Activists and Leaders Forum Terms of Reference and Composition

Function

The Activists and Leaders Forum (ALF) is intended to provide activists and leaders with a non-governance means of regular contact, interactive communication, relationship building, and information and education sharing opportunities.

The forum provides an opportunity for the Board of Directors to connect with its senior activist base, to provide information updates, to seek input and feedback, to deliver education, and to communicate collective campaigns and strategies.

The forum further provides a setting for activists to build relationships with one another, to share the concerns of their constituency with the leadership, to acquire education and training, and to obtain information to be disseminated to their greater constituent membership.

Activists will represent identified constituencies on the basis of geographic location, bargaining unit affiliation, and equity and retiree caucus membership. Please see more details on the forum’s composition, below, for the initial membership list.

Guiding Principles

The Activists and Leaders Forum has no governance function but instead provides member constituencies of varying sizes, affiliations and locations, with a means of having their respective voices heard. As such, the forum’s composition will not be based on a strict representation by population model, but rather premised on equitable access and participation.

All members of the forum will participate in a respectful and constructive manner. The integrity of the forum rests upon the good judgment, discretion, and positive contributions of its participants. Applicable Codes of Conduct and the Union’s Equity Statement shall be in effect.

Oversight and Operation

Administration of the forum shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors.

The forum shall meet 2 times per year with the first meeting of the year occurring in April and the second in October.

The Board of Directors shall schedule and publish meeting dates for the following year at the Union’s Annual Delegates’ Conference.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee shall set the agenda for each meeting and members of the Board Executive will chair each session.

Individual meeting agendas shall be made available in advance and constituent members shall have the ability to suggest agenda items one month or more in advance of meetings.

Selection of Members

The fifteen members of the AMAPCEO Board of Directors and the 11 District Vice- Chairs are automatically members of the ALF. In addition, each of the identified activist constituencies will be responsible for selecting their representatives to participate in the forum as follows:

• District Executive Committees will appoint Community Leads who will attend meetings of the Forum. For the three Districts outside the City of Toronto, one Community Lead is to be appointed for each designated Community. The Executive Committee may ask the Delegates from each Community to select a Community Lead from among themselves, but if those Delegates are unable to agree, the full Executive will make the decision. For each of the nine Districts inside the City of Toronto, the District Executive will designate four Delegates to be Community Leads (and in the case of the two Toronto Districts with Community Chapters, the Executive will designate two Delegates from each designated Community as Leads if the Delegates within those Communities are unable to agree amongst themselves). Community Leads should be selected for one-year terms by District Executive Committees, with the selection occurring following Spring Delegate elections and no later than August 31st of each year, so that leaves can be processed in time to enable them to attend the October ALF meeting.
• Each Bargaining Unit Delegate will automatically be the representative on the forum for their unit. Each equity caucus and the retiree caucus will select their forum representative (and any temporary replacements) from among their members. The Chair of the Board Equity Committee will designate the Equity Committee representative.
• In the case of a Community Lead who is temporarily unable to attend a specific ALF meeting, the District Director is authorized to appoint a temporary alternate to attend that meeting – in the first instance, by selecting another Delegate from the Community (or the District, if it is not sub-divided into designated Communities); if no Delegate is available, from among the broader activist base; and in the final instance, if no Delegate is available, by selecting from among the general membership in the affected Community. Temporary appointments must be made in compliance with the relevant timelines for processing leaves to attend the affected meeting.
• There is no requirement or provision to temporarily replace a District Director or a Vice-Chair unable to attend a specific ALF meeting.

Activists and Leaders Forum Composition

Members will be selected from and by the following activist constituencies¹

Activists: 62

Districts: 46

• Eastern Ontario:
  • Durham Region: 1
  • Kingston: 1
  • Ottawa: 1
  • Peterborough:1
• Northern Ontario:
  • North Bay: 1
  • Sault Ste. Marie: 1
  • Sudbury: 1
  • Thunder Bay: 1
• Western Ontario:
  • Guelph: 1
  • Hamilton/Burlington: 1
  • London: 1
  • Halton/Peel/Simcoe/York: 1
  • St. Catharines/Niagara Region: 1
  • Windsor: 1
• GTA North
  • Downsview: 2
  • North York: 2
• Midtown:
  • Bloor: 2
  • St. Clair: 2
• Bay: 4
• College Park: 4
• Front: 4
• Frost/Wellesley: 4
• Jarvis: 4
• University/Toronto South: 4

Bargaining Unit Delegates (1 per Unit)

• College of Midwives of Ontario: 1
• Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario: 1
• Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario: 1
• Invest Ontario: 1
• Ontario Arts Council: 1
• Ontario Health - Quality: 1
• Ombudsman - Child & Youth Unit: 1
• Ombudsman - French Language Services: 1
• Ontario Public Service: 1
• Public Health Ontario: 1
• Supply Ontario: 1
• Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care: 1

Caucuses: 9

• Equity: 7
• Young Workers: 1
• Retirees: 1

Leaders: 26

• District Directors: 11
• District Vice-Chairs: 11
• Executive Officers: 4

Total: 88

¹ Changes to the constituent membership may be made from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

This is intended by the Board of Directors as a guide to recommended best practices, although individual Districts always have the flexibility to alter specific roles and responsibilities to reflect local preferences (provided that any changes are consistent with the District Operating Policy).

