Resolutions form an important part of AAMDC’s advocacy work and having clear processes in place is essential. With direction provided through member resolutions, the 2017 Board Governance Review Committee, and the AAMDC Resolutions Committee, the AAMDC is pleased to release a new AAMDC Resolution Process Policy to guide the resolutions process, effective immediately.
The Policy has been structured to guide the resolutions process from start to finish, with the following sections:
- Resolutions Oversight
- Resolution Writing Guidelines
- Resolution Submission Guidelines
- Resolution Types
- Emergent Resolutions
- Resolutions Session
- Amendments
- Endorsed Resolutions
What are the major changes?
- The AAMDC Vice President will be offered first right of refusal to chair the Resolutions Committee. Should the Vice President choose not to chair the Resolutions Committee, another board member will be appointed by the President.
- Districts are required to appoint a Resolutions Committee member and an alternate, and notify the AAMDC of these appointments on an annual basis.
- The Resolutions Committee will have more authority in the resolution review process, specifically to:
- Amend resolutions providing the intent does not change
- Consolidate multiple resolutions of similar intent or subject matter and notify sponsoring municipalities of the consolidation
- Inform the resolution sponsor if a resolution will materially change or contradict a current AAMDC position
- Notify the resolution sponsor of any deficiencies in meeting the writing guidelines for resolutions as identified in the Policy
- Refer resolutions that directly or indirectly duplicate the requests made in an active resolution(s) back to the resolution sponsor for revision or withdrawal
- Determine whether emergent resolutions meet the required definition to be debated on the floor
- Clarification is provided on the definition and purpose of board-endorsed resolutions.
- Clarification is provided regarding emergent resolutions and associated processes:
- An emergent resolution is defined as one submitted to the AAMDC after the resolution deadline that deals with an issue, legislative, or policy change that has arisen after the resolution deadline, and needs to be addressed prior to the next AAMDC convention.
- Justification explaining why a resolution is emergent must be clearly stated upon submission.
- Resolutions accepted by the Resolutions Committee as emergent will be added to the order paper at the start of the resolutions session. No debate from the floor as to whether a resolution is emergent will occur.
- Voting requirements for resolutions will continue to be released in the resolutions package prior to each convention. If the voting requirement assigned to a resolution is to be disputed, an elected official from an AAMDC full member municipality is to notify a Resolutions Committee member in advance of the resolutions session and voting requirement amendments may be presented at the introduction of the order paper.
- Deferral of resolutions back to the sponsor, or tabling a resolution until a future convention will not be permitted. All resolutions included in the order paper will be voted on during the resolutions session in which they are introduced.
- If the resolutions session runs short of time, the Chair will be permitted to recess the session until a later time within the same convention to accommodate the presentation, debate and voting on remaining resolutions.
What are the key components to keep in mind?
- Resolution-writing guidelines must be followed and all resolutions must include a title, preamble (whereas), operative clause (therefore be it resolved) and member background. Resolutions requesting legislative changes must clearly identify the legislation that the resolution is directing changes to in the operative clause.
- Resolutions must deal with issues that have a provincial or federal scope, not focus on a local issue.
- District-endorsed and individual resolutions MUST be submitted in Microsoft Word format in their entirety (including member background) prior to the resolutions deadline.
- Emergent resolutions are only intended to deal with issues that have arisen since the resolution deadline has passed.
AAMDC will be working with districts on the implementation of the new AAMDC Resolution Process Policy and members are requested to ensure resolutions being developed are reflective of the new criteria.
To support resolution development, members are encouraged to utilize the 2017 Resolution Template and refer to a sample resolution for guidance.
AAMDC staff will continue to be a resource to provide advice on the policy and review and provide input on draft resolutions. AAMDC staff will not draft resolutions on behalf of members. Members wishing to have a draft resolution reviewed for content prior to it being presented at district meetings or submitted as an individual resolution are encouraged to submit them in Microsoft Word to Tasha Blumenthal at tasha@aaamdc.com.
The resolutions deadline for the Fall 2017 Convention is Monday, October 16, 2017 at 4:00 pm.
The AAMDC would like to thank our membership, the members of the Board Governance Review Committee, and the Resolutions Committee for their input into this important process.
Enquiries may be directed to:
Tasha Blumenthal
Policy Analyst
780.955.4094
Kim Heyman
Director, Advocacy & Communications
780.955.4079