Parliamentary Procedure
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By Bryan Price |
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| Intro: The need for it: | |||
| - | Business meetings, strata councils, town halls | ||
| - | History: | ||
| Anglo Saxon tribes in the 5th C 1258 first parliament held in England "parler", "preside", chair for the Chairman "Obtain the floor": protected from violence |
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| - | To safeguard the rights of every member of the organization: that is the basic principle. | ||
| - | Impartiality and control | ||
| Duties of Officers | |||
| 1. President: responsibility and glory | |||
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a. Good judgment, tact b. Expedite meeting, timing c. General rules of procedure, bylaws d. Maintain impersonal attitude: always "Mr. Chairman" |
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| 2. VP | |||
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a. Duty is to preside in the absence of the President b. 10 mins |
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| 3. Secretary | |||
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a. Record all details of meeting: motions, votes, amendments, results b. Minutes, once approved, require 2/3 vote to amend c. Duty is to preside in absence of Pres and VP d. Example: Hollinger |
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| 4. Treasurer | |||
| a. Reports on state of finances every meeting | |||
| Order of Business (Agenda) | |||
| 1. | Reading and approval of minutes | ||
| 2. | Reports of officers, boards, and standing committees, correspondence not requiring action | ||
| 3. | Reports of special committees | ||
| 4. | Special orders: high priority item assigned to a special time (e.g. election of officers) | ||
| 5. | Unfinished business - from previous meeting which should be on agenda. | ||
| 6. | New business: correspondence requiring action first, followed by motions | ||
| Main Motions and Resolutions | |||
| 1. Main motions: 6 steps | |||
| a. | Member makes the motion: obtain the floor, address the Pres/Chair, Chair recognizes, nods and says name. "I move..." | ||
| b. | Member seconds the motion: avoids wasting time "Second" | ||
| c. | Chairman states the motion | ||
| d. | Chairman calls for discussion. Members obtain the floor. | ||
| e. | Chair takes vote | ||
| f. | Chair states results of vote | ||
| 2. Resolutions | |||
| a. | An important, complex and long motion: "Resolved, That..." and should be prepared ahead of time in writing. | ||
| b. | Requires a second | ||
| c. | Preamble: sets forth the reasons for the resolution and states arguments in support of the res. "Whereas, it is cold outside, Whereas biorhythms drop after lunch, and are less productive, RESOLVED, the company institute a daily tea, scone and aromatherapy session programme... | ||
| d. | How: take the floor and move the adoption of the resolution, then hand to Chair to read and discuss with assembly. | ||
| Discussion (debate) | |||
| e. | Due to human nature we need rules to safeguard the right of every member | ||
| f. | Mover may not speak against his motion but may vote against it | ||
| g. | Seconder has no special rights | ||
| h. | 10 mins max per member up to twice provided all others have spoken; 2/3 vote may extend time. | ||
| i. | Main motion and amendment | ||
| j. | Asking a question of the speaker goes through the Chair - as in Question Period in Ottawa (CPAC) | ||
| k. | Avoid all personalities in the debate, use third person | ||
| l. | No talking | ||
| m. | Chair can participate but as a last resort: must maintain confidence as arbitrator | ||
| n. | Conclusion: imagine if we could take the personal out of business meetings; takes a high EQ | ||
| Subsidiary Motions: 7 and all have precedence over the main motion | |||
| o. | Postpone indefinitely: kill it: suppresses and ill advised or embarrassing motion "I move that the motion be postponed indefinitely | ||
| p. | Amend: "I move to amend the motion by..." do not repeat the amendment; striking out and adding words requires separate amendments. Limit 2 amendments on the floor at once. | ||
| q. | Commit or refer: for investigation and study at which point the discussion becomes the group to study it. | ||
| r. | Postpone Definitely: to within 3 months: Chair has responsibility to bring back this postponed motion | ||
| s. | Limit or extend debate: time, no of times, speaker time, fix closing time | ||
| t. | The Previous Question: close debate and vote: eliminates fruitless discussion | ||
| u. | Lay on the Table: Parking lot to consider more urgent business; not for Chair to bring back; only assemble can take the question from the table. . | ||
| Privilege Motions: require immediate attention | |||
| v. | Call for the Orders of the Day: return to agenda | ||
| w. | Raise a question of Privilege: welfare safety comfort or dignity of a members | ||
| x. | To take a recess: a break not provided for in the Order of Business | ||
| y. | To Adjourn: when not qualified by a time. Chair says "We stand adjourned." | ||
| z. | To Fix a Time to Adjourn: to continue business of an adjourned meeting and set a time | ||
| Non-ranking Motions: not debatable | |||
| aa. | Point of order: enforce the rules | ||
| bb. | Appeal: reverse the ruling of the Chair | ||
| cc. | Objection to consideration of a question: contentious or irrelevant | ||
| dd. | Suspend the rules: (for a guest visit for example) | ||
| ee. | Division of a question | ||
| ff. | Division of Assembly: determine accuracy of an annouced vote | ||
| Committees | |||
| - | BoD, Trustees, Standing/permanent committees and Select/Special ("ad hoc") | ||
| - | Appointed by Chair pr elected by assembly | ||
| - | Informal | ||
| - | Submissions are 3 copies | ||
| Nominations and Elections | |||
| - | Nominating committee | ||
| - | Nominations do not require a second | ||
| - | More than one candidate, use ballot; otherwise show of hands. | ||
| - | Voting is as we do it competitions: ballot, signing by tellers | ||
| Conclusions: | |||
| - | Efficient | ||
| - | Powerful knowledge | ||
