Executive & Council Members

Bylaws of the Society

Bylaws Of The Mining Society of Nova Scotia; As Amended 28th June, 2001

  1. MEMBERSHIP
    2. The Membership of The Society shall consist of HONORARY MEMBERS, LIFE MEMBERS, MEMBERS, JUNIORS, STUDENTS and ASSOCIATES.

  2. REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
    1. An HONORARY MEMBER shall be a person distinguished by technical or scientific attainments, or one eminent in the development of the mineral or allied industry. An Honorary Member shall be entitled to all of the rights and privileges of Members. The number of Honorary Members shall not at any time exceed ten.
    2. A candidate for admission as a MEMBER shall be at least twenty-one years of age and shall have been engaged for a period of at least five years in responsible positions in practical mining or allied work, or such other person as Council may decide to be eligible by reason of scientific attainments or technical knowledge.
    3. A candidate for admission as a JUNIOR shall be at least eighteen and not more than twenty-seven years of age, and shall be in training for qualification as a member. Juniors shall have all of the rights of membership except those of voting and holding office.
    4. A candidate for admission as an ASSOCIATE shall be at least twenty-one years of age and shall be engaged in some industry associated with the Mining Industry, such as the production and distribution of machinery or other materials used in the industry.
    5. The Deputy Minister of Natural Resources of the Province of Nova Scotia shall be ex offocio, a member with all of the rights and privileges of Members during the term of office as Deputy Minister.
    6. A candidate for admission as a Student Member shall be a person enrolled in a University, College, Technological or Technical School as a student in courses which normally lead to a career in the Mining, Metallurgical or Petroleum Industries.
    7. Every person who is a member in good standing who has been in the Society for a length of time so that his/her membership years added to his/her age equals one hundred (100) shall be a LIFE MEMBER.

    A LIFE MEMBER shall be entitled to all of the rights and privileges of Members. A LIFE MEMBER shall be exempt from the payment of dues and registration fees at the Annual General Meeting.

  3. PUBLIC DESIGNATION OF MEMBERSHIP
    4. Any Honorary Member, Member or Junior having occasion to designate oneself as one of the membership of the Society should do so and for that purpose, may use that one of the following abbreviations which properly indicates the class to which they belong: e.g. HON. MEM. MSNS; LMEM. MSNS; MEM. MSNS; JR. MSNS; STU. MSNS

  4. ELECTION TO MEMBERSHIP
    1. No application for election to HONORARY MEMBERSHIP will be considered, but any ten members may propose in writing the name of any person whom they consider qualified for such classification. Such proposal shall be considered at a meeting of Council and, if there be a vacancy in the number of Honorary Members, such person may be elected on a majority of three-fourths of all the Councillors, who, in this case, shall be canvassed by letter ballot which ballot shall be opened at a meeting of Council.
    2. Any candidate for admission as a MEMBER, JUNIOR, STUDENT or ASSOCIATE, shall make application on the form provided by filling in the necessary answers to the questions therein contained and give full details as to qualifications and experience. Applications must be supported by two Members or by a Member and an Associate. Such application shall be considered at a meeting of Council and election and classification shall take place on a majority vote of Councillors attending that meeting
    3. Applicants for admission shall be advised of their election, or otherwise, according to the decision of Council and, if elected, their names shall be inscribed on The Society's rolls upon receipt of their dues, which must be paid within six months.

  5. DUES
    1. HONORARY MEMBERS and LIFE MEMBERS shall be exempt from the payment of dues.
    2. The dues of MEMBERS and ASSOCIATES shall be the amount as determined on an annual basis by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM).
    3. The dues of JUNIORS and STUDENTS shall be the amount as determined on an annual basis by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM).
    4. The dues of Members, Associates and Juniors may be changed and fixed at such other amounts as Council, from time to time, may determine.
    5. All dues shall be payable on the first day of January from year to year except that in the case of newly elected members, they shall pay pro rata on the unexpired portion of the current fiscal year following their election.
    6. Council may for any reason it considers just and sufficient exempt any member from the payment of dues.

  6. RESIGNATION
    7. Anyone may resign their membership from the Society but their resignation shall not be accepted unless it is sent in writing to the Secretary, nor shall it be accepted until their unpaid dues or other indebtedness to the Society shall have paid.

  7. DISCIPLINE
    8. Upon receipt of a complaint signed by five Members alleging that a member of any classification has been guilty of conduct prejudicial to the dignity and/or interests of The Society to such a degree as may demand official action, Council shall by registered letter notify such member of the complaint requiring such member to make answer within thirty days either by letter or by expressing a desire to appear before Council to personal defense. In either case or in failure to reply, Council shall meet in closed session and take such action as it deems proper, a quorum for such meeting being not less than eight, failing which Council as a whole shall be canvassed by Letter Ballot. An affirmative Secret Vote of Sixty-six and two-thirds per cent shall be necessary to reprimand and of seventy-five per cent to expel.