1. District Executive Committee Meetings

Staff Advisor Role

• Should schedule meeting by canvassing using Doodle poll after confirming availability for potential dates with key participants (e.g., Chair, Vice-Chair, secretary, treasurer, staff advisor, others who may be designated by the Chair)
• Attends meeting
• Provides staff update, if any, at meeting

District Director Role

• Prepares agenda with input from staff advisor, Vice-Chair, secretary, others as required (whoever has business to present)
• Chairs the meeting
• Best practice is to identify a series of meeting dates for the year (e.g., quarterly) and identify them well in advance so members have sufficient notice

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• Either staff advisor or secretary sends agenda to members by email
• Secretary takes minutes (in absence, another exec member or staff advisor, but not the Chair; staff advisor should not always be the default)
• Minutes should only record attendance and decisions, not what is said, so should not be onerous
• Vice-Chair presides in absence of Director
• Members have obligation to attend or give advance notice and explanation if they cannot attend

2. District General Membership Meetings

Staff Advisor Role

• Organizes, books offsite meeting locations if needed or works with local activist to book onsite work location and sends out notifications by e-mail
• Places and pays for food orders unless there are complications (e.g., cash only, no delivery), in which case Community Lead or other local activist will be asked to order and pick up
• Prepares speaking notes, slides as required, print necessary materials
• Attends with swag, posters, fact sheets, etc. as required

District Director Role

• Date to be confirmed between AMAPCEO office and Director and consistent with Board-approved roster (i.e., Spring/Fall schedule)
• Prepares agenda with input from staff advisor, other Exec members
• Director and either President/CEO or VP to discuss agenda
• Chairs meetings or delegates to Vice-Chair or Community Lead as appropriate

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• Depending on whether there are multiple general meetings in a District, Vice-Chair/Community Leads to attend respective meetings—role at meeting to be determined in discussion with Director but may require taking charge of local logistical arrangements (e.g., booking room, ordering and picking up food, assisting in publicizing the meeting, etc.)
• Vice-Chair/Community Lead to chair in absence of Director
• Other Exec Committee members who attend should engage fellow members

3. District Social / Mobilization Events

Staff Advisor Role

• Organizes, attends if possible and help with member engagement
• Assists with logistics, book vendors, payments
• Publicizes event in advance, using normal AMAPCEO communication vehicles, as appropriate
• Develops check list of things to do, what to bring, tips on setting them up, etc.

District Director Role

• Depending on location, attends and engages members
• If there is an appropriate opportunity, delivers remarks

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• District Exec members attend as feasible and engage members
• In absence of Director, if there is an appropriate opportunity, Vice-Chair, or Community Lead delivers remarks
• In Communities outside Toronto, Community Lead expected to take charge of local logistical arrangements (e.g., booking venue, etc.)

4. District Information / Reports

Staff Advisor Role

• Produces quarterly membership lists, more frequent lists on request
• Analyses data and producse tables, charts, slides to display District demographic and other data
• Advises re membership changes—likely on an annual or twice-annual basis (e.g., retirements, new members, new activists, activist resignations, sign-up rates, etc.)

District Director Role

• Analyses data as required, requests changes to format of info, seek additional reports as appropriate
• Shares info with other District Exec members
• Shares synopsis of most recent Board meeting with Exec members
• Works with Exec to determine specific information requests, priorities, gaps to recruit activists

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• Exec members use data to develop work plan, budget, track progress, recruit new activists, conduct membership drives, engage members
• All Exec members (and any other activists involved in member engagement) should sign the confidentiality undertaking to respect privacy of member information that is shared with them

5. District Elections

Staff Advisor Role

• The nomination and election process for District Director and Delegates (and the call for nominations for Alternate Delegates) is conducted centrally by designated staff under direction of the Elections and Credentials Committee
• Staff advisor monitors Delegate vacancies and inform Director and Executive periodically throughout the year, but, in particular, in time to enable the Executive to select Alternates for upcoming ADC
• Conducts elections for officer positions on District Exec, e.g., Vice-Chair, secretary, treasurer, Community Leads, as required
• Conducts selection process for Alternate Delegates according to the process, timelines and instructions provided by the Elections and Credentials Committee
• Election/selection process for Executive officer positions and Alternate Delegates is typically done by show of hands at an in-person meeting or by roll call during a teleconference meeting
• If the District Executive prefers (by majority vote), voting for District officer or Alternate Delegates may alternatively take place by email, with votes sent to staff advisor, who will tally the votes and so inform the committee
• It is not feasible to provide the option of anonymous on-line voting for District Executive officer positions or Alternate Delegates

