Meeting Info

Our Executive meets on the second Tuesday of each month. General Meetings are the fourth Tuesday of each month with the exception of July and August. Executive meetings start at 6:30 pm. General meetings start at 7:00 pm. We encourage as many members as possible to attend our General meetings.

Minutes of the Executive and General Meetings are posted in the lounge. The Executive Meeting Minutes posted go back to the beginning of the year only and the General Meeting Minutes are from the past six months.

Matters of Procedure

From page 74 of The General By-Laws of The Royal Canadian Legion, as amended to June 2008.

1303. In all matters of procedure not provided for in the By-Laws of any command or branch, the provisions of the Legion's “Rules of Procedure for Legion Meetings” shall apply. In all cases where these rules do not make adequate provision, then and then only, “Robert's Rules of Order” shall apply.

Learn more about Robert's Rules, Parliamentary Procedure,

Bylaws, Conducting Meetings, and Taking Minutes.

http://www.rulesonline.com/

Robert’s Rules Made Simple

Point

The following three points are always in order:

1. Point of Order: A question about process, or objection and suggestion of alternative process. May include a request for the chair to rule on process.
2. Point of Information: A request for information on a specific question, either about process or about the content of a motion.
3. Point of Personal Privilege: A comment addressing a personal need (e.g. a direct response to a comment defaming one’s character, a plea to open the windows, etc.)

Motions

All motions must be seconded and are adopted by a majority vote unless otherwise noted. All motions may be debated unless otherwise noted. Motions are in order of precedence; motions may be made only if no motion of equal or higher precedence is on the floor (e.g. do not move to end debate (#5) when discussing a motion to suspend the rules (#4).

1. Motion to Adjourn: Not debatable. Goes to immediate majority vote.
2. Motion to Recess: Not debatable. May be for a specific time.
3. Motion to Appeal the Chair’s Decision: Not debatable. Goes to immediate vote. Allows the board to overrule a decision made by the chair.
4. Motion to Suspend the Rules: Suspends formal process for dealing with a specific question. Debatable. Requires 2/3 vote.
5. Motion to End Debate and Vote or Call the Question: Applies only to the motion on the floor. Not debatable. Requires 2/3 vote.
6. Motion to Extend Debate: Can be general or for a specific time or number of speakers. Not debatable.
7. Motion to Refer to Committee: Applies only to the main motion. Refers question to a specific group with a specific time and charge.
8. Motion to Divide the Question: Breaks the motion on the floor into two parts, in a manner suggested by the mover.
9. Motion to Amend: Must be voted for by a majority to be considered and by a 2/3 to be passed. If amendment is accepted as “friendly” by the proposer of the amendment then many bodies will allow it to be accepted without a formal vote. This is a way of including a consensus-building process into procedure without endless debate over amendments to amendments. Strictly speaking, once the main motion is made, it is the property of the body to amend.
10. Main Motion: What it is you are debating and amending.

Other Meeting Guidelines

1. When a topic is first introduced or a main motion is made, allow all questions for information purposes to be asked before opening to debate.
2. Discourage the repetition of arguments. Attempt to call in people who have not yet spoken before those who have already spoken. Discourage dialogues that start up between two individuals in debate.
3. If debate carries on too long, impose time limits on speakers.
4. Discourage people from talking in initials - spell them out.