Council
The Canadian Unitarian Council consists of member congregations and Individual Members, who are the legal owners. As well, the CUC has relationships with its moral owners which include UU youth, young adults, ministers, religious educators, Lay Chaplains, social responsibility groups, and Associate Members.
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Board of Trustees
The CUC Board of Trustees is responsible for governing the organization in the best interests of the ownership, the member congregations of the CUC. The Board has adopted the Carver model of policy governance, and governs through the setting and monitoring of appropriate Board polices.
There are eight Board members, elected by delegates from our congregations at the Annual General Meeting: two Trustees each from the British Columbia, Western, Central and Eastern regions. Each member is eligible to serve a maximum of two three-year terms.
The Board, together with the Executive Director and Official Observers, meet face-to-face several times a year, and regularly by teleconference.
Related Resources:
- Current Board Members
- Responsibilities of a Board Member
- Meeting Minutes
- Board Expense Guidelines
- Strategic Directions and 2010-2011 Workplan
- Youth Observer to the Board: Position Description
Governance Process
The Board is accountable to the member congregations of the CUC and uses the model of policy governance created by John Carver. This model enables the board to focus on the larger issues, to delegate with clarity, to control the Executive Director’s job without meddling, to rigorously evaluate the accomplishment of the CUC, and to truly lead the organization.
Related Resources:
- Policy Governance Model
- Policy Governance Process
- Board Policy Manual
- Ends Interpretation
- Ongoing Policy Monitoring
- Governance Review (2011)
Nominating Committee
The CUC’s Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying and nominating prospective members of the CUC Board. The Committee consists of one member from each the four geographic regions plus two at-large members.
A Nominating Committee member serves for three years. A Committee member having completed a term of office may be eligible for one additional term of office. A member may serve on the Committee for a maximum of six consecutive years. Having completed such further term, a former Committee member shall not be eligible for election to the Nominating Committee until the expiry of two complete years.
| Region | Member | Congregation |
|---|---|---|
| BC Region | Rev. Wendy McNiven | UU Fellowship of Kamloops |
| Western Region | Lorian Kennedy (Chair) | Westwood Unitarian Congregation |
| BC/Western Region | Patience Towler | Unitarian Church of Vancouver |
| Central Region | Doug Campbell | First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto |
| Eastern Region | Vyda Ng | Individual Member |
| Central/Eastern Region | Elizabeth Bowen | First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa |
Resolutions Process
The CUC Resolutions Process guides all resolutions and motions that are intended to be discussed and approved at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Canadian Unitarian Council, except motions relating to parliamentary and statutory procedures at such a meeting.
The deadline for submissions of all resolutions to the Executive Director is December 15, prior to the AGM at which they will be considered. The Resolutions Process and Resolutions Flow Chart documents provide information on submitting resolutions and the full process. For more assistance with the resolutions process, contact the Resolutions Advisory Committee at resolutions@cuc.ca.
Proposed Resolutions 2012
- Proposed Resolutions
- Lay Chaplains feedback form
- Environmental and Socially Responsible Investing feedback form
- Criminal Justice Resolution Feedback Form
For more information or support, please contact the Resolutions Advisory Committee at resolutions@cuc.ca.
Related Resources:
- The CUC Resolutions Process (PDF)
- CUC Resolutions Flow Chart (PDF)
- Resolutions Study Full Report (May 2011) (PDF)
Task Forces, Study Groups and Committees
From time to time, the Board may establish a task force or an ad hoc or on-going committee to help it do its job. For example, the Resolutions Advisory Committee was formed to assist congregations and members in working through the resolutions process to bring resolutions to the floor of the AGM.
The Council, by vote of the delegates at an AGM, may establish a Task Force or Study Group to examine a particular subject. Such a Study Group typically functions for one or two years, presents its report to the AGM, and then either disbands or is formed into a Monitoring Group dedicated to a specific issue. Some such groups are the Lay Chaplaincy Review Task Force, the National Identity Task Force, the Resolutions Study Group, and the Monitoring Group on Affordable Housing.
Active Democracy Study Group
At the 2010 AGM, a resolution was passed which directed the CUC Board to form a Study Group to undertake a two-year national conversation regarding the democratic processes employed in the governance of the CUC. The Active Democracy Study Group is exploring such issues as the decision making extent of the Board, the selection of congregational delegates to the AGM, and the involvement and representation of all the UU communities.
Associate Members
Associate or Affiliate members are organizations which have principles or beliefs comparable to those of the CUC, and which engage in similar goals and activities. The CUC and each Associate enter into a mutual relationship guided by a covenant.
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