  8. COUNCIL
    9. The affairs and business of The Society shall be managed and controlled by a Council which shall consist of:
    1. The President, two Vice-Presidents, all elected, and twelve member-at-large elected as Councillors.
    2. A Secretary-Treasurer, who will serve at the pleasure of the Council.
    3. One or two members appointed by the President at his discretion and approved by a majority vote of Council.
    4. The Chairperson of the Nova Scotia section of the CIM Petroleum Society, if a member of The Mining Society or the CIM.
    5. The President and Executive Director of CIM, the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources of Nova Scotia and the Past President of the Mining Society of Nova Scotia, during their time of office, are ex-officio members of Council.
    6. The Chairpersons of the Branches of the Mining Society of Nova Scotia which are the Halifax Branch and the Cape Breton Branch.
    7. The Senior Officer present at any meeting of Council shall act as Chairperson.

  9. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
    1. All officers (President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President) with the exception of the Secretary-Treasurer, shall be elected for one year. The Secretary-Treasurer will serve at the pleasure of the Council.
    2. Councillors shall serve for a two year term, with six new councillors elected each year.
    3. At any time more than five weeks before the date of the Annual General Meeting the President may appoint any three members of the Mining Society of Nova Scotia as a NOMINATING COMMITTEE or, at the President's suggestion Council may resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole as such NOMINATING COMMITTEE, and thereupon such committee shall immediately select a slate of six candidates for Council and a Second Vice-President for the ensuing year.
    4. Upon the advice of the Nominating Committee the Secretary shall cause a list containing the names of the six proposed councillors and the second Vice-President to be printed and presented to all members having voting privileges at the Annual General Meeting.
    5. In addition to the six nominated councillors and second Vice-President, additional members can be nominated from the floor during the Annual General Meeting for councillor and second Vice-President. If additional members are nominated from the floor, ballots shall be distributed for voting and the ballots shall be counted by two or more scrutineers appointed by the President.
    6. The result of the ballot shall then be announced to the Annual General Meeting when the newly elected officers shall assume office.
    7. Should a vacancy occur in the officers, Council at its first meeting shall appoint some member to the vacancy to complete the unexpired term.

  10. MEETINGS
    1. The President shall preside at all meetings of The Society and of Council at which he may be present failing which the senior officer present shall preside.
    2. The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Society shall be held once a year at such time and location as the Council shall direct. Ten members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
    3. A GENERAL MEETING of the Society may be called at any time by order of the President or on the written request of any ten members of The Society.
    4. MEETINGS OF COUNCIL will be held at the call of the President or on the written request of any four members of Council. Five members shall constitute a quorum.

  11. COMMITTEES
    1. Council shall appoint at its first meeting following an Annual Meeting certain standing committees such as Membership Committee, Finance Committee, Nominating Committee, Awards Committee, Technical Papers Committee, Education Committee, Entertainment Committee and from time to time such other committees for specific purposes as need may arise.
    2. The Chairperson of every committee shall be a member of Council.
    3. The President and Secretary-Treasurer shall be ex officio members of all committees.

  12. BY-LAWS
    1. Any proposal to introduce new by-laws or make any change in those existing shall be presented in writing to Council and signed by at least ten Members.
    2. Any new by-law or any change in an existing by-law may be put into effect at any meeting of Council upon a unanimous vote of the Councillors attending the meeting, provided always that there be not fewer than eight in attendance, or by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the whole if the President directs that Council be canvassed.
    3. Council upon a two-thirds majority vote of those present may refer any proposal for addition or change to the by-laws to any Annual Meeting and such proposal shall become effective upon a two-thirds majority vote of those present at that Annual Meeting, provided always that no proposal to add or to change the by-laws shall be discussed or voted upon at the Annual Meeting unless submitted to the Annual Meeting by Council in the manner above provided and so announced in the notice calling that meeting.

  13. BRANCHES
    14. Council may at its discretion approve of the establishment of a branch of The Society in any locality provided that the formation of such a branch is requested in writing by at least ten members resident in the locality.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing By-Laws are unanimously adopted by Resolution of a Meeting of Council of The Mining Society of Nova Scotia held on the 28th day of June, 2001 in Baddeck, Nova Scotia.
 
Howard Donohoe
PRESIDENT

 
George Sigut
Secretary
 

OFFICERS (2000-2001)
Howard Donohoe, President
Kevin Beaton, 1st Vice President
Alan Davidson, 2nd Vice President
George Sigut, Secretary-Treasurer