BY-LAW NO. 1
being the General By-law of
HONG KONG VETERANS COMMEMORATIVE ASSOCIATION
(hereinafter referred to as the "Corporation")
INTERPRETATION
1. Definitions. In this By-law, unless the context otherwise specifies or requires:
(a) "Act" means the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act, S.C. 2009, c. 23 as from time to time amended and every statute that may be substituted therefor and, in the case of such substitution, any references in the By-laws of the Corporation to provisions of the Act shall be read as references to the substituted provisions therefor in the new statute or statutes;
(b) “Articles” means the original or restated articles of incorporation or articles of amendment, amalgamation, continuance, reorganization, arrangement or revival of the Corporation;
(c) "By-laws" means any By-law of the Corporation from time to time in force and effect;
(d) “ordinary resolution” means a resolution passed by a majority of not less than 50% plus one of the votes cast on that resolution;
(e) "Regulations" means the regulations made under the Act as from time to time amended and every regulation that may be substituted therefor and, in the case of such substitution, any references in the By-laws of the Corporation to provisions of the regulations shall be read as references to the substituted provisions therefor in the new regulations; and
(f) “special resolution” means a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast on that resolution.
2. Interpretation. This By-law shall be, unless the context otherwise requires, construed and interpreted in accordance with the following:
(a) all terms contained herein and which are defined in the Act or the Regulations shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Act or such Regulations;
(b) words importing the singular number only shall include the plural and vice versa; and the word "person" shall include individuals, bodies corporate, corporations, companies, partnerships, syndicates, trusts and any number or aggregate of persons; and
(c) the headings used in the By-laws are inserted for reference purposes only and are not to be considered or taken into account in construing the terms or provisions thereof or to be deemed in any way to clarify, modify or explain the effect of any such terms or provisions.
REGISTERED OFFICE
3. Registered Office. The registered office of the Corporation shall be in the City of Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario.
SEAL
4. Seal. The seal, an impression of which is stamped in the margin hereof, shall be the seal of the Corporation.
DIRECTORS
5. Duties and Number. The affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by a board of directors who may be known and referred to as directors, trustees or governors. The number of directors on the board shall be a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of ten (10) and the precise number of directors from time to time between the minimum and maximum noted above shall be determined by ordinary resolution of the members at an annual meeting of members.
6. Qualifications. Every director shall be at least eighteen (18) years of age and shall be a member of the Corporation, or shall become a member of the Corporation within ten (10) days after election or appointment as a director.
7. [Intentionally Deleted.]
8. Election and Term. Subject to the provisions of this By-law, directors shall be elected yearly by ordinary resolution of the members at an annual meeting. The directors’ term of office shall be from the date of the meeting at which they are elected until the annual meeting next following or until their successors are elected. The whole board of directors shall retire at the annual meeting at which the election of directors is to be made, subject to the provisions of the By-laws, shall be eligible for re-election.
9. Vacancies. The office of director shall automatically be vacated:
(a) if the director does not within ten (10) days after election or appointment as a director become a member, or ceases to be a member of the Corporation;
(b) if the director becomes bankrupt or suspends payment of debts generally or compounds with creditors or makes an authorized assignment or is declared insolvent;
(c) if the director is found to be a mentally incompetent person or becomes of unsound mind;
(d) if the director by notice in writing to the Corporation resigns office which resignation shall be effective at the time it is received by the Secretary of the Corporation or at the time specified in the notice, whichever is later;
(e) if at a special meeting of members, a resolution is passed by at least a majority of the votes cast by the members at the special meeting removing the director before the expiration of the director's term of office; or
(f) if the director dies.
10. Filling Vacancies. A vacancy occurring in the board of directors shall be filled as follows:
(a) if the vacancy occurs as a result of the removal of any director by the members in accordance with paragraph 9(e) above, it may be filled upon the vote of a majority of the members and any director elected to fill a removed director's place shall hold office for the remainder of the removed director's term;
(b) any other vacancy in the board of directors may, subject to the limit that the total number of directors appointed by the directors in any year may not exceed one-third of the number of directors elected at the previous annual meeting of members, be filled for the remainder of the term by the directors then in office, if they shall see fit to do so, so long as there is a quorum of directors in office provided that if there is not a quorum of directors, the remaining directors shall forthwith call a meeting of the members to fill the vacancy, and, in default or if there are no directors then in office, the meeting may be called by any member;
(c) otherwise such vacancy shall be filled at the next annual meeting of the members at which the directors for the ensuing year are elected.
If the number of directors is increased between the terms, a vacancy or vacancies, to the number of the authorized increase, shall thereby be deemed to have occurred, which may be filled by the members in the manner above provided.
