Bylaws

Article 1 - Vision

The Vision of the Party shall be: "Communities of freedom, harmony, and abundance."

Article 2 - Mission

The Mission of the Party shall be: "To enable endless possibilities through recognition of, respect for, and protection of individual liberty."

Article 3 - Values

The Values of the Party shall be:

  • We stand for personal responsibility.
  • We stand for individual liberty, and controls and restrictions on governments.
  • We recognize property rights.
  • We stand for free and voluntary associations.
  • We stand for freedom of expression.
  • Government must be limited to protecting the liberty and property of its citizens from domestic and foreign aggressors.
  • We believe in voluntary, not forced, mutual aid.
  • We believe individual liberty promotes strength of character and integrity in a society.
  • Government may not grant monopoly privileges to any individual or organization, including itself.
  • We accept people as they are.

Article 4 - Motto

The Motto of the Party shall be: "The Party of Choice".

Article 5 - Membership Status

  1. Fees for Membership and Associate status in the Party shall be set and amended by the Executive Committee.
  2. No fees shall be refunded except by reason of change in the Statement of Principles.
  3. When the Statement of Principles is amended, all Members shall be required to accept the revised Statement within a period not to exceed one year from the date of amendment or as the membership becomes due, whichever comes first. A Member who does not accept a revised Statement of Principles shall become an Associate.
  4. Application for re-admission by an expelled Member or Associate shall be subject to ratification by a majority of the Executive Committee.

Article 6 - Executive Committee

  1. Two-thirds of the membership of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum at all meetings of the Executive Committee.
  2. The Executive Committee shall meet at such times and places as may be determined by action of the Committee, by call of the Chairman, or by written request of one-third or more of the members of the Executive Committee. Unless unanimously waived, a notice of the time, place, and nature of all meetings shall be sent to each member of the Executive Committee no less than 14 days prior to said meetings.

Article 7 - Finances and Accounting

  1. The fiscal term of the Party shall run from January 1 to December 31 or coincide with the fiscal year required by the Elections Ontario.
  2. The financial records of the Party shall be kept in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and in accordance with the requirements of the Elections Ontario.
  3. Procedures for handling the assets of the Party shall be set up to ensure sufficient internal auditing control.

Article 8 - Ethics Committee

  1. Requests for an Ethics Committee hearing under Article 8 of the Constitution shall be submitted to the chairman of the Ethics Committee who shall determine whether or not there are grounds for a hearing.
  2. A complaint may be made only by a Member or Associate.
  3. Any individual named in a complaint shall be notified 30 days prior to any hearing. This requirement may be waived by written consent of the named individual.
  4. Expulsion from the Party shall require a two-thirds vote of the Ethics Committee.
  5. All matters directed to the Ethics Committee for its consideration shall be in writing and signed by the individual(s) so directing.
  6. A member of the Ethics Committee shall abstain from deliberations on a disciplinary action if:
    1. the disciplinary action is directed against the member; or
    2. the member initiated the disciplinary action.

Article 9 - Credentials Committee

  1. There shall be a Credentials Committee for each Convention and General Meeting. The Credentials Committee shall consist of at least three members of the Ethics Committee who are not themselves candidates for Party office.
  2. The Credentials Committee shall determine the eligibility of each applicant to be a Delegate and the eligibility of the proxies which the Delegate holds.
  3. At the beginning of each session, and when otherwise called upon, the Credentials Committee shall report how many Delegates are on the floor.

Article 10 - Constitution and Bylaws Committee

  1. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall meet in open session to consider amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws originating with itself or with other Members or Associates.
  2. At least 30 days prior to the Convention the chairman of this committee shall mail, to all Party Members and Associates, all amendments which the committee has reviewed. These amendments shall be placed on the Convention agenda for consideration by the Delegates.

Article 11 - Election Rules

  1. Candidates for Party offices shall be allowed to distribute campaign material to the complete Party mailing list by supplying the Executive Committee with sufficient copies of the material. The Executive Committee shall mail this material within two weeks of receipt with all mailing costs to be borne by the candidate.
  2. All costs of any campaign for Party office shall be the responsibility of the candidate incurring the expense.
  3. Each leadership candidate shall be afforded the opportunity to advertise their candidacy and campaign using the party website, party social media accounts, and through a special edition of the party newsletter .
  4. A Member or group of Members who is supporting a specific amendment to the Constitution, Bylaws, or Statement of Ultimate Goals, or a general resolution of the Party, shall be allowed to distribute material in the same manner as a candidate for Party office.

Article 12 - Meeting Rules

  1. In this article the word “Meeting” shall refer to a Convention or General Meeting, as may be necessary to conform with the rest of the Constitution and Bylaws.
  2. Elections to Party offices shall be conducted by ballot. All other business shall be by a show of hands.
  3. The Meeting shall conduct business as called for in the agenda. The agenda shall be prepared by the Convention chairman.
  4. Motions submitted by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall not require a seconder.
  5. Candidates for Party offices shall have an opportunity to address the Meeting and to take questions from the floor.
  6. There shall be no acclamations. Each Delegate may cast one vote for each position open but no more than one vote per candidate per ballot. After each ballot, candidates receiving a majority shall be declared elected. Elected candidates and the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes shall be dropped from subsequent ballots. Voting shall proceed until each position is filled or until no candidate remains.

Article 13 - Proxy Rules

  1. This Bylaw controls the scheduling, procedure, and administrative details of proxies for Party elections.
  2. A proxy form shall be sent to each member at least four weeks prior to the date of a Convention or General Meeting.
  3. Only a proxy form which conforms to the official Party proxy form may be used. The proxy form shall be organized to permit the giver of the proxy to direct how the proxy vote shall be cast on each vote scheduled, or alternatively that it be voted by the named Delegate.
    1. The Credentials Committee shall have jurisdiction over proxies. The fee shall be five dollars ($5.00) and shall establish the proxy giver as a non-attending Delegate.
    2. Attending Delegates may give floor proxies without fee.
  4. All proxies shall be forwarded unopened to a certified or chartered accountant appointed by the Credentials Committee. Only proxies received prior to the meeting shall be accepted.
  5. The Credentials Committee shall retain and tabulate the directed proxies (i.e., proxies directed to be cast for a certain candidate) for each vote. Each candidate shall be advised of the directed proxies cast for him or her with the ballot results.
  6. The Credentials Committee shall notify the meeting of the number of non-directed proxies held by each Delegate and shall provide special ballots for voting such proxies.
  7. The recorded proxy votes shall be retained by the Credentials Committee, and shall be open to inspection by any Party member upon request.

Article 14 - Parliamentary Authority

The 1970 edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Party.

* As amended at the 2019 convention