Our governing documents

The Constitution & Bylaws.

UJPO is a democratic, member-run organization. These are the documents that hold it together: the National Constitution of the United Jewish People's Order of Canada, and the Bylaws of the Toronto Section. Read them in full below, or download the official PDF.

United Jewish People's Order

National Constitution

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Article 1 Name

1.01 Current Name: The United Jewish People’s Order, also known as the UJPO, was formed on October 4, 1945.

1.02 Past Names: The previous names were the Labour League Mutual Benefit Society, established in April of 1926, and United Jewish People’s Order Mutual Benefit Society.

Article 2 Objectives

2.01 Aims and Purposes Past and Present: The UJPO is an independent, secular Jewish cultural and educational organization. It promotes peace, human rights, universal health care and education, gender equality, the unionization of workers, affordable housing and environmental issues. The UJPO provides its members and the community with cultural sustenance through Jewish secular education, cultural and recreational activities. The UJPO continues to strive actively to preserve and further enhance the rich secular and humanist heritage of the Jewish people. Throughout its history, the organization has made a significant contribution to the life of the Canadian Jewish community and to the community at large. In the past it provided medical, unemployment and sick benefits, and it continues to provide mortuary benefits in some Sections (see definition of “Section”, Art. 2.02 ) to members and former members.

2.02 Structure: A Section is a branch of the UJPO consisting of members whose proximity allows them to meet together on a regular basis, elect a representative board from within its membership, and conduct activities in keeping with the aims and purposes of the organization. The UJPO has Sections in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.

2.03 Publications: The UJPO produces a quarterly newsletter called UJPO News. Its goals are to promote communication between Sections and to inform the membership of events and news important to promoting the objectives of the organization. The newsletter will be sent to all members by e-mail or by regular mail.

2.04 Location of National Office: The National Office is located at 585 Cranbrooke Avenue (the Winchevsky Centre) in the city of Toronto, Ontario.

Article 3 National Board

3.01 National Board (Canada-Wide): The UJPO, and all its Sections, shall be directed by a body known as the National Board.

3.02 Composition: The National Board shall be composed of up to ten representatives from Toronto and two each from Winnipeg and Vancouver. Representation may be altered to reflect regional proportions.

3.03 Terms of Office: This Board and its officers shall be elected at National Conferences and shall serve for the period between such Conferences.

3.04 Qualifications and Eligibility: All members of the UJPO who are in good standing qualify for election to the National Board six months after becoming a member. In the case of a new Section being formed this limitation shall not apply.

3.05 Nominations and Elections: Nominations for Officers (see definition of “Officers”, Art. 3.06b) and National Board members shall be submitted by each Section to the National Office of the organization at least 30 days prior to the National Conference. A list of nominees shall be distributed to the membership for consideration at least 15 days before the Conference. Elections will take place at the Conference. All individual members in good standing are eligible to vote in national elections. In the case of family memberships, all members over the age of 18 are eligible to vote.

3.06 Responsibilities: (a) The National Board shall conduct all affairs of the organization that are not of a purely local character and shall respond to national and international issues following consultation with all Sections.

(b) A President or Co-presidents, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall constitute the Executive Committee or Officers of the National Board.

(c) The President or Co-Presidents of the National Board shall be the chief officer(s) of the organization. The President or a Co-President shall preside at meetings and shall represent the UJPO in its relationships with other organizations and government bodies. The President/Co- Presidents, as well as other National Officers may, as a right, attend Section or committee meetings, and if need be, take the floor, speaking on behalf of the Board.

(d) The President or a Co-President, along with the Secretary and Treasurer, shall have signing authority.

(e) In the absence of the President/Co-Presidents, the Vice-President may perform any and all duties and shall have the power to act as the President.

(f) In addition to a Vice-President from Toronto, the National Conferences shall elect one Vice-President (and an alternate) from each city in which a Section exists.

(g) The National Treasurer shall be the custodian of all funds and books of the National organization. S/he shall submit an Annual Report, as required by government agencies. S/he shall submit to the Board an annual Financial Statement compiled by an external auditor. S/he shall make certain that funds are deposited in a timely and proper manner, in a chartered bank, trust company or other acceptable financial institution.

