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The Constitution of the London-Fanshawe Federal Liberal Association

Article 1 - Definitions
1.1 1.1.2 1.1.4 1.1.5 1.1.6 In this constitution 1.1.1 "LPC" means Liberal Party of Canada; "LPCO" means the Liberal Party of Canada (Ontario); 1.1.3 "OYL" means Ontario Young Liberals; "Riding Association" means a federal Liberal Association in an electoral district in Ontario; "OLP" means Ontario Liberal Party; "Electoral District" and "riding" means the federal riding of London-Fanshawe.

Article 2 - Objects
2.1 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.1.4 The objects of the Association shall be: To organize the Liberal Party in the riding; To elect, promote and assist Liberal Members of Parliament for the riding; To promote and make widely known and understood Liberal policies and principles; To provide a means of forwarding to the Leader of LPC and the Members of Parliament, and LPCO, the opinion of the members of the London-Fanshawe Federal Liberal Association.

Article 3 - Membership
3.1 3.2 Subject to Article IV of the LPCO constitution, every person may become a member of this Association. Subject to paragraph XII(4)(b) of the LPCO constitution, all members in good standing in this Association shall be eligible to vote or to be elected to office at any annual or general meeting of this Association or hold office in LPCO or represent the Association to any delegated meeting of LPCO or LPC as a delegate. Association members may not vote in any other Riding Association; provided where electoral district boundaries overlap as a result of redistribution, Members

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of Parliament and duly nominated candidates in the preceding election or by-election (provided no subsequent candidate nomination has occurred in the electoral district), and Riding Association Presidents, may vote in the Riding Association in which they stood for election and at any Riding Association with a boundary overlapping such electoral district. 3.4 All persons entitled to vote at Riding Association meetings or Conventions shall be residents of the Electoral District, provided that any person who has been a member for a period of at least six (6) months prior to the date of a meeting of Convention may vote at same even if he or she is a non-resident; provided those non-residents qualified to vote at any such meeting or Convention may not exceed ten percent (10%) of the total membership of the Riding Association at the time of such meeting or Convention. At least ninety percent (90%) of the Riding Association's membership, both voting and non-voting, must reside within the Electoral District at the time of the last application or renewal of his or her membership. All members in good standing or immediate past members (i.e. those members whose memberships expired within the previous ninety (90) days) who reside outside the riding shall be permitted to remain as members of the Constituency Association with full voting rights, notwithstanding the percentage level but no further non-resident members shall be admitted to the Constituency Association until the percentage of non-resident members has dropped to below the permitted percentage level. Applications for membership shall be as set out in Appendix II of the LPCO Constitution as amended from time to time. The membership fee of the Riding Association shall be set from time to time by the Executive Committee, but shall not be less than or exceed such amount as may from time to time be established by the Executive Board of LPCO. A list of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors and of all members in good standing with their full residential addresses and telephone numbers and an indication as to whether or not they are resident in the Electoral District, shall be kept by the Association and a copy of such list shall be sent to LPCO within four (4) weeks after the holding of each annual meeting of the Association.