District Director Role

• Actively recruits for District Exec officer nominees, such as Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Community Leads, etc., and for Alternate Delegate positions
• Chairs meeting/teleconference at which District Executive Committee selects Alternate Delegates
• Certifies the Alternate Delegate selection results for the Elections and Credentials Committee, in compliance with the ECC’s process, timelines and instructions

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• District Exec members are responsible for nominating themselves for election/re-election as Delegates
• Responsible for nominating themselves for District Exec officer positions
• District Executive members to participate in process to select Alternate Delegates, as required
• If officers (Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Community Lead) find they are unable to carry out the responsibilities of their positions, they have an obligation to discuss this with the District Director and step aside in favour of someone else, if necessary; the Executive has the authority to fill vacancies in Exec officer positions at any time and may replace incumbents in those positions if they are not able to perform their roles but do not resign
• If Delegates resign or are planning to resign, they have an obligation to let their Director and the AMAPCEO office know as soon as possible, particularly in advance of the annual nomination period for Delegate elections (to enable their positions to be included in that election)

6. District Workplan

Staff Advisor Role

• Provides prior year info and guidance in drafting
• Tracks and reports on progress and report to District Exec, in collaboration with the work plan lead (Vice-Chair or another member so designated)

District Director Role

• Receives tracking information and works with Exec members to encourage them to deliver on the work

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• Vice-Chair could be designated to lead development of the work plan and work with Exec to deliver on work; alternatively, the District Executive could designate another member to take this on
• Executive members involved in delivering the work plan

7. District Budgets

Staff Advisor Role

• Provides guidance, support, monthly updates on spend vs plan, provide additional support if no District treasurer
• If staff orders food or book space, include those costs in District budget updates
• Staff advisor to be main point of contact between District Executive and AMAPCEO office for budget issues

District Director Role

• Provides input and approve final budget before submitted centrally
• Reviews and shares with treasurer and other Exec members monthly or other periodic financial or budget updates

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• If Vice-Chair designated to lead development of the work plan, should also work with Treasurer to develop budget
• Treasurer to develop annual draft budget and monitor during year, based on staff updates
• Treasurer (and Vice-Chair, if feasible) to participate in any central teleconference organized by the AMAPCEO office on District budgets
• District Budget Policy sets out rules and eligible expense categories

8. Event Registration

Staff Advisor Role

• Advises District Director when Delegates register/don’t register for ADC
• Advises Directors of those who have indicated they are unable to attend an ALF meeting, if known
• Advises Delegates and Alternates that they need to register for ADC and ALF

District Director Role

• Assists in reminding Delegates and ALF members of need to register for meetings
• Contacts those Delegates who have not registered, as advised by staff

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• Delegates need to alert Director and AMAPCEO Office as soon as possible if they are unable to attend ADC or ALF

9. District Communications

Staff Advisor Role

• Arranges with Communications staff to post information to District members’ homepages on website, including any messages from District Director to members
• Communications staff will add all Directors to the distribution list for bulletin board posters (not just those who are formal bulletin board coordinators)
• Board members will continue to receive advance notice of weekly membership e-blasts

District Director Role

• Is the principal spokesperson for the district at meetings
• Drafts occasional messages to District members for posting on website
• Approves any messages from Community Leads for posting on website for Community members

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• Community Leads who draft website messages or updates for members in their community are required to submit them for approval of their District Director

10. Member Engagement

Staff Advisor Role

• New member outreach: provides guidance, lists of new members, new member toolkit, discusses procedures and review materials with District Exec members, arranges for distribution of material to local activists
• Provides leadership as required to train, motivate and support activists in ongoing membership engagement and activist recruitment
• Orientation on roles and responsibilities of District Executive
• Orientation for new Delegates to ADC

District Director Role

• Provides appropriate leadership to membership development initiatives in the district, particularly identifying and reaching out to prospective new activists
• Works closely with the Vice-Chair in developing local membership development plans
• Responsible for proposing to President/CEO those members on the Executive who should share Article 8.3 leave to conduct District business

Vice-Chair/Other District Executive Members' Role(s)

• Vice-Chair typically to be lead coordinator of membership development initiatives in District
• District Exec Members should all be involved in reaching out to new members, in recruiting new activists (as per the District plan) and generally supporting and being involved in membership engagement