3.07 Meetings: The full National Board shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) including the officers of the National Board and the Section Presidents and Vice-Presidents (or alternates) once a year. When deemed necessary, a National Board Special Meeting may be called. Meetings may take place in person or using technological means (e.g. video-conferencing).

3.08 Board Vacancies: The National Board may, by resolution, declare vacant the seat of any member who has died, has resigned or who fails to attend three consecutive meetings without reasons acceptable to the Board. Once a seat is declared vacant, the Section represented by the former Board member shall elect a replacement. In the case of an officer, the National Board shall elect a replacement to serve the unexpired period.

3.09 Insurance: The National and Section Executive Committees shall ensure that appropriate insurance covers respective Officers of the organization and their heirs, executors, directors, administrators and other legal personal representatives so they may from time to time be indemnified and saved harmless by the organization from and against:

(a) any liability and all costs, charges and expenses that s/he sustains or incurs in respect of any actions, suit or proceeding that is proposed or commenced against her/him in respect of the execution of the duties of her/his office; and (b) all other costs, charges and expenses that s/he sustains or incurs in respect of the affairs of the organization in respect of any liability, costs, charges or expenses that s/he sustains or incurs in or about any actions, suit or other proceeding as a result of which s/he is adjudged to be in breach of any duty or responsibility imposed under The Canada Corporations Act or under any other statute unless in action brought against her/him in her/his capacity as director or officer, s/he has achieved complete or substantial success as a defendant.

3.10 National Resident Board: (a) The board members who reside in the Toronto area shall constitute the National Resident Board (NRB) and act as the administrative arm of the National Organization.

(b) The National Resident Board shall meet once a month. If no quorum (one-half the total number plus one) is available, a meeting may be held but no final decisions may be taken.

(c) The Secretary may take, or delegate the taking of, Minutes of all meetings of the National Resident Board, and maintain or oversee the writing of all necessary correspondence and statements on behalf of the Board. S/he shall ensure that all Sections receive minutes of the proceedings of the Board as well as other official Board documents.

(d) The Toronto Board shall designate one of its members to the National Resident Board to represent the Section. Individual members of the Toronto Board may take part in the deliberations of the National Resident Board as required, and may also be assigned specific tasks by that body. National Board members outside Toronto may also take on national assignments as required.

Article 4 Administration of Sections

4.01 Board Structure and Composition: Where no Section bylaws exist, the members of the Section Boards, as well as their officers, shall be nominated and elected at an Annual General Meeting (AGM) held once a year. The Executive Committee may consist of the following officers: President or Co-Presidents, Vice- President, Secretary, Treasurer, Fraternal Coordinator, Membership Director and Program Chair. They, together with other members elected to the executive, may constitute the Section Board. Unless otherwise dictated by circumstances, those nominated for office in the Section should have been a member in good standing for at least six months.

4.02 Responsibilities: a) The President of a Section shall preside at the meetings. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President is to preside.

b) Where a Section elects a Treasurer, working in conjunction with the National Office, s/he shall keep the accounts of the Section, s/he shall collect members’ dues and assessments and shall forward to the National Office that part of dues and assessments designated for national use. The Treasurer shall keep track of all members in arrears, s/he shall warn members against falling into arrears and s/he shall inform the Executive of all members in arrears so that action to rectify the situation may be taken in good time. An annual dues invoice for each Section, by member, should be sent to each Section Treasurer who shall make certain that money is collected and transmitted to the National Office without delay. Where no Treasurer is elected the Officers may co-opt or appoint a member to fulfill this function. To be valid, receipts issued to Section members must be one part of a two part receipt form, so that the copy of the transaction remains for audit purposes. On the last day of each quarter (March, June, September and December), the Treasurer of each Section shall forward to the National Office all owing and outstanding monies, dues and assessments collected from members and due to the National Office.

c) Where a Section elects a Secretary, s/he shall keep the records of meetings, both of the Section and of the Executive. S/he shall distribute to all Executive members past minutes for approval. S/he shall distribute to Section meetings as well as to the Executive meetings, communications addressed to the Section. Copies of correspondence are to be kept on file. Where no Secretary is elected, the Officers may co-opt or appoint a member to fulfill this function.

d) Where a Section elects a Fraternal Coordinator, s/he shall be in regular touch with members reported sick. S/he shall inform the President of any ill members and the President will ensure that a card and/or gift are sent, and encourage visits by members where possible.