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Article 4 - Officers

4.1

The officers of the Association shall be: 4.1.1 President 4.1.2 Executive Vice President 4.1.3 Five (5) Vice Presidents 4.1.4 Secretary 4.1.5 Treasurer 4.1.6 Youth Co-ordinator, who shall be twenty-five (25) years of age or under. The officers shall have the following duties and responsibilities: 4.2.1 The President is the Chief Executive Officer and shall: (a) preside at all meetings of the Association, Board of Directors and of the Executive Committee; (b) be a member of all committees of the Association; (c) be the public spokesperson for the Association; (d) ensure that the Association complies with all non-financial provisions of the Canada Elections Act; (e) assign duties to the Vice Presidents and other members in accordance with this section (f) have all necessary powers to ensure the daily functioning of the Association. 4.2.2 The Executive Vice President shall exercise the powers of the President in the absence of the President, shall assist the President and perform such duties as may be assigned to him/her by the President and/or the Executive Committee. 4.2.3 The Vice Presidents shall, in the absence of a contrary ruling by the Executive Committee, chair the standing committees of the Association as assigned by the President. 4.2.4 The Secretary shall: (a) on the instructions of the President, send the required notices as prescribed by section 5.4, 6.3, 9.2.1, 9.2.2 and 9.2.3 for all meetings of the Association, Executive Committee and the Board of Directors and prepare an agenda for same; (b) keep written minutes of the said meetings and distribute the minutes at the appropriate subsequent meeting for ratification; (c) maintain a file of all Association correspondence; (d) ensure compliance with section 11.5 herein. 4.2.5 The Treasurer shall: (a) be responsible for all funds raised by or owing to the Association; (b) attend to the Association's banking and pay all accounts of the Association according to general guidelines approved by the Executive Committee; (c) keep account books for the Association; (d) sign cheques with the provision that a second signature be required for amounts to be determined by the Executive Committee; (e) present a written financial report to the annual meeting; (f) provide a financial report to meetings of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee as requested by the Committee.

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4.2.6 The Youth Co-ordinator shall: (a) Act as a liaison with the Fanshawe College Liberal Club and any other Liberal Youth Club in the riding; (b) Be responsible for attracting young people to join and participate in the Riding Association; (c) Assist with attracting and organizing young people to participate in an election or by-election.

Article 5 - Executive Committee

5.1

The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers, the Immediate Past President of the Association, and those persons prescribed by the LPCO Constitution as set out in sections 5.3 and 5.5 herein. The Executive Committee shall have the following powers and duties in addition to any others set forth in this Constitution: 5.2.1 To manage the affairs of the Association between annual meetings, subject to the decisions of annual or general meetings and to the direction of the Board of Directors; 5.2.2 To set the membership fees of the Association subject to the provisions of section 3.7 herein; 5.2.3 To delegate duties and responsibilities to those committees established in accordance with Section 7.3 and to appoint the chairs of such committees; 5.2.4 To declare vacant the position of a member of the Executive Committee or Board of Directors who has been absent without notice from three (3) consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee or Board of Directors; 5.2.5 To nominate persons to fill vacancies in the Executive Committee or Board of Directors for the remainder of the current mandate; 5.2.6 To hire and pay any personnel deemed necessary to further the activities of the Association; 5.2.7 To provide a report of its activities at each Board of Directors meeting. At least one (1) person twenty five (25) years of age or under shall be on the Executive Committee of the Riding Association, plus the President of the Young Liberal Association, if there is one, in the electoral district. The Executive Committee shall meet at least quarterly and shall meet upon receiving five (5) days notice from the Secretary acting under the direction of the President or acting at the written request of four (4) members of the Executive Committee. The Presidents of those Provincial Riding Associations whose boundaries overlap those of this Riding Association shall be ex-officio non-voting members of this Associations Executive Committee. Quorum for the Executive Committee shall be three (3) of the voting members of the

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5.3

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Executive Committee.

Article 6 - Board of Directors

6.1 The Board of Directors shall consist of: 6.1.1 The Executive Committee; 6.1.2 The sitting Liberal Member of Parliament for the riding and the duly nominated candidate for the riding for the next election or by-election; or if none has been elected or nominated, the official Liberal candidate at the last election or byelection; 6.1.3 A minimum of five (5) and a maximum of twenty (20) Directors elected at the annual meeting of the Association. 6.1.4 The retiring Immediate Past President, who shall be the Honourary Director, unless the said person chooses not to accept the position. The duties, rights, and responsibilities of the Board of Directors are as follows: 6.2.1 To assist and advise and, subject to the decisions of annual and general meetings, direct the Executive Committee; 6.2.2 To be members of the committees of the Association and participate in the work of the committees; 6.2.3 To set annually a limit of expenditures requiring Board approval; 6.2.4 To approve nominations by the Executive Committee for vacancies on the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors; 6.2.5 To appoint the Credentials Chair in accordance with Section 9.3.5; 6.2.6 To appoint an officer and a director to the Nominations Committee in accordance with Section 7.2.1(b). The Board of Directors shall meet no less than every three (3) months (excepting July and August) upon five (5) days notice from the Secretary acting upon the direction of the President or acting upon the written request of eight (8) members of the Board of Directors. Quorum for the Board of Directors shall be a thirty percent (30%) of its voting members.

