Constitution

CONSTITUTION OF THE FINNISH CANADIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SUDBURY, INC.



Article 1 – Name and Legality
  1. The society shall be known as the Finnish Canadian Historical Society of Sudbury, and shall be referred to hereafter as the Society. Its headquarters are located in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.

 

Article 2 – Purposes

It is the purpose of the Society to preserve the historical record of immigrant Finnish Canadians and their descendants.
 

To this end, the Society is empowered to act as a repository for all archival material in any form regarding the history of Finnish settlement in Sudbury and, when appropriate, elsewhere in Canada.
 

The Society is empowered to publish (or assist in the publishing of) material of any kind regarding the history of the Finnish settlement in the Sudbury area. To this end, financial assistance may be granted by the Society to researchers aimed at collecting or preserving materials related to the Finnish heritage.

  1. The Society is empowered to act as a genealogical source of information for people interested in the Finnish heritage.
  2.  The Society is empowered to co-operate with other historical/genealogical societies and government agencies for the promotion and preservation of ethnic histories.

Article 3 – Membership
  1. Any person who has an interest in the preservation of Finnish Canadian culture and history is eligible to become a member.
  2. Members with an outstanding record of contribution to the Society may be given the designation of Honorary Member.
  3.  All Members, with the exception of Honorary Members and former Life Members, must pay the prescribed annual membership dues. All members are eligible to vote at all meetings held by the Society and have the right to stand for office.
  4.  All members are required to assist the Society in fulfilling its purposes.

Article 4 – Governance

The Society will be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of the following: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Archivist, Membership Chair, and four Trustees.

  1. The president shall preside over all monthly meetings and ensure that the Society’s affairs are run in accord with the Constitution. Voting shall be by simple majority of those present. A minimum of twelve members shall constitute a quorum.
  2.  The vice-president shall be knowledgeable regarding the Constitution and will assume the duties of the office of the president in his/her absence.
  3. The secretary shall record minutes of all meetings, deal with correspondence and ensure that minutes are distributed to all members.
  4. The treasurer shall assume responsibility for all of the Society’s finances including receipts and disbursements, provide monthly and annual financial reports, maintain a bank account with at least one alternate signer for cheques issued in the name of the Society and issue receipts to the membership chair for all membership dues.
  5. The archivist shall assume responsibility for the archives and their safe-keeping.
  6. The membership chair will assume responsibility for the current accounting of the names and addresses of all members and shall be responsible for collecting annual dues.
  7. The trustees shall ensure that all officers are performing their duties properly. They have the responsibility, in co-operation with the City of Greater Sudbury, of promoting the well-being of the Long Lake Finnish Cemetery.

Article 5 - Annual Meeting

An annual meeting of the Society shall be held in March of every year at which time written reports of all officers shall be presented and the slate of officers for the next year elected. Membership fees shall also be set at the annual meeting

 

Article 6 – Amendments

This Constitution may be amended at any monthly or annual meeting of the Society, at which a quorum is present, by the affirmative vote of two-thirds in attendance. Notification of all proposed amendments must be made at least one month prior to the meeting at which the vote for the proposed amendment is to be taken.