4.03 Section Autonomy: a) Each Section shall assess its members with local dues. Membership fees may be charged per individual, per family, or by other arrangement that the Section deems necessary. Each Section may decide on an appropriate method of invoicing its members.

b) Each Section may decide on the frequency and location of Board and membership meetings. Other issues, such as methods of meeting notification and decision-making processes, can be decided by Section Boards. Each Section may elect sub-committees as required.

c) Each Section may create and/or direct such institutions as Sunday schools, choirs, theatre groups and summer camps. The goal of such institutions will be to promote membership in and commitment to the aims and purposes of the UJPO.

d) Each Section may produce its own local publications. Each Section may create and maintain an Internet website, providing the website is directly related to and accessible from the National UJPO website.

e) Each Section may create and maintain its own burial society or cemetery arrangements.

4.04 Section Amalgamation: With the approval of the membership of the Sections concerned, the National Resident Board may amalgamate two Sections if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the organization.

Article 5 Bylaws

5.01 Definition: A bylaw is a rule made by a subordinate body. Bylaws may be written by and for a Section or an institution created and run by UJPO members. Each Section may develop and approve their own bylaws and attach them to this Constitution.

5.02 Requirement: Bylaws shall not contravene the Constitution of the UJPO.

Article 6 Membership

6.01 Qualifications: Anyone may be admitted to the organization, provided s/he supports and complies with the organization’s aims and purposes and Constitution, shows a commitment to the preservation and development of a secular, progressive Jewish culture, and truthfully completes any form required by the organization.

6.02 Approval Process: Where no Section bylaws exist, the Section Membership Director or Membership Committee shall meet with new applicants and make certain that they understand the aims and purposes of the organization and the main provisions of the Constitution. The Section Membership Application Form shall be completed and signed by the applicant, and, if the candidate is acceptable to the Membership Director or Committee, two members of the organization shall also sign. The Membership Director or Committee shall present the applicant or application at the next Section Board or membership meeting for ratification.

6.03 Membership Fees: All payments of dues and assessments are due on the first day of the fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) and billings will be sent out annually. Members may pay quarterly by post-dated cheques. Any member who is in arrears of dues for six months, and after a six week period from the date of the mailing of a registered letter to the member, may be subject to Revocation (Art. 6.06).

6.04 Members at Large: All members must be directly affiliated with an existing Section except when prevented from doing so because of infirmity and/or geographical distance from meeting sites. Such individuals shall be known as Members at Large. Members at Large shall have the same schedule of National dues and assessment payments as all other members.

6.05 Section Transfers: Any member who moves from one city to another may transfer from a Section in one city to a Section in another city providing that all financial obligations to the original Section have been met. Transfer of benefits, however, is a local issue since provincial government rules/laws may vary.

6.06 Revocation: Membership in the UJPO may be revoked for any reason which is deemed proper and sufficient by, and carried by a quorum of the members present at a Section Board meeting specially called for the purpose of such membership revocation. Reasons shall include but are not limited to failure to comply with financial obligations, or contravention of the Constitution and/or bylaws and/or aims and purposes. Revocation of membership includes loss of all benefits, rights and privileges of membership.

6.07 Reinstatement: Any member who has lost his or her standing in the organization due to failure to comply with financial obligations may at any time within six months of such a revocation apply for reinstatement. To be reinstated, a member must fulfill all their financial obligations and must reapply for membership following the process outlined in Art. 6.02. Any member who has lost his or her standing in the organization because of failure to comply with the Constitution and/or bylaws and/or aims and purposes is not eligible for reinstatement.

Article 7 Referenda

7.01 Eligibility: All individual members in good standing are eligible to vote in referenda. In the case of family memberships, all members over the age of 18 are eligible to vote. 7.02 Acceptable Issues: All issues involving the altering of the Constitution or bylaws, the schedules of national dues payments and of special assessments, as well as problems other than those of a purely Section character, must be referred to the National Resident Board.