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Article 7 - Committees
7.1 The Association shall have the following standing committees chaired by a Vice President: 7.1.1 The Communications Committee shall be responsible for organizing the work of the Association with respect to: (a) a regular Association newsletter; (b) media contacts; (c) promotion of special events.

7.1.2 The Fundraising Committee shall be responsible for organizing the work of the Association with respect to developing and organizing fundraising events and activities. 7.1.3 The Membership Committee shall be responsible for organizing the work of the Association with respect to: (a) ensuring compliance with Section 3.8 herein; (b) distributing applications for membership, collecting membership fees, and accepting new members in accordance with the provisions herein; (c) attracting new members to the Association. 7.1.4 The Organization Committee shall be responsible for organizing the work of the Association with respect to: (a) preparing for an election; (b) the collection, maintenance, and analysis of election data; (c) local polling as needed; (d) management of assets and materials from past elections and keeping an inventory thereof. 7.1.5 The Policy Committee shall organize the work of the Association with respect to: (a) local policy formation; (b) representatives for and inputs to regional and provincial policy conferences; (c) input into provincial and national policy formation; (d) communication to the Liberal Parliamentary Caucus and Cabinet and to LPCO (where applicable) the viewpoint of the Riding Association. 7.2 Prior to the Annual Meeting, a Nominations Committee of three (3) persons shall be formed, which shall consist of the following persons and have the following duties: 7.2.1 (a) a Chair who shall be the Immediate Past President of the Association, or in default thereof, as designated by the President; (b) the other members shall be a Director and an officer appointed by the Board of Directors. 7.2.2 The nominations Committee shall seek out and encourage persons to stand for office in the Association at the Annual Meeting, present its report to the annual meeting in accordance with Section 9.6.2, and recommend to the annual meeting the number of directors to be elected. The Association and the Executive Committee may form such other committees as they see fit.

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Article 8 - Finances
8.1 The Association may raise such monies as may be deemed necessary by the Executive Committee to maintain its offices, to pay salaries of its employees or for such other expenditures as may be approved by the Executive Committee. The books of account shall be audited at least once a year by the auditors. Two

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auditors shall be appointed at the annual meeting. A Report of the auditors shall be given at the annual meeting with a complete statement of income and expenditure bearing the signature of the Treasurer and the Certificate of the auditors.

Article 9 - Annual and General Meetings

9.1 Calling of Meetings: 9.1.1 The procedure to be followed at the Annual Meeting of the Association shall be determined by the Executive Board of LPCO pursuant to Article V, Section 8(e) of the LPCO Constitution. 9.1.2 There shall be an Annual Meeting of the Association within fifteen (15) months of the previous annual meeting, failing which, the Executive Committee of LPCO or the District Executive Board, if there is one, whichever shall do so first, shall have the authority to call such meeting at such time and place and on such circumstances as it reasonably deems fit. 9.1.3 General Meetings may be called by the President of the Association or by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall call a general meeting of the Association if so petitioned in writing by forty (40) members in good standing of the Association. The petition must stipulate the reason for the request for the General Meeting. If the Executive Committee fails to call such a general meeting within ten (10) days of receiving such petition, it shall be the responsibility of the President of LPCO to call the meeting. Notice of Meetings 9.2.1 Notice of all Annual and General Meetings of the Association other than Nominating Conventions, or a meeting to select delegates to a leadership convention, executive meetings, or committees thereof, shall be mailed and postmarked at least fourteen (14) days in advance of such. 9.2.2 Notice of Nominating Conventions, or meetings to select delegates to a leadership convention, shall be mailed and postmarked forty-nine (49) days in advance of such. If an election writ has been issued and an electoral emergency is declared by the President of LPCO on the advice of the Executive Committee of LPCO (Electoral Emergency), the notice for the Convention is reduced to seven (7) days. 9.2.3 All notices shall be given to all members of the Association, and such notices and a copy of the current Constitution of the Association shall be provided to LPCO. At least six (6) months notice shall be given for any Nomination Convention called within two (2) years of a federal election at which a majority Federal government was elected. 9.2.4 Failure to give such notice and a copy of the current Constitution to LPCO may render the meeting a nullity if so declared by the LPCO Executive Committee.