11. Executive Committee. The board of directors may establish an executive committee comprised of such individuals as the board may from time to time determine. The executive committee shall exercise such powers as are authorized by the board of directors and are not prohibited by section 138(2) of the Act. Subject to the By-laws and any resolution of the board of directors, the executive committee may meet for the transaction of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings as it sees fit and may from time to time adopt, amend or repeal rules or procedures in this regard. Subject to the Act, the provisions of paragraphs 14, 15 and 19 hereof, shall apply to the executive committee. Any executive committee member may be removed by resolution of the board of directors. Executive committee members shall receive no remuneration of serving as such, but are entitled to reasonable expenses incurred in the exercise of their duty.
12. Other Committees. The board of directors may from time to time appoint any other committee or committees, as it deems necessary or appropriate for such purposes and with such powers as the board shall see fit. Any such committee may formulate its own rules of procedure, subject to such regulations or directions as the board may from time to time make. Any committee member may be removed by resolution of the board of directors. The board of directors may fix any remuneration for committee members who are not also directors of the Corporation.
13. Remuneration of Directors. The directors shall serve as such without remuneration and no director shall directly or indirectly receive any profit from occupying the position of director; provided that a director may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred by the director in the performance of the director’s duties.
MEETINGS OF DIRECTORS
14. Place of Meeting. Meetings of the board of directors may be held at any place within or outside Canada.
15. Notice. A meeting of directors may be convened by the Chairperson of the board, the Vice-Chairperson of the board, the President if a director, a Vice-President who is a director or any two directors at any time. The Secretary, when directed or authorized by any of such officers or any two directors, shall convene a meeting of directors. Unless sent by mail, forty-eight (48) hours’ notice of such meeting shall be given to each director. Notice of any such meeting that is sent by mail shall be served in the manner specified in paragraph 59 of this By-law not less than fourteen (14) days (exclusive of the day on which the notice is delivered or sent but inclusive of the date for which the notice is given) before the meeting is to take place; provided always that a director may in any manner and at any time waive notice of a meeting of directors and attendance of a director at a meeting of directors shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the meeting is not lawfully called; provided further that meetings of directors may be held at any time without notice if all the directors are present (except where a director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the meeting is not lawfully called) or if all of the absent directors waive notice before or after the date of such meeting.
If the first meeting of the board of directors following the election of directors by the members is held immediately thereafter, then for such meeting or for a meeting of the board of directors at which a director is appointed to fill a vacancy in the board, no notice shall be necessary to the newly elected or appointed directors or director in order to legally constitute the meeting, provided that a quorum of the directors is present.
16. Error or Omission in Giving Notice. No error or accidental omission in giving notice of any meeting of directors shall invalidate such meeting or make void any proceedings taken at such meeting.
17. Adjournment. Any meeting of directors may be adjourned from time to time by the chairperson of the meeting, with the consent of the meeting, to a fixed time and place. Notice of any adjourned meeting of directors is not required to be given if the time and place of the adjourned meeting is announced at the original meeting. Any adjourned meeting shall be duly constituted if held in accordance with the terms of the adjournment and a quorum is present thereat. The directors who formed a quorum at the original meeting are not required to form the quorum at the adjourned meeting. If there is no quorum present at the adjourned meeting, the original meeting shall be deemed to have terminated forthwith after its adjournment. Any business may be brought before or dealt with at any adjourned meeting which might have been brought before or dealt with at the original meeting in accordance with the notice calling the same.
18. Regular Meetings. The board of directors may appoint a day or days in any month or months for regular meetings of the board of directors at a place or hour to be named by the board of directors and a copy of any resolution of the board of directors fixing the place and time of regular meetings of the board of directors shall be sent to each director forthwith after being passed, but no other notice shall be required for any such regular meetings.
19. Quorum. A majority of the directors shall form a quorum for the transaction of business and, notwithstanding any vacancy among the directors, a quorum of directors may exercise all the powers of directors.
20. Voting. Each director is authorized to exercise one (l) vote. Questions arising at any meeting of directors shall be decided by a majority of votes. In case of an equality of votes the chairperson of the meeting in addition to an original vote shall have a second or casting vote.
21. Telephone Participation. If all the directors of the Corporation consent, a meeting of directors may be held by means of such telephone, electronic or other communication facilities as permit all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other simultaneously and instantaneously, and a director participating in such meeting by such means is deemed to be present at that meeting.
22. Resolution in Lieu of Meeting. A resolution in writing, signed by all directors entitled to vote on that resolution at a meeting of directors or committee of directors, is as valid as if it had been passed at a meeting of directors or committee of directors.
