M. Resolutions to the Biennial General Meeting
1. Resolution Format
a) Each resolution shall begin “BE IT RESOLVED that …”
b) Where required, an explanatory note giving the rationale for the resolution shall follow each resolution.
2. Resolution Content
a) Resolutions shall be based on broad policy concerns.
b) Resolutions shall be categorized under the broad headings of “Association” and “Programs and Services”.
c) Resolutions dealing with specific problems such as “textbooks being unsuitable” need not await Convention. Branches are encouraged to submit such resolutions to the Provincial Executive at the time the problem is identified.
d) Resolutions should not restate current policy.
3. Resolution Origin
Resolutions to be discussed at Convention shall come only from:
a) NLTA branches or groups of ten or more teachers if no branch exists;
b) The Provincial Executive;
c) Special interest councils, provided that such resolutions concern curriculum or any matter of professional concern to the members of the council, as well as any welfare matter unique to the members of that council. [Dec/15/84]
d) The Resolutions Committee of Convention.
4. Submission of Resolutions
a) In accordance with By-Law IX.D., resolutions submitted on behalf of a branch must be approved by the branch at a general branch meeting.
b) Resolutions submitted to the NLTA office shall be properly identified by their originators. The branch or council should be named and a statement to the effect that they have been approved by the originating group should be attached and signed by the President or other authorized person from the group.
c) All resolutions originating from a), b), and c), in the preceding section 3, shall be in the NLTA office at least two months prior to the Convention and shall be published in the Convention Bulletin at least one month prior to Convention.
5. Processing of Resolutions
a) All resolutions shall be edited and consolidated before publication in the Convention Bulletin. [Oct/2-3/92]
b) The resolutions shall be categorized and, for those on the same specific topic, a composite resolution shall be prepared to cover their intent. [Oct/2-3/92]
c) The Administrative Staff shall identify resolutions which reflect current policy of the Association and such resolutions shall be printed separately in the Convention Bulletin for information purposes, along with action taken or being taken on these resolutions. [1987 AGM]
d) Resolutions which would require by-law changes shall be identified as such and presented as “Notices of Motion” for discussion at the following Convention. [Oct/2- 3/92]
e) Each standing committee of Executive shall recommend to Executive a position on each resolution falling within that committee’s jurisdiction. The Executive recommendation on each resolution shall be distributed to the delegates prior to the first session of Convention. [Oct/2-3/92]
6. Presentation of Resolutions and By-Law Changes at the Convention
a) For resolutions submitted to the Convention by a branch or special interest council or for proposed by-law changes submitted to the Convention by a branch, a registered delegate from that branch or council will be given the privilege of moving the resolution and speaking to it. The right to close the debate will also be granted to the mover. [2007 BGM]
b) i) The Executive Council will develop a position on each resolution to the Convention and, if required, ask permission of the Chairperson to be placed on the speaker’s list for those speaking to the motion.
ii) Resolutions which have recommendations from Executive to carry or to amend and then carry will be placed into a single motion to Convention and voted on in block. Any voting delegate may have a resolution removed from the list if they wish to have that particular resolution debated separately. Delegates will be given the opportunity to have such resolutions removed from the list prior to the calling of the vote on the list of resolutions which are recommended to be carried or amended and carried. [Nov/5-6/92] [1995 AGM]
c) All speakers to each motion at the Convention will be limited to three minutes per speaker. When three speakers have spoken in succession on one side of a motion, a call will be made for a speaker on the other side and, if there is no speaker, then the vote would take place after the mover of the original motion has had the opportunity to close debate. [1997 AGM]
7. The Resolutions Committee of Convention
Convention shall appoint a Resolutions Committee to work with a designated staff consultant. The duties of this committee will be:
a) To deal with resolutions referred by the Chair for clarification or wording.
b) To present for consideration as “Resolutions from the Floor” only those resolutions which have a direct bearing on and relevancy to, business discussed at Convention. These should be written on the proper motion form provided and may be submitted to any member of the Resolutions Committee. The committee will review and edit these resolutions as necessary, and steer them through Convention on the last day. At that time, the resolution must be brought to the floor by the person who moved it. If that person is not in attendance as a delegate at that time, then the resolution will not be placed before the Convention. If the original seconder for the motion is not in attendance, then the person moving the resolution must request an alternate seconder from the delegates in attendance in order to place the motion on the floor. [Mar/9/01] [2001 BGM]
c) Resolutions requiring by-law changes will not be accepted as resolutions from the floor at Convention but are required to be submitted in accordance with Section (5)(1)(a) of the NLTA Act. [Aug/31-Sept/2/87]
8. Report of Action on Resolutions
The Association will make progress reports on all resolutions submitted to Convention as they are actioned. A complete report will be given at the following Convention.
