event not later than 120 days after the receipt by the Secretary of the minimum number of written Constituency Associations request as herein provided. At least 60 days written notice of the holding of any Assembly shall be sent to all members of the Party who have been members in good standing of the Party for at least 14 days before the date of such notice. In the event of interruption of postal service, the required written notice shall be sent by courier or telecopier to the President of each recognized Constituency Association.
(c) At the time of notifying the members of the Party as to the Assembly, the Executive Council shall appoint sub-committees as follows:
(i) an Assembly Arrangements sub-committee whose duties are to organize the Assembly;
(ii) a Nominations sub-committee whose duties are to review all nominations for party office and to ensure that at least one candidate stands for each elective office;
(iii) a Resolutions sub-committee whose duties are to prepare a call for resolutions for Party Assemblies and review and comment on all resolutions submitted for consideration by the Party Assembly. The Resolutions sub-committee should ensure that all resolutions submitted to it are published and provided to all Constituency presidents and all delegates to the Assembly;
(iv) a Credentials sub-committee whose duties are to make final decisions as to accreditation of all delegates and other persons attending the Assembly; and
(v) such other sub-committees as are required to accomplish the purposes of a particular Assembly.
All members of each of the above sub-committees shall be members of the Party, and shall not be paid employees of the Party.
(d) The voting delegates entitled to attend and vote at each Assembly shall be members of the Party who were in good standing not less than 60 days prior to the date of the Assembly and shall consist of the following:
(i) from each recognized Constituency Association one delegate for 40 members, one delegate for each additional 40 members or major fraction thereof up to a total of 240 members, and one delegate for each additional 100 members or major fraction thereof, provided that each Constituency Association shall be entitled to not less than 3 delegates;
(ii) members of the Executive Council, and,
(iii) sitting members of the House of Commons or Senate of Canada who are members of the Party.
(e) Each delegate to an Assembly shall have one vote only. All votes by delegates to an Assembly for the election of members of the Executive Council shall be by secret ballot by paper or by using appropriate telephonic and computer technology.
(f) Upon payment of the registration fee, any member or associate member of the Party in good standing, who is not otherwise a delegate entitled to vote, shall have the right to attend and speak at all meetings of an Assembly but shall not have voting rights.
(g) Resolutions at a Party Assembly, unless otherwise in this Constitution provided, shall require a majority of the votes cast to be carried (herein called a "Majority Vote"). A resolution establishing or amending Party policy or objectives to be carried must receive not only a majority of the votes cast but must also receive a majority vote of the delegates from a majority of the Provinces (with the Territories together counting as one Province) which qualify for maximum representation on the Executive Council of the Party in accordance with Article 5(b) (herein called a "Policy Majority Vote"). A resolution amending this Constitution, including the principles of the Party, to be carried must receive not only a two-thirds majority of the votes cast, but must also receive a majority vote of the delegates from a majority of the Provinces (with the Territories together counting as one Province) which qualify for maximum representation on the Executive Council of the Party in accordance with Article 5(b) (herein called a "Constitution Amending Majority Vote").
ARTICLE 8. POLLS AND REFERENDA
(a) The Executive Council of the Party shall be empowered from time to time:
(i) to conduct a poll of the membership by mail or telephone, on any important constitutional, social, economic, or political issue, the results of which will be taken as advice by the Leader, the caucus, and the Executive Council but which will not be binding; and
(ii) to request an opinion on some important constitutional, social, economic or political proposal of each Party member by secret ballot by paper or by using appropriate telephonic and computer technology.
(b) Referenda may be initiated by either:
(i) a petition requesting such referenda signed by not less than 5% of the Party membership submitted to the Secretary of the Party;
(ii) a motion passed by an Assembly; or
(iii) a motion passed by Executive Council.
Executive Council is responsible for conducting such referenda by official secret vote within 90 days of receiving such a request. For such referenda to be binding, the majorities required by Article 7 must be achieved, and in addition at least 25% of the membership must have cast valid votes.
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