Green Party Nova Scotia 5th Annual Convention/ Annual General Meeting

will be held October 29-30, 2011
at the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs,
683 Francklyn St., Halifax, NS.

Registration
Registration details to follow.

Voting Rights
Individual members of the Green Party of Nova Scotia have voting rights for the Annual General Meeting (AGM) provided that they have taken or renewed membership at least 14 days prior to the start of the AGM.

For the Executive Officer positions and the First Deputy Leader, the voting method options are to vote in person at the AGM, or by mail-in ballots which must to be received at least one business day before in-person voting. Ballots for elected positions will be mailed to be received by members at least 30 days prior to the AGM. Voting on all other matters must be done in person at the AGM.

Membership
You can become a member, or renew your membership, of the Green party of Nova Scotia by providing the following information: Name, Street Address, City, Postal Code, Phone, Email and sending a minimum $10 donation, ($5 for student and unwaged) to P O Box 36044, 5665 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax, NS B3J3S9

Or visit our website to become a member or renew your membership. www.greenparty.ns.ca

Additional donations are greatly appreciated and a tax receipt will be provided.

Election Notice
Any member is eligible to offer as a candidate for an elected position provided that this person is a resident of Nova Scotia, a Canadian citizen, and of provincial legal voting age by the first day of the AGM. Descriptions of the positions are available from the President at presidentm@greenparty.ns.ca
The Officer positions that are up for election are:
Co-President (male) 2 years term
Co-President (female) 1 year term
Policy Co-Convenor (female) 1 year term
Policy Co-Convenor (male) 1 year term

To formally declare their intent to run for one of the Officer positions, a member must submit the "Declaration of Intent to Run" documentation to Sheila Richardson at returning_officer@greenparty.ns.ca or PO Box 36044, 5665 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax NS B3J 3S9 to be received by Sept. 12, 2011.

The "Declaration of Intent to Run" must include:
• a 250-word letter stating reasons for seeking the executive position in the GPNS; this document will be given distribution among the membership
• a current resume or CV
• a current photograph; for electronically submissions, the photo should be in jpg format

Also, the membership will be voting on a First Deputy Leader as nominated by the Leader. The membership will receive information from the Declaration of Intent to Run documentation of the candidate for First Deputy Leader. Members interested in offering for First Deputy Leader should contact the Leader, John Percy at leader@greenparty.ns.ca or PO Box 36044, 5665 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax NS B3J 3S9

Policy Notice
The Policy committee will present a body of policy proposals at least 30 days prior to the AGM for the membership to consider for ratification at the 2011 Annual General Meeting.

Individual members can make policy proposal submissions for consideration by the Policy Committee or they can prepare policy proposals for presentation directly to the membership at the 2011 Annual Convention. Submissions or prepared policy proposals must be sent to policy@greenparty.ns.ca or PO Box 36044, 5665 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax NS B3J 3S9 and received by 11:59 pm, Sept. 11, 2011.

Submissions or prepared policy proposals from a member must be in the following format and order:
1. the name, full contact information, and signature of the member
2. subject/policy area title
3. brief opening section of relevant principles and key issues relevant to the proposed policy
4. numbered list of specific subject-based policy points
5. if applicable a concluding section including cost estimates
6. date of submission
7. citations for material in the opening section, if applicable
8. if the policy proposal is to go directly to membership, it must be endorsed by
2 members in addition to the member proposing the policy:
• name, address, phone number, e-mail address and signature with date for each member endorsing the proposal must appear at the end of the proposal
• the name of the member proposing or endorsing the proposal who will speak to the proposal if required at the AGM must be stated.

Proposals coming from the Policy Committee will be moved and seconded by members of the Policy Committee. Proposals from members that are submitted with endorsements and meet the requirements will be read as moved by the member submitting the proposal and seconded by the first of the endorsing members.

Statements Of Concern Pertaining To The Constitution And By-Laws
The membership is invited to submit specific statements of concern pertaining to the Constitution and By-laws, which the Executive will address as appropriate through proposals for presentation to the membership at a General Meeting.

Please note that urgent issues only will be brought to the 2011 AGM in order that time can be focused on policy proposals; all other submissions will be addressed for the 2012 AGM, tentatively scheduled for the last weekend in April.

Statements of concern are to be sent to presidentm@greenparty.ns.ca and must be received by 11:59 pm, Sept. 9, 2011. The statement of concern must include:
• the member's name and full contact information
• the relevant article number in the Constitution or the specific By-Law, and the original wording that is of concern
• the nature of the concern.

Formal Submissions Of Proposals For Amendments To The Constitution And By-Laws
A member who wishes to submit formal submissions of proposals for amendments to the Constitution and By-laws must send each submission, endorsed by three other Party members, to presidentm@greenparty.ns.ca to be received by 11:59 pm, Sept. 9, 2011.

Please note: in order that time can be focused on policy proposals, the Executive may contact the member making the formal submission to seek permission to hold the member's proposal for the 2012 AGM.

The submission of a proposal for amendment to the Constitution and By-laws must include:
• the date, the principal member's name and full contact information to appear at the top of the submission
• the name, address, phone number, signature with date for each member endorsing the proposal, to appear at the end of the proposal
• the name of the member endorsing the proposal who will speak to the proposal if required at the General Meeting
• the body of the proposal, which must contain:
1. if amendment of an article is being proposed, then
1.1 the number of the article of the Constitution, or the By-Law title
and article number of concern;
1.2 the reason for amendment;
1.3 the wording of the original article;
1.4 the exact wording of the proposed article
2. if the addition of a new article is being proposed, then
2.1 the reason why this addition is thought necessary;
2.2 where in the Constitution and By-laws the proposed addition is to be made and the suggested number of the proposed article; and
2.3 the exact wording of the proposed article
3. if rescinding an article is being proposed, then
3.1 the reason for this proposed removal;
3.2 the number of the article of the Constitution, or By-Law title and article number of concern; and
3.3 the exact wording of material for which removal is proposed.