7.03 Proper Notice: If a change in the Constitution and/or bylaws is urgently required, and it is inadvisable to postpone a decision to the next National Conference, the National Resident Board may prepare and carry through a referendum and be governed by its outcome. In the case of such a referendum, proper notice of the question to be voted on must be given to all Sections, not less than 30 days before the actual vote.

7.04 Format: The membership shall be notified by whatever means are reasonable. Responses to a referendum may be received by regular mail, by e-mail, by telephone or in person.

7.05 Definition of Majority: A majority is defined as fifty percent plus one of the total number of those who voted. In the case where a clear majority of votes is not achieved, a run-off vote may be taken. The rules shall be clearly defined when the original ballot is sent.

Article 8 Conflict Resolution

8.01 Procedure for Launching a Complaint: Any UJPO member desiring to prefer any charges or complaints against any other member of his or her Section or any other Section, shall submit such a charge IN WRITING to the President of his or her Section. Should the charge be against a member belonging to another Section, a copy of the charge must also be submitted to the President of the other Section. The defendant member shall receive a copy of the written charge against him or her at least 10 days before any meeting/hearing is held.

8.02 Procedure for Resolving: Where both the principals involved in the charge or complaint belong to the same Section, the Section Board shall appoint a committee of three members who will meet, hear, and try to resolve the problem(s). Should the charge involve a member of another Section other than the one of the complainant, a committee of two members shall be appointed by each of the two Sections concerned, with a fifth impartial member appointed by the local Section Board.

8.03 Grievance Procedure: Any member may appeal the findings of such grievance committees to the National Resident Board. The member appealing must

inform the Resident Board of his or her appeal not later than within four weeks of the decision he or she is appealing.

Article 9 Dissolution

9.01 Dissolving a Section by Vote: If a Section shall be dissolved by a majority vote of its members, the Section shall:

a) Refer the issue to the National Board to conduct the dissolution of the Section;

b) Not pay any honorarium or remuneration to any member or Executive member of the Section;

c) Ensure that the Section has no debts, liabilities and make provision thereof;

d) Ensure that the Section is not involved in any outstanding legal proceedings;

e) Transfer 75 percent of the remaining assets/funds to the National Board for administration with other investments and allocations in accordance with the National Board’s existing policy/practice; 25 percent of the remaining assets shall be dispersed locally according to the Section’s bylaws;

f) File all documents of the Sections in the National UJPO’s archives.

9.02 Dissolving a Non-functioning Section: If a Section shall discontinue its operations due to the infirmity or inability of qualified leadership and/or membership to function, where possible the Section shall communicate with the National Officers who shall conduct the dissolution in accordance with the procedures covered by Art. 9.01. The National Officers shall ensure that they are aware of the operational abilities of all Sections to operate and undertake the procedures of Art. 9.01 to avoid circumstances where no one in such a group is able to advise the National Board.

9.03 Dissolving the National Organization: If the National Organization shall be dissolved by a majority vote of its members, the National Board shall:

a) Appoint a qualified, outside individual to conduct the dissolution of the organization;

b) Not pay any honorarium or remuneration to any member or Executive member of the organization;

c) Ensure that the National Organization has no debts or liabilities and make provision thereof;

d) Ensure that the National Organization is not involved in any outstanding legal proceedings;

e) Distribute all remaining assets/funds of the Organization to a charity, charities or philanthropic cause(s) in keeping with the aims and purposes of the Organization;

f) File all documents of the Organization with the National Archives of Canada.

Article 10 Constitutional Amendments

10.01 Constitutional Amendments: Submitted amendments shall be distributed to the membership of every Section for review 30 days prior to the full National Conference held once every five years. The proposed amendments shall be put to a vote at the Conference. Amendments must be approved by a majority (fifty percent plus one) of Conference attendees. If circumstances warrant, amendments may be presented to and voted on at a National Board Annual General Meeting or at a National Board Special Meeting (Article 3.07).

10.02 Date and Place Amended: This Constitution of the UJPO is revised and adopted by OFFICIAL MEETING, PLACE AND DATE.