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9.3 Voting Eligibility

9.3.1 All persons entitled to vote at an Annual or General Meeting of the Association or at a meeting to elect riding delegate to an LPC Convention, except a leadership convention, or an LPCO Annual Meeting or Policy rally, shall be members of the Association for not less than seven (7) days prior to such, excluding the date of the notice but including the day of the meeting (Membership Cutoff Date). 9.3.2 For Nominating Conventions, and meetings to select delegates to a leadership convention, the membership cutoff date shall be not less than twenty-eight (28) days prior to such, excluding the date of the notice but including the date of the meeting. 9.3.3 In the event of an Electoral Emergency, the membership cutoff date shall be seventy-two (72) hours prior to the hour of the commencement of the Nominating Convention as set out in the Notice calling the same. 9.3.4 Notwithstanding the foregoing, an immediate past member of the Association may, subject to the provisions of the LPCO constitution, renew his or her membership at meetings or conventions 9.3.5 The Board of Directors shall appoint a Credentials Chair who shall receive memberships prior to cut-off and renewals prior to or at meetings or conventions. Any decision as to membership eligibility may be challenged in accordance with the procedures prescribed by LPCO. 9.3.6 Subject to the non-residency limitations of this Association elsewhere provided, any person who subscribes to the objects of the LPCO and to those of the Association and who duly applies for membership and pays the applicable fee, shall be admitted as a member of the Association. If his or her membership or renewal is not accepted, he or she shall have the right of appeal as set out in the LPCO Constitution.

9.4

Chair of Meetings The President of the LPCO shall designate, in writing, a person to chair that part of any meeting of members or Convention relating to the election of officers, delegates, or candidates. The Executive Board of LPCO may by resolution delegate such authority to the appropriate Regional President or the President of the District Association. The President of LPCO or designate may name a person to accept applications for memberships in the Association and to so chair the meeting or Convention, both at the expense of the Association. Election of Delegates 9.5.1 At a meeting to elect delegates to an LPCO or LPC convention, one (1) ballot shall be cast for all positions. Those receiving the highest number of votes shall be delegates up to the required number, and those receiving the next highest number of votes shall be alternates up to the required number, provided the required men, women, and youth positions respectively receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected to the respective positions as delegates and alternates.

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9.5.2 In the event any delegate fails to register at the meeting or convention of LPCO or LPC to which they have been elected, alternates present thereat shall fulfill such vacancy in order of votes received, provided that men, women, and youth positions shall be filled by men, women and youth respectively. 9.5.3 A delegate to a district meeting or an LPCO or LPC meeting or convention or policy rally, must be a member in good standing of the Association at the time of election. 9.6 Election of Officers and Directors 9.6.1 The procedure to be followed for the election of officers and directors of the Association shall be as determined by the Executive Board of LPCO pursuant to Article V, Section 8(e) of the LPCO Constitution. 9.6.2 The Nominations Committee shall present its report by giving the names of persons willing to stand for the officer or director without giving recommendations, and recommending the number of directors to be elected pursuant to Section 6.1.3. 9.6.3 The annual meeting shall determine the number of directors to be elected pursuant to Section 6.1.3 after receiving the recommendation of the Nominations Committee. 9.6.4 If the annual meeting so decides, director positions may be reserved for any or all of the losing candidates for Officer positions. 9.6.5 Quorum for an annual or general meeting of the Association shall be twenty (20) members. 9.6.6 In the event no candidate stands for a particular position at an annual meeting, the position may be filled as if a vacancy had occurred as provided in section 5.2.5 9.6.7 In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this section and the procedure set by the Executive Board of LPCO pursuant to Article V, Section 8(e) of the LPCO Constitution, the latter shall prevail.

