Article I - Name
 

This association shall be known as the Canadian Association of Geographers/l'Association canadienne des géographes.

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Article II - Objectives
 

1. The objectives of the Association are to encourage geographical study and research particularly in relation to the Canadian environment. The Association shall provide for the dissemination to the public of the results of research supported by the Association.

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2. The Association is an educational organization, the activities of which shall be conducted without purpose of gain for its members. Any profits or other gains to the Association shall be used in promoting its objectives.

 

Article III - Languages
 

English and French shall be the official languages of the Association.

 

Article IV - Membership
 

1. Membership in the Association is open to all who share its objectives.
 

2. Persons, institutions or corporations making a substantial contribution towards the objectives of the Association may be designated as Benefactors by the Board.

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3. Membership categories shall be determined and dues fixed by the Board.

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4. A member in good standing is defined as a member who has paid the membership dues of the current year.

 

Article V – Officers
 

The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, serving a two-year term; a Vice-President or a Past-President, each term consisting of one year; a Secretary-Treasurer elected for a period of three years; a minimum of four and up to six national councillors elected at large for a period of three years; one English speaking student councillor elected at large for a period of two years; one Francophone student councillor elected at large for a period of two years; and one regional councillor from each of the Western Division, the Prairie Division, the Ontario Division, Quebec, and the Atlantic Division, to be elected or designated for a term specific to their individual constitutions or co-opted by the Board. The Vice-President shall be elected biannually, will normally succeed to the office of the President in the year following the election, and will serve as Past-President in the year following the two-year presidential term.  During the year in which there is a Vice-President there will not be a Past-President; conversely, during the year that there is a Past-President there will not be a Vice-President. The President, Vice-President and councillors shall not be eligible for immediate re-election to the same office.

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Article VI - Board Duties
 

The officers of the Association shall comprise the Board. The Board is empowered to:

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1. transact the business of the Association;
 

2. appoint and delegate responsibilities to standing and special committees;
 

3. appoint the editors of the publications of the Association;
 

4. appoint and designate the duties of the Executive Assistant and any other appointed posts required to carry out the business of the Association;

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5. assign responsibilities to members of the Board including the expectation that each Board member sit on at least one standing committee of the Board;

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6. determine the time and place of the annual meeting;
 

7. fix the remuneration (including salary and benefits) of the Executive Assistant, editors and any other remunerated positions;

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8. appoint, as required, through executive appointment or through election, representatives to act on behalf of the Association to other associations or events;​

 

Article VII - Accountability of the Board

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1. The President may convene a meeting of the Board at any time and shall convene a meeting of the Board on request in writing of no less than five of the officers of the Association.

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2. Quorum at Board Meetings shall be considered as fifty percent (50%) of the Board members, plus one.

 

3. An officer or committee chair who is unable to fulfill the duties of the office for a period of a year shall resign.

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4. The accounts of the Association shall be audited each year by a qualified accounting firm.

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5. The Board shall report on the business of the Association at each annual general meeting.

 

Article VIII - Board Executive

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The Board Executive shall consist of the President, Vice-President/Past-President and the Secretary-Treasurer.  The Board Executive shall act on behalf of the full Board whenever required and/or appropriate. 

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Article IX - Elections
 

1. Only members of the Association may hold office in the Association and vote in elections.

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2. A nominating committee will be elected at the Annual General Meeting.  It will be composed of four members: the Vice-President or Past-President as chair, two members elected at the Annual General Meeting, and one member of the Board to ensure equitable representation.

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3. A call for nominations to those positions on the CAG Board, which will become vacant during the coming year, will be circulated to the membership.  Nominations must be supported by two members of the Association, and the nominee must have indicated in writing her/his acceptance of the nomination.

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4. The nominating committee will prepare a slate of candidates with the names of candidates nominated by the membership as well as its own nominations.

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5. The Secretary-Treasurer shall conduct the election electronically prior to the annual business meeting.

 

Article X - Constitutional Change
 

1. Any member in good standing may propose a change in the Constitution providing the signatures of five other members in good standing have been secured.

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2. The Secretary-Treasurer will circulate the proposed change to the membership electronically.

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3. Ratification of the change requires the approval of two-thirds of the members whose vote is recorded within the specified time.

 

Article XI - Annual General Meeting

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1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held each year at a place and time designated by the Board Executive.

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2. All members shall be given two months’ notice of the date and place of the Annual General Meeting.

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3. The agenda of the Annual General Meeting will be circulated in advance to all members and specific reference will be made to increases in membership dues and proposals to undertake major new commitments.

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4. All business at the meeting shall be settled by a simple majority of all members in good standing, present and voting.

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5. A quorum of the Annual General Meeting shall be 25 members in good standing.

 

Article XII - Regional Divisions
 

Any group of members in any region may set up a regional division of the Association upon ratification of the proposed constitution by the Board. 

 

Article XIII - Study Groups
 

The creation of a study group will be reviewed by the Board for approval upon submission of evidence of the support of at least 15 members of the Association in good standing.

 

Article XIV - Review
 

The Constitution shall be reviewed no less than every five years by the Governance Committee of the CAG. 

Adopted 1 January 1995
Amended 1996
Amended 1998
Amended 2000
Amended 2004
Amended 2012
Amended 2013

Amended 2025

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