Constitution


ORGANIZATION

Selection of Chair

8. (1) The Chair of the Institute is appointed by the Ministers to hold office during pleasure until April 1999. Subsequent Chairs will be chosen by the members using a consensus process. The Chair shall be elected for a period of three (3) years.

(2) At a meeting during the final year of the Chair’s term, the Board shall elect a Chair to take office on the first of April following for the ensuing three (3) years.

(3) The election of the Chair shall be by moving the nomination and the seconding thereof by members of the Board and by the subsequent election by consensus by all Members.

Board Members

Board Members 9.(1) Members shall be appointed by their respective group to hold office during pleasure for such term not exceeding three (3) years as will ensure as far as possible the expiration in any one year of the terms of appointment of fewer than half of the Board Members so appointed.

(2) Membership

The Board shall comprise:

an independent and Non-voting Chair (1)

(3) The following groups or organizations will each have a right to appoint one voting member (total of 9):

Innu Nation;

Naskapi Band of Quebec/Inuit of Quebec;

Nunatsiavut Government;

Mamit Innuat;

Labrador Metis Association;

Municipalité Régionale de Comté (Québec);

Central Labrador Economic Development Board Inc.;

Town of Churchill Falls;

Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

(4) The following government organizations may each appoint non- voting ex-officio members as shown (total of 5)

DND/Canadian Forces (2);

Department of Environment - Canadian Wildlife Service recommended (1);

Province of Newfoundland and Labrador (1) ; and

Province of Québec (1).

Criteria for Board Membership

10. Criteria for Board membership are specified in BG-95.022, Recommendation no. 12 (attached), as approved by the Government of Canada.

Additional Members

11. A new Partner may be added in the event it is deemed by the Board Board Members that a significant community group is not properly represented on the Board. Such addition shall require nomination and seconding by existing members of the Board and the subsequent majority vote as defined for a constitutional change by all voting members. Members not present at the meeting will be required to cast a proxy vote.

Vice-Chair

12. The Board shall elect a member to be Vice-Chair of the Board.

Absence etc...of the Chair

13. In the event of the absence or incapacity of the initial Chair, the Vice-Chair may exercise and perform all the duties and functions of the Chair, for a period not to exceed three consecutive months.

Chief Executive

14. The Chair is the chief executive officer of the Institute and has supervision over and direction of the work and staff of the Institute.

Officer Vacancy

15. In the event of a Board vacancy, the affected partner(s) will appoint another person to the Board for the remainder of that term.

Salary and Expenses of The Chair

16. The Chair shall be paid such remunerations and expenses as are fixed by the forms of the contract with the Institute. For the initial term, conditions of employment and remunerations have been agreed upon with the Ministers.

Meeting Procedure

17. The Board and its committees shall operate under a consensus model in making decisions. Where consensus is not achievable, the Board will adopt a decision process based on the concept of the supermajority vote.

Advisory and Other Committees

18. (1) The Board may appoint advisory or other committees or working groups under such terms and conditions as the Board may by by-law prescribe.

(2) Each of the committees and sub-committees of the Institute may from time to time establish practice and procedures which will govern activities, so long as such practices and procedures are consistent with the mandate of the Institute, its contractual obligations, and the mandate given to such committee or sub-committee.

Scientific Review Committee

19. The Scientific Review Committee will consist of a core group of three (3) to five (5) members. Its members will be appointed for a period of three years, with some initial adjustments to permit subsequent continuity. The selection of the members will allow for input from the Board members and require a consensus from the Board. The members of the Scientific Review Committee will be practising scientists who are not associated with projects sponsored by the Institute.

Role of the Scientific Review Committee

20. The Scientific Review Committee (SRC) will:

(a) undertake peer review of the effects research program and monitoring activities. It will advise the Chair and the Board on the overall scientific direction of the Institute. In addition, the Committee will be requested to provide input on the scientific relevance and feasibility of proposed research and monitoring projects to be funded by the Institute. The Committee will advise the Board on appropriate review mechanisms for all projects funded by the Institute.

(b) ensure scientific accuracy and integrity, confirm relevance of the proposed program to the military training program, advise on cost effectiveness of the research design, and ensure the need and scientific support of all proposed monitoring and research programs.

(c) submit an annual report to the Board which will form the basis for the research program.

Officers And Employees

21. Subject to the by-laws, the Chair may appoint, after consultation with the Board, such officers, agents and employees as are necessary for the proper conduct of the work of the Institute.

Meetings Of the Board

22. The Board shall meet a minimum of twice in each calendar year, with at least one such meeting at Goose Bay, and at such other times and places as the Board deems necessary.

Chair To Preside

23. The Chair shall preside at meetings of the Board.

Quorum

24. Nine (9) Board members, including at least seven (7) Board members who are voting members, will constitute a quorum of the Board.

Not Agent Of Her Majesty

25. The Institute is not an agent of Her Majesty and the Chair and other Board members and the officers, agents and employees of the Institute are not part of the Public Service of Canada.

Official Documents Of the Institute

26. The official documents of the Institute will be presented in the two official languages of Canada. Key documents should be translated in appropriate native languages.

Duties of the Executive Director

27. (1) An Executive Director shall be appointed by the Chair, after consensus by the Board Members. The Executive Director shall be ex-officio a member of all committee and sub-committees.

(2) The Executive Director shall perform the following functions:

(a) provide administrative assistance and support for the Chair, Members, and committees of the Institute.

(b) maintain ongoing coordination and liaison with DND personnel.

(c) coordinate all projects and activities within the Institute and with consultants and researchers working for the Institute.

(d) assist in the preparation of progress reports and assist in soliciting contractors, consultants, and researchers to conduct work and Projects approved by the Institute.

(e) promote the accomplishments of the Institute to all Partners and the public at large by coordinating the publicity of the Institute activities and by coordinating the publicizing of significant reports, videos, and events all in consultation with the members of the Institute.

(f) arrange for clerical duties to be undertaken such as recording and distribution of minutes of meetings and performing related functions as requested.

(g) work with the Chair in developing an annual budget, issuing an annual financial statement and reporting on the financial status of the Institute.

(h) prepare the annual report for the Institute.

(i) perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair.

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