Article 10 - Nominating Conventions

10.1 The procedure to be followed at a Nominating Convention for the nomination of a Candidate shall be as determined by the Executive Board of LPCO pursuant to Article V, Section 8(e) of the LPCO Constitution. The Executive Committee shall call a nominating convention (Convention) to elect a Liberal candidate for the next federal election or by-election and any other meeting of members. If the Executive Committee fails to call a Convention within five (5) days following a written request of the President of LPCO, either the LPCO Executive Committee or the District Executive Board shall be empowered to call a Convention at such time and place it sees fit. Any person intending to seek the nomination as candidate for the House of

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Commons at the Convention shall give written notice of such intent to the Association President, Executive Vice President, or Secretary, together with the signatures of not less than fifteen (15) members of the Association then in good standing, no less than forty-two (42) days prior to the date fixed for the Convention. A copy of the nomination papers should be sent to the Riding Association President. In the event of an Electoral Emergency, any individual intending to seek nomination shall provide written notice within five (5) days of the election writ. The Chairperson in consultation with the President of the LPC(O) may waive the notice in the event that circumstances are such that they cause an injustice or potential damage to the Party. 10.4 Candidates for nomination at a Convention shall be members of LPCO and Canadian citizens at least eighteen (18) years of age, but need not be a resident in the Electoral District. Prior to a Convention, candidates must agree in writing not to stand as a candidate for election in the Electoral District as a Liberal candidate, unless duly nominated at the Convention of the Association, and that if elected as a Liberal member, shall cease to be a member of the Association and its nominated candidate upon leaving the Liberal Party. A person seeking the nomination who receives a majority of valid votes cast at the Convention shall be the candidate of the Association at the next federal election or by-election in the Electoral District. The person receiving the lowest number of ballots cast on each ballot shall be eliminated from the next ballot if more than one ballot is required to elect a candidate. Where a person who is a member of the Executive Committee indicates an intention to seek the nomination as a candidate of the Association in a federal election or by-election, that person shall forthwith resign as a member of the Executive Committee.

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Article 11 - Constitutional Amendment and Application

11.1 Constitutional amendments may be proposed at the annual meeting or at a special general meeting called for that purpose by any six (6) members in good standing provided that written notice of the amendment proposed is given to the President and the Chair of the Constitutional Committee (if any), at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the annual meeting or special general meeting. No such proposal shall be effective as an amendment to the Constitution unless it receives a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the votes cast at the annual meeting or special general meeting. No amendment to this Constitution shall be considered unless it shall comply with any provisions prescribed by the LPCO Constitution for the amendment of riding association constitutions.

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11.3

Notwithstanding any express or other statement in this constitution to the contrary, this constitution shall conform with the provisions of the LPCO constitution. Any conflict between this constitution and the LPCO constitution shall be determined by accepting as valid the relevant article of the LPCO constitution. Where this constitution is silent on a particular point or issue, the Association will act in accordance with the most democratic procedure available.

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Article 12 - Notice
12.1 Any written notice required or permitted to be given to any person shall be validly given if delivered personally or if mailed by pre-paid ordinary mail to such person at his or her last known address.

Note: Paragraphs in bold print are mandatory parts of a riding association constitution pursuant to the LPCO constitution.