POWERS OF DIRECTORS
23. Administer Affairs. The board of directors of the Corporation may administer the affairs of the Corporation in all things and make or cause to be made for the Corporation in its name, any kind of contract which the Corporation may lawfully enter into and, save as hereinafter provided, generally, may exercise all such other powers and do all such other acts and things as the Corporation is by its Articles or otherwise authorized to exercise and do.
24. Expenditures. The board of directors shall have power to authorize expenditures on behalf of the Corporation from time to time and may delegate by resolution to an officer or officers of the Corporation the right to employ and pay salaries to employees. The board of directors shall have the power to enter into a trust arrangement with a trust company for the purpose of creating a trust fund in which the capital and interest may be made available for the benefit of promoting the interest of the Corporation in accordance with such terms as the board of directors may prescribe.
25. Borrowing Power. The board of directors of the Corporation may from time to time:
(a) borrow money on the credit of the Corporation;
(b) limit or increase the amount to be borrowed;
(c) issue, sell or pledge debt obligations (including bonds, debentures, debenture stock notes or other like liabilities whether secured or unsecured) of the Corporation;
(d) charge, mortgage, hypothecate or pledge all or any currently owned or subsequently acquired real or personal, movable or immovable property of the Corporation, including book debts, rights, powers and undertakings, to secure any debt obligations or any money borrowed, or other debt or liability of the Corporation; and
(e) delegate the powers conferred on the directors under this paragraph to such officer or officers of the Corporation and to such extent and in such manner as the directors shall determine.
The powers hereby conferred shall be deemed to be in supplement of and not in substitution for any powers to borrow money for the purposes of the Corporation possessed by its directors or officers independently of this By-law.
26. Fund Raising. The board of directors shall take such steps as they deem requisite to enable the Corporation to acquire, accept, solicit or receive legacies, gifts, grants, settlements, bequests, endowments and donations of any kind whatsoever for the purpose of furthering the objects of the Corporation.
27. Agents and Employees. The board of directors may appoint such agents and engage such employees as it shall deem necessary from time to time and such persons shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as shall be prescribed by the board of directors at the time of such appointment. The remuneration of all agents and employees shall, subject to the other provisions of this By-law, be fixed by the board of directors by resolution.
OFFICERS
28. Appointment. The board of directors may annually or more often as may be required, appoint a Chairperson of the board, a Vice-Chairperson of the board, a President, an Executive Director, a Secretary, one or more Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer and one or more Assistant Secretaries and/or one or more Assistant Treasurers. A director may be appointed to any office of the Corporation but none of the said officers need be a director or member of the Corporation except that the Chairperson of the board and the Vice-Chairperson of the board shall be directors of the Corporation. Two or more of the aforesaid offices may be held by the same person. In case and whenever the same person holds the offices of Secretary and Treasurer that person may but need not be known as the Secretary-Treasurer. The board of directors may from time to time appoint such other officers and agents as it shall deem necessary who shall have such authority and shall perform such duties as may from time to time be prescribed by the board of directors.
29. Vacancies. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each incumbent officer shall continue in office until the earlier of:
(a) that officer's resignation, which resignation shall be effective at the time the written resignation is received by the Secretary of the Corporation or at the time specified in the resignation, whichever is later;
(b) the appointment of a successor;
(c) that officer ceasing to be a director if such is a necessary qualification of appointment;
(d) the meeting at which the directors annually appoint the officers of the Corporation;
(e) that officer's removal; or
(f) that officer's death.
If the office of any officer of the Corporation shall be or become vacant, the directors may, by resolution, appoint a person to fill such vacancy.
30. Remuneration of Officers. The remuneration of all officers appointed by the board of directors shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the board of directors. All officers shall be entitled to be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of the officer's duties.
31. Removal of Officers. Officers shall be subject to removal by resolution of the board of directors at any time, with or without cause.
32. Duties of Officers May be Delegated. In case of the absence or inability to act of any officer of the Corporation or for any other reason that the board of directors may deem sufficient, the board of directors may delegate all or any of the powers of any such officer to any other officer or to any director for the time being.
33. Powers and Duties. All officers shall sign such contracts, documents or instruments in writing as require their respective signatures and shall respectively have and perform all powers and duties incident to their respective offices and such other powers and duties respectively as may from time to time be assigned to them by the board of directors. The duties of the officers shall include:
(a) Chairperson of the board. The Chairperson of the board, if any, shall, when present, preside at all meetings of the board of directors, committees of directors, if any, and the members.
(b) Vice-Chairperson of the board. If the Chairperson of the board is absent or is unable or refuses to act, the Vice-Chairperson of the board, if any, shall, when present, preside at all meetings of the board of directors, committees of directors, if any, and the members.
