Cape Breton Regional municipality - A Community of Communities

Affirmative Action Committee Governance Policy

1.0 Membership:

The Affirmative Action Committee shall increase from the current membership of twelve to seventeen members with the following term of office:

Total Number of Members : 17

Recognizing there may be interest expressed from other visible minorities or organizations membership may be requested in writing for consideration once per year assuming that there would be an Annual Meeting.

2.0 Term:

Current Committee members are invited to stay until the expiration of the current CBRM Council term; i.e. December 31, 2004, or until they are re-appointed as a representative of one of the identified groups whichever comes first.

The concept of staggering terms is hoped to maintain the continuity of the committee.

A maximum term of five years is proposed and after that, an interruption of at least one year for membership in the Committee should be considered.

3.0 Meetings:

The Affirmative Action Committee should have a minimum of six meetings per year. Agendas should be circulated one week prior to the meeting.

The Committee should consider designating one of the meetings as an Annual Meeting. This meeting could be used for such things as an annual report of activities or committee work over the past year, review of the Memorandum of Understanding, Chairperson’s report, setting goals for the upcoming year and a time to recognize outgoing members.

The time for the Annual meeting should be chosen for the convenience of the Committee.

4.0 Budget:

Currently CBRM Council has not assigned a budget for Affirmative Action. Funds required to plan such events as the International Day for the Elimination of Racism and the Tom Miller Awards ceremony are addressed by resource staff through the committees. The sub-committee sees no reason for an individual budget at this time.

5.0 Resource Staff:

The Director of Human Resources or his designate will be staff resources for this Committee.

6.0 Chair of the Committee:

The Chair should be appointed annually by election or acclamation.

7.0 Quorum:

The quorum of the Affirmative Action Committee shall be seven (7) members.

8.0 Rules of Order:

The procedural rules of the Committee shall be the same as the rules of order used by the CBRM Council and its committees. A copy is attached.

9.0 Suspension Rule:

The sub-committee recommends should a member be suspended following the same procedure as Council, which requires unanimous consent of the members present at the meeting.

10.0 General Rules of Order:

In all cases where procedure is in question the Committee shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.

Approved by Council: October 15, 2002

Amended: May 24, 2005