Article I – Name
Section 1. The name of the organization shall be the Canadian Animal Health Laboratorians Network (CAHLN) – Réseau Canadien des Travailleurs en Laboratoire de Santé Animale (RCTLSA) – herein known as “the Association”.
Section 2. The Association shall be a not-for-profit organization.
Article II – Objectives
Section 1. To facilitate exchange of information on animal health laboratory diagnostic trends, techniques, and research.
Section 2. To provide a venue for “networking” to identify common issues of concern.
Section 3. To improve linkages among organizations and scientific staff involved in animal health laboratory work in Canada.
Section 4. To be involved and committed to continuing education for the members of the Association and the veterinary profession as a whole.
Section 5. To foster broad-based relationships with similar associations at the national and international level.
Article III – Officers
Section 1. The officers of the Association shall consist of President, President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer, and immediate Past-President. All officers shall be active members of the Association in good standing.
Section 2. The terms of office for the President, President-elect, and Past-President shall be one year commencing as the close of the annual business meeting and terminating upon the installation of their successors. The term of office for the Secretary-Treasurer shall be two years commencing at the close of the annual business meeting at which he/she was elected and terminating upon the installation of his/her successor.
Section 3. The President-elect shall become acting President for the balance of the unexpired term of office of the President, if for any reason the President shall be unable to fulfill the duties of office.
Section 4. Other vacancies in positions of office that may occur shall be filled by officers of the Association.
Section 5. The officers of the Association shall have the responsibility of administering the affairs of the Association.
Article IV – Membership
Section 1. The CAHLN is open to laboratorians active in the practice, teaching, or research of animal health laboratory medicine, across the wide spectrum of veterinary laboratory disciplines, including bacteriology, immunology, molecular biology, parasitology, pathology (anatomic and clinical), surveillance/epidemiology, toxicology, and virology.
Section 2. The membership requirement in Section 1 may be waived at the discretion of the Officers of the Association.
Section 3. Members of the Association shall retain their membership only so long as they comply with the provision of this Constitution and Bylaws.
Article V – Meetings
Meetings of the Association shall be annual and special.
Article VI. – Dissolution
In the event of the termination and dissolution of the Association, the officers of the Association shall after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the Association, dispose of all of the remaining assets of the Association as directed by a vote of the majority of the members of the Association.
Article VII – Amendments
Section 1. This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of the members at a regular or special meeting, provided that such amendment has been emailed to members at least 30 days prior to such meeting. Those members unable to attend the regular or special meeting may cast their ballot by email. Such ballot is to be received by the Secretary-Treasurer no later than 10 days prior to such meeting.
Section 2. Proposed amendments to the Constitution must be made in writing and signed by no fewer than 3 members of the Association, and forwarded to the Secretary-Treasurer no later than 60 days prior to the annual business meeting.
……………………………………………………….
BYLAWS
Canadian Animal Health Laboratorians Network (CAHLN) – Réseau Canadien des Travailleurs des Laboratoires de Santé (RCTLSA)
Article I – Duties of officers
Section 1. The President shall:
a) preside at all meetings,
b) shall appoint all committees, and
c) at the conclusion of his/her term, shall serve for one year as immediate Past-President of the Association.
Section 2. The President-elect shall:
a) assume the duties of the President in circumstances in which the President is temporarily unavailable to perform the duties,
b) become acting President to fill the unexpired term if for any reason the President shall be unable to fulfill the duties of his/her office.
c) become President of the Association after the President has completed his/her term of office, and
d) in concert with the local organizing committee, organize the Association’s annual scientific meeting through a call for abstracts, selection of speakers, and assembly of abstracts for distribution at the meeting.
Section 3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall
a) record minutes of the business proceedings,
b) sign all legal documents,
c) be custodian of all properties of the Association,
d) receive all fees, dues and contributions,
e) pay all debts of the Association,
f) send a notice of the annual business meeting to all members not less than 30 days prior to the meeting date, and
g) submit a Treasurer’s report at the annual business meeting.
Section 4. Signing authority – Signatures of any two of the officers will be required.
Article II – Committees
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer, and immediate Past-President.
Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the immediate Past-President, who will serve as chair, and 2 or 3 other active members from across Canada. It shall be their duty to prepare a list of nominees who have consented to serve if elected. This list shall be forwarded to members 30 days prior to the annual business meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor by any member in good standing.
Section 3. The Awards Committee shall consist of the 3 Past Presidents appointed by the President. The most immediate Past President shall be Chair. It shall be the duty of this committee to select recipients for the various awards given by the Association. Selection of individuals for the various awards shall be by a majority vote of the committee.
Section 4. Additional committees may be appointed as appropriate.
Article III – Membership and dues
Section 1. Membership applications shall be submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer on a form authorized by the Association and signed by the applicant.
Section 2. Membership in the Association shall be terminated by the Secretary-Treasurer for non-payment of dues following one annual billing.
Section 3. Members shall pay dues as recommended by the officers of the Association and approved by a majority of the membership present and voting at a regular or special meeting of the Association or by email ballot.
Section 4. All dues shall become payable on the first day of the financial year.
Section 5. The officers of the Association shall be authorized to waive membership dues partially or entirely in cases of hardship and upon retirement because of age or debility. Members retiring because of age or debility shall automatically have life membership.
Section 6. Dues of student members shall be one-half of those of regular members.
Section 7. No part of the net earnings of the Association shall accrue to the benefit of or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in accordance with the purposes set forth in Articles I and II hereof.
Article IV – Meetings
Section 1. The date and location of the next annual scientific and business meeting shall be chosen by majority vote of those in attendance at an annual meeting.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the President. The time and place of such meetings shall be selected by the officers of the Association.
Section 3. At least 15 per cent of the membership but in no case fewer than 10 members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4. Order of business of the annual business meeting
a) Call to order
b) Approval of minutes
c) Business arising from the minutes
d) Report of the Secretary-Treasurer
e) Report of the President
f) Reports of committees
g) Nominations
h) Election of officers
i) New business
j) Adjournment
Article V – Elections
Section 1. The Association shall elect by ballot at the annual meeting the following officers; President-elect, yearly, and Secretary-Treasurer, every other year.
Section 2. A majority of the members voting shall be necessary to elect the nominees proposed by the Nominating Committee or from nominations made from the floor. Election shall be by written ballot unless there is but one nominee for a given office.
Article VI – Parliamentary procedure
Section 1. All parliamentary proceedings at the meetings of the Association or its committees shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, except where otherwise provided in these bylaws.
Article VII – Amendments
Section 1. These bylaws may be amended by a majority of the members voting at a regular or special meeting, provided that such amendment has been emailed to members at least 30 days prior to such meeting. Those members unable to attend the regular or special meeting may cast their ballot by email. Such ballot is to be received by the Secretary-Treasurer no later than 10 days prior to such meeting.
Section 2. Proposed amendments to the bylaws must be made in writing and signed by no fewer than 3 members of the Association, and forwarded to the Secretary-Treasurer no later than 60 days prior to the annual business meeting.