(c) President. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Corporation unless otherwise determined by resolution of the board of directors. The President shall be vested with and may exercise all of the powers and shall perform all of the duties of the Chairperson of the board and/or Vice-Chairperson of the board if none be appointed or if the Chairperson of the board and the Vice-Chairperson of the board are absent or are unable or refuse to act; provided, however, that unless the President is a director the President shall not preside as chairperson at any meeting of directors or of committees of directors, if any, and, subject to paragraph 49 of this By-law, at any meeting of members.
(d) Vice-President. The Vice-President or, if more than one, the Vice-Presidents, in order of seniority, shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform all the duties of the President in the absence or inability or refusal to act of the President; provided, however, that a Vice President who is not a director shall not preside as chairperson at any meeting of the board of directors or of committees of directors, if any, and that a Vice-President who is not a director shall not, subject to paragraph 49 of this By-law, preside at any meeting of members.
(e) Secretary. The Secretary shall give or cause to be given notices for all meetings of the board of directors or committees of directors, if any, and members when directed to do so and have charge of the corporate seal of the Corporation, the minute books of the Corporation and of the documents and registers referred to in Section 21 of the Act.
(f) Treasurer. The Treasurer shall keep or shall cause to be kept an accurate account of all receipts and disbursements of the Corporation in proper books of account, and shall deposit or shall cause to be deposited all monies or other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such bank or banks as may be designated from time to time by the board of directors. The Treasurer shall disburse or cause to be disbursed the funds of the Corporation under the direction of the board of directors, receiving proper vouchers thereof and render to the board of directors at its regular meetings or whenever required, an account of all of his transactions as Treasurer, and of the financial position of the Corporation.
(g) Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer. The Assistant Secretary or, if more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in order of seniority, and the Assistant Treasurer or, if more than one, the Assistant Treasurers in order of seniority, shall respectively perform all the duties of the Secretary and the Treasurer, respectively, in the absence or inability or refusal to act of the Secretary or the Treasurer, as the case may be.
(h) Executive Director. The board of directors may from time to time appoint an Executive Director and may delegate to that person full power to manage and direct the business and affairs of the Corporation and to employ and discharge agents and employees of the Corporation. The Executive Director shall supervise the day to day operations and administration of the Corporation. The Executive Director shall conform to all lawful orders given by the board of directors of the Corporation and shall at all reasonable times give to the directors or any of them all information they may require regarding the affairs of the Corporation.
FOR THE PROTECTION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
34. For the Protection of Directors and Officers. Except as otherwise provided in the Act, no director or officer for the time being of the Corporation shall be liable for the acts, receipts, neglects or defaults of any other director or officer or employee or for any loss, damage or expense happening to the Corporation through the insufficiency or deficiency of title to any property acquired by the Corporation or for or on behalf of the Corporation or for the insufficiency or deficiency of any security in or upon which any of the moneys of or belonging to the Corporation shall be placed out or invested or for any loss or damage arising from the bankruptcy, insolvency or tortious act of any person including any person with whom or which any moneys, securities or effects shall be lodged or deposited or for any loss, conversion, misapplication or misappropriation of or any damage resulting from any dealings with any moneys, securities or other assets belonging to the Corporation or for any other loss, damage or misfortune whatever which may happen in the execution of the duties of the director's or officer's respective office or trust or in relation thereto unless the same shall happen by or through the director's or officer's own willful neglect or default.
INDEMNITIES TO DIRECTORS AND OTHERS
35. Indemnities to Directors and Others. Every director or officer of the Corporation or other person who has undertaken or is about to undertake any liability on behalf of the Corporation or any corporation controlled by it and their heirs, executors and administrators, and estate and effects, respectively, shall from time to time and at all times, be indemnified and saved harmless out of the funds of the Corporation, from and against,
(a) all costs, charges and expenses whatsoever which such director, officer or other person sustains or incurs in or about any action, suit or proceeding that is brought, commenced or prosecuted against the director, officer or other person for or in respect of any act, deed matter or thing whatever, made, done or permitted by them, in or about the execution of the duties of such office or in respect of any such liability; and
(b) all other costs, charges and expenses which the director, officer or other person sustains or incurs in or about or in relation to the affairs thereof,
except such costs, charges or expenses as are occasioned by their own willful neglect or default. The Corporation shall also indemnify any such person in such other circumstances as the Act or law permits or requires. Nothing in this By-law shall limit the right of any person entitled to indemnity to claim indemnity apart from the provision of this By-law to the extent permitted by the Act or law.
INTERESTED DIRECTOR CONTRACTS
36. Conflict of Interest. A director who is in any way directly or indirectly interested in a contract or proposed contract with the Corporation shall make the disclosure required by the Act and except as provided by the Act, no such director shall vote on any resolution to approve any such contract. In supplement of and not by way of limitation upon any rights conferred upon directors by Section 141 of the Act and specifically subject to the provisions contained in that section, it is declared that no director shall be disqualified by any such office from, or vacate any such office by reason of, holding any office or place of profit under the Corporation or under any corporation in which the Corporation shall be a shareholder or by reason of being otherwise in any way directly or indirectly interested or contracting with the Corporation as vendor, purchaser or otherwise or being concerned in any contract or arrangement made or proposed to be entered into with the Corporation in which the director is in any way directly or indirectly interested as vendor, purchaser or otherwise. Subject to compliance with the Act, no contract or agreement entered into by or on behalf of the Corporation in which any director shall be in any way directly or indirectly interested shall be avoided or voidable and no director shall be liable to account to the Corporation or any of its members or creditors for any profit realized by or from any such contract or agreement by reason of any fiduciary relationship.
37. Submission of Contracts or Transactions to Members for Approval. The board of directors in its discretion may submit any contract, act or transaction with the Corporation for approval or ratification at any annual meeting of the members or at any general meeting of the members called for the purpose of considering the same and, subject to the provisions of Section 141 of the Act, any such contract, act or transaction that shall be approved or ratified or confirmed by a resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast at any such meeting (unless any different or additional requirement is imposed by the Act, the Articles or the By-laws) shall be as valid and as binding upon the Corporation and upon all the members as though it had been approved, ratified or confirmed by every member of the Corporation.
MEMBERSHIP
38. Entitlement. Membership in the Corporation shall be available to those persons who are interested in furthering the objectives of the Corporation and whose application for admission as a member has received the approval of the board of directors of the Corporation. The board of directors may also pass membership rules, providing, among other things, for the admission of members by the Secretary of the Corporation. Each member shall be promptly informed by the Secretary of their admission as a member.
39. Resignation. Any member may withdraw from the Corporation by delivering to the Corporation a written resignation and lodging a copy of same with the Secretary of the Corporation. A resignation shall be effective from acceptance thereof by the board of directors. In the case of resignation, a member shall remain liable for payment of any outstanding membership dues levied or which became payable by the member to the Corporation prior to such person's resignation.
40. Termination of Membership. The interest of a member in the Corporation is not transferable and lapses and ceases to exist
(a) upon death or dissolution of the member;
(b) when the member's period of membership expires (if any);
(c) when the member ceases to be a member by resignation or otherwise in accordance with the By-laws;
(d) if at a special meeting of members, a resolution is passed to remove the member by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast at the special meeting provided that the member shall be granted the opportunity to be heard at such meeting.
41. Membership Dues. Members shall be notified in writing of the membership fees at any time payable by them and, if any are not paid within one (1) calendar month of the membership renewal date, as the case may be, the members in default shall thereupon cease to be members of the Corporation.
MEMBERS' MEETINGS
42. Time and Place of Meetings. Subject to compliance with Section 160 of the Act, the annual meeting of the members shall be held
on such day in each year and at such time as the directors may determine at any place within Canada or, if all of the members so agree, outside Canada.
(Change below of para 42 subject to approval at Annual General Meeting to be held in summer 2020.)
42. Time and Place of Meetings.
Subject to compliance with Section 160 of the Act, the annual meeting of
the members and any other Special Meeting under paragraph 44, may be
held fully or partly by means of a telephonic, an electronic or other
communication facility that permits all participants to communicate
adequately.
43. Annual Meetings. At every annual meeting, in addition to any other business that may be transacted, the report of the directors, the financial statements and the report of the public accountant shall be presented and the directors shall be elected and public accountant appointed for the ensuing year. The members may consider and transact any business either special or general at any meeting of members.
44. Special Meetings. Other meetings of the members may be convened by order of the Chairperson of the board, the Vice-Chairperson of the board, the President if a director or a Vice-President who is a director and member or by the board of directors at any date and time and at any place within Canada or, if a majority of the members so agree, outside Canada. The board of directors shall call a special general meeting of members on written requisition of members carrying not less than 5% of the voting rights.
45. Notice. Notice of the time and place of a meeting of members shall be given to each member entitled to vote at the meeting by the following means:
(a) by mail, courier or personal delivery to each member entitled to vote at the meeting, during a period of 21 to 60 days before the day on which the meeting is to be held; or
(b) by telephonic, electronic or other communication facility to each member entitled to vote at the meeting, during a period of 21 to 35 days before the day on which the meeting is to be held.
Notice of any meeting where special business will be transacted should contain sufficient information to permit the member to form a reasoned judgment on the decision to be taken. Notice of each meeting of members must remind the member that the member has the right to vote by proxy. The notice of meeting shall also specify whether the members are entitled to vote by mail ballot and if so, the form of mail ballot shall be attached to the notice and the procedures set forth in paragraph 52 shall apply.
46. Waiver of Notice. A member and any other person entitled to attend a meeting of members may in any manner waive notice of a meeting of members and attendance of any such person at a meeting of members shall constitute a waiver of notice of the meeting except where such person attends a meeting for the express purposes of objecting to the transaction of any business on the grounds that the meeting is not lawfully called.
47. Error or Omission in Giving Notice. No error or omission in giving notice of any annual or special meeting or any adjourned meeting of the members of the Corporation shall invalidate any resolution passed or any proceedings taken at any meeting of members.
48. Quorum. A quorum at any meeting of the members (unless a greater number of members and/or proxies are required to be present by the Act or by the Articles or any other By-law) shall be persons present being two in number and being or representing by proxy two members. No business shall be transacted at any meeting unless the requisite quorum be present at the time of the transaction of such business. If a quorum is not present at the time appointed for a meeting of members or within such reasonable time thereafter as the members present may determine, the persons present and entitled to vote may adjourn the meeting to a fixed time and place but may not transact any other business and the provisions of paragraph 59 with regard to notice shall apply to such adjournment.
49. Chairperson of the Meeting. In the event that the Chairperson of the board and the Vice-Chairperson of the board are absent, the President is absent or is not a director and there is no Vice-President present who is a director and a member, the persons who are present and entitled to vote shall choose another director as chairperson of the meeting and if no director is present or if all the directors present decline to take the chair then the persons who are present and entitled to vote shall choose one of their number to be chairperson.
50. Adjournment. The chairperson of any meeting of members may with the consent of the meeting adjourn the same from time to time to a fixed time and place and no notice of such adjournment need be given to the members. Any business may be brought before or dealt with at any adjourned meeting which might have been brought before or dealt with at the original meeting in accordance with the notice calling the same.
51. Resolution in Lieu of Meeting. A resolution in writing, signed by all the members entitled to vote on that resolution at a meeting of members, is as valid as if it had been passed at a meeting of members.
52. Mail Ballots. Where a notice of meeting states that the members may vote by mail ballot, the form of mail ballot shall be attached to the notice of meeting and the notice shall specify that the mail ballot must be completed, signed by the member and received by the Secretary of the Corporation (at the address specified) at least seventy two (72) hours before the meeting at which the member wishes to record his or her vote. Any votes received by mail ballot after that time shall not be counted for the purposes of the meeting. Except where the Act requires a meeting, mail ballots may be used so long as the Corporation has a system that
(a) enables the votes to be gathered in a manner that permits their subsequent verification; and
(b) permits the tallied votes to be presented to the Corporation without it being possible for the Corporation to identify how each member voted.
53. Voting of Members. At all meetings of the members, every question shall be determined on a show of hands by a majority of votes unless otherwise specifically provided by the Act or by these By-laws. In the case of an equality of votes the chairperson of the meeting shall both on a show of hands and at a poll have a second or casting vote in addition to the vote or votes to which the chairperson may be otherwise entitled.
No member shall be entitled in person, by proxy or by mail ballot to vote at meetings of members of the Corporation unless the member has paid all dues or fees, if any, then payable by the member.
At any meeting unless a poll is demanded a declaration by the chairperson of the meeting that a resolution has been carried or carried unanimously or by a particular majority or lost or not carried by a particular majority shall be conclusive evidence of the fact.
A poll may be demanded either before: or after any vote by show of hands by any person entitled to vote at the meeting. If at any meeting a poll is demanded on the election of a chairperson or on the question of adjournment it shall be taken forthwith without adjournment. If at any meeting a poll is demanded on any other question or as to the election of directors, the vote shall be taken by ballot in such manner and either at once, later in the meeting or after adjournment as the chairperson of the meeting directs. The result of a poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded. A demand for a poll may be withdrawn.
54. Proxies. Pursuant to Section 171(1) of the Act, a member entitled to vote at a meeting of members may vote by proxy by appointing in writing a proxyholder, and one or more alternate proxyholders, who are not required to be members, to attend and act at the meeting in the manner and to the extent authorized by the proxy and with the authority conferred by it subject to the following requirements:
(a) a proxy is valid only at the meeting in respect of which it is given or at a continuation of that meeting after an adjournment;
(b) a member may revoke a proxy by depositing an instrument or act in writing executed or, in Quebec, signed by the member or by their agent or mandatary
i. at the registered office of the corporation no later than the last business day preceding the day of the meeting, or the day of the continuation of that meeting after an adjournment of that meeting, at which the proxy is to be used, or
ii. with the chairperson of the meeting on the day of the meeting or the day of the continuation of that meeting after an adjournment of that meeting;
(c) a proxyholder or an alternate proxyholder has the same rights as the member by whom they were appointed, including the right to speak at a meeting of members in respect of any matter, to vote by way of ballot at the meeting, to demand a ballot at the meeting and, except where a proxyholder or an alternate proxyholder has conflicting instructions from more than one member, to vote at the meeting by way of a show of hands;
(d) if a form of proxy is created by a person other than the member, the form of proxy shall
i. indicate, in bold-face type,
A. the meeting at which it is to be used,
B. that the member may appoint a proxyholder, other than a person designated in the form of proxy, to attend and act on their behalf at the meeting, and
C. instructions on the manner in which the member may appoint the proxyholder,
ii. contain a designated blank space for the date of the signature,
iii. provide a means for the member to designate some other person as proxyholder, if the form of proxy designates a person as proxyholder,
iv. provide a means for the member to specify that the membership registered in their name is to be voted for or against each matter, or group of related matters, identified in the notice of meeting, other than the appointment of a public accountant and the election of directors,
v. provide a means for the member to specify that the membership registered in their name is to be voted or withheld from voting in respect of the appointment of a public accountant or the election of directors, and
vi. state that the membership represented by the proxy is to be voted or withheld from voting, in accordance with the instructions of the member, on any ballot that may be called for and that, if the member specifies a choice under subparagraph (iv) or (v) with respect to any matter to be acted on, the membership is to be voted accordingly;
(e) a form of proxy may include a statement that, when the proxy is signed, the member confers authority with respect to matters for which a choice is not provided in accordance with subparagraph (d)(iv) only if the form of proxy states, in bold-face type, how the proxyholder is to vote the membership in respect of each matter or group of related matters;
(f) if a form of proxy is sent in electronic form, the requirements that certain information be set out in bold-face type are satisfied if the information in question is set out in some other manner so as to draw the addressee’s attention to the information; and
(g) a form of proxy that, if signed, has the effect of conferring a discretionary authority in respect of amendments to matters identified in the notice of meeting or other matters that may properly come before the meeting must contain a specific statement to that effect.
A proxy may be in the following form:
The undersigned member of HONG KONG VETERANS COMMEMORATIVE ASSOCIATION hereby appoints of or failing the person appointed above, of as the proxy of the undersigned to attend and act at the meeting of the members of the said Corporation to be held on the day of ____ 20___, and at any adjournment or adjournments thereof in the same manner, to the same extent and with the same power as if the undersigned were present at the said meeting or such adjournment or adjournments thereof. For greater certainty this grant confers discretionary authority to the proxy to vote in respect of all matters that may properly come before the meeting.
DATED this day of 20___
____________________________
Signature of member
The directors may from time to time make regulations regarding the lodging of proxies at some place or places other than the place at which a meeting or adjourned meeting of members is to be held and for particulars of such proxies to be cabled or telegraphed or sent by facsimile or e-mail transmission or in writing before the meeting or adjourned meeting to the Corporation or any agent of the Corporation for the purpose of receiving such particulars and providing that proxies so lodged may be voted upon as though the proxies themselves were produced at the meeting or adjourned meeting and votes given in accordance with such regulations shall be valid and shall be counted. The chairperson of any meeting of members may, subject to any regulations made as aforesaid, in the chairperson's discretion accept telegraphic or cable or facsimile or e-mail or written communication as to the authority of any person claiming to vote on behalf of and to represent a member notwithstanding that no proxy conferring such authority has been lodged with the Corporation, and any votes given in accordance with such telegraphic or cable or facsimile or e-mail or written communication accepted by the chairperson of the meeting shall be valid and shall be counted.
CUSTODY AND VOTING SHARES AND SECURITIES
55. Voting Shares and Securities. All of the shares or other securities carrying voting rights of any company or corporation held from time to time by the Corporation may be voted at any and all meetings of shareholders, bondholders, debenture holders or holders of other securities (as the case may be) of such company or corporation and in such manner and by such person or persons as the board of directors of the Corporation shall from time to time determine. The duly authorized signing officers of the Corporation may also from time to time execute and deliver for and on behalf of the Corporation proxies and/or arrange for the issuance of voting certificates and/or other evidence of the right to vote in such names as they may determine without the necessity of a resolution or other action by the board of directors.
56. Custody of Securities. All shares und securities owned by the Corporation shall be lodged (in the name of the Corporation) with a chartered bank or a trust company or in a safety deposit box or, if so authorized by resolution of the board of directors, with such other depositories or in such other manner as may be determine from time to time by the board of directors.
All share certificates, bonds, debentures, notes or other obligations belonging to the Corporation may be issued or held in the of a nominee or nominees of the Corporation (and if issued or held in the names of more than one nominee shall be held in the names of the nominees jointly with the right of survivorship) and shall be endorsed in blank with endorsement guaranteed in order to enable transfer to be completed and registration to be effected.
EXECUTION OF INSTRUMENTS
57. Execution of Instruments. Contracts, documents or any instruments in writing requiring the signature of the Corporation may be signed by
(a) any one of the Chairperson of the board, the Vice-Chairperson of the board, the President or a Vice-President together with any one of the Secretary or the Treasurer;
(b) any two directors; or
(c) any one of the aforementioned officers together with any one director;
and all contracts, documents, and instruments in writing so signed shall be binding upon the Corporation without any further authorization or formality. The board of directors shall have power from time to time by resolution to appoint any officer or officers or any person or persons on behalf of the Corporation either to sign contracts, documents and instruments in writing generally or to sign specific contracts, documents or instruments in writing.
The term "contracts, documents or instruments in writing" as used in this By-law shall include but not be limited to deeds, mortgages, hypothecs, charges, conveyances, transfers and assignments of property real or personal, immovable or movable, agreements, releases, receipts and discharges for the payment of money or other obligations, conveyances, transfers and assignments of shares, share warrants, stocks, bonds, debentures or other securities and all paper writings.
The seal of the Corporation when required may be affixed to any instruments in writing signed as aforesaid or by any officer or officers appointed by resolution of the board of directors.
CHEQUES, DRAFTS, NOTES, ETC.
58. Cheques, Drafts, Notes, Etc. All cheques, drafts or orders for the payment of money and all notes and acceptances and bills of exchange shall be signed by such officer or officers or person or persons, whether or not officers of the Corporation and in such manner as the board of directors may from time to time designate by resolution.
NOTICES
59. Service. Any notice or other document required by the Act, the regulations, the Articles or the By-laws to be sent to any member or director or to the public accountant shall be sent by mail, courier or personal delivery, or by telephonic, electronic or other communication facility to any such member or director at their latest address as shown in the records of the Corporation and to the public accountant at its business address, or if no address be given therein then to the last address of such member or director known to the Secretary; provided always that notice may be waived or the time for the notice may be waived or abridged at any time with the consent in writing of the person entitled thereto.
60. Signature to Notices. The signature of any director or officer of the Corporation to any notice or document to be given by the Corporation may be written, stamped, typewritten or printed or partly written, stamped, typewritten or printed.
61. Computation of Time. Where a given number of days' notice or notice extending over a period is required to be given under the By-laws or Articles of the Corporation the day of service or posting of the notice shall not, unless it is otherwise provided, be counted in such number of days or other period.
62. Proof of Service. With respect to every notice or other document sent by post it shall be sufficient to prove that the envelope or wrapper containing the notice or other document was properly addressed as provided in paragraph 59 of this By-law and put into a Post Office or into a letter box. A certificate of an officer of the Corporation in office at the time of the making of the certificate as to facts in relation to the sending or delivery of any notice or other document to any member, director, officer or public accountant or publication of any notice or other document shall be conclusive evidence thereof and shall be binding on every member, director, officer or public accountant of the Corporation as the case may be.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
63. Rules and Regulations. The board of directors may prescribe such rules and regulations not inconsistent with the By-laws relating to the management and operation of the Corporation and other matters provided for in these By-laws as they may deem expedient, provided that such rules and regulations shall have force and effect only until the next annual meeting of the members of the Corporation when they shall be confirmed and in default of confirmation at such annual meeting of members shall at and from that time cease to have force and effect.
BY-LAWS
64. By-laws. The board of directors may from time to time enact By-laws relating in any way to the Corporation or to the conduct of its affairs, and may from time to time by By-law amend, repeal or re-enact the By-laws but no By-law shall be effective until sanctioned by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast at a meeting of the members duly called for the purpose of considering same.
PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
(Removal of para 65, below, subject to approval at Annual General Meeting to be held in summer 2020.)
65. Public Accountant. The members shall at each annual meeting appoint a public accountant to audit the accounts of the Corporation for report to members who shall hold office until the next following annual meeting; provided, however, that the directors may fill any casual vacancy in the office of the public accountant. The remuneration of the public accountant shall be fixed by the board of directors.
FINANCIAL YEAR
66. Financial Year. The financial year of the Corporation shall terminate on the____ day of _________________ in each year or on such other date as the directors may from time to time by resolution determine.
ENACTED this 13th day of February , 2014.
WITNESS
the seal of the Corporation._____________________________ _____________________________
President Secretary
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