Adopted in 2018 by the membership of the Young Greens of Canada and amended in 2022.
1. General
1.1 The Young Greens of Canada (“YGC”) is a unit of the Central Party of the Green Party of Canada (the "Party"), and is bound by the constitution and bylaws of the Party.
1.2 The purpose of the Young Greens is to:
1.2.1 Support the Party in their efforts to elect candidates to the House of Commons;
1.2.2 Ensure a youth voice is part of debating and forming legislation in Canada’s Parliament;
1.2.3 Ensure a youth voice is part of developing the policy, positions, and platforms of the Party;
1.2.4 Facilitate the involvement of young Canadians and encourage youth-friendly structures and atmosphere within the YGC and the Party more broadly;
1.2.5 Ensure the Principles of the Global Greens Charter that reference young people are respected and prioritized.
1.3 All members in good standing of the Party, who are between the ages of 12 and 29 years of age (inclusive), are members of the YGC. Only members of the YGC who are between the ages of 14 and 29 years of age (inclusive) are entitled to vote as YGC members.
1.4 As a unit of the Party, the YGC is accountable to:
1.4.1 the YGC membership in a General Meeting of the Party or during YGC Council elections;
1.4.2 the Federal Council when the YGC membership is not in General Meeting of the Party or voting in YGC Council elections.
1.5 This bylaw may be amended by a 50% vote of approval with at least 25 YGC members voting at a General Meeting, and shall become effective following a vote of approval of greater than 50% of votes cast by the YGC membership.
1.6 The YGC may only change its name or be dissolved by the Federal Council or a General Meeting of the Party in the manner as outlined in the Party Constitution or Bylaws to deregister a unit of the Party.
2. YGC Council
2.1 The Young Greens of Canada Council (“the Council”) is the governing body of the YGC and is responsible for providing strategic advice to the Party.
2.2 The Council shall be composed of:
Two (2) Co-Chairs, who shall be the YGC voting representatives on Federal Council;
One (1) representative from each Province of Canada; and
One (1) representative representing the Territories of Canada.
2.3 The Council will, at the first meeting following the election of the Council or on an as needed basis, choose a Council member to represent the YGC as:
2.3.1 Youth Critic on Shadow Cabinet; and
2.3.2 Members of Party committees, working groups or other governance bodies as needed.
2.4 Council positions that become vacant will be filled via byelection, provided the remaining term for the position is six (6) months or longer. Council has the authority to fill, by appointment, any position that becomes vacant with fewer than six (6) months remaining in the term. Individuals elected or appointed to fill vacancies will serve the remainder of the regular term for their position.
2.5 Members of the Council shall serve for a term of two (2) years and are eligible to run for two additional terms as long as they are under the age of 29 years old at the beginning of their final term.
2.6 A Council member who is absent from three (3) consecutive meetings or votes of the Council without apparent cause shall be removed from the Council unless the member provides satisfactory written documentation explaining the absences and is reinstated by a majority vote of the remaining Council members.
2.7 Members of the Council may be removed from office for cause, by a 75% majority vote of the Council in a meeting called for that purpose.
2.7.1 For the purposes of this section, cause is defined as any behaviour that contravenes the standards outlined in the Green Party of Canada’s Member Code of Conduct.
2.7.2 A Council member facing a motion for removal must be informed of all allegations in writing and is entitled to thirty (30) days to prepare and present their defense before any motions for removal proceed.
2.7.3 A Council member facing a motion for removal is entitled to attend the meeting at which the motion for their removal is discussed in order to present their position and/or defense. Subsequent to their presentation, the Council member may then be asked to withdraw from the meeting by the remaining Council members.
2.7.4 Motions for removal shall be conducted via secret ballot.
2.7.5 Should a motion for removal be successful, the remaining Council members may also submit a request for a review of the removed Council member’s membership to the President of the Party.
2.8 The Council shall advise the Party on budget matters as relative to the YGC.
2.9 The Council may establish committees as required. The mandate of such committees will be determined by the Council and any such committee shall report to the Council.
3. Election of Council
3.1 In odd numbered years, one Co-Chair and the representatives of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Territories, New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, and Alberta shall be elected. In even numbered years, one Co-Chair and the representatives of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia shall be elected.
3.2 Each province and the territories must have a minimum of ten (10) members of the YGC residing within their borders in order to be eligible to elect a Provincial Representative or Territorial Representative to Council.
3.3 The lesser of five (5) members of the YGC residing within a province or the territories, or 20% of YGC members residing within a province or the territories, shall be required to nominate for the position of Provincial Representative or the Territorial Representative of their respective province or territory.
3.4 Ten (10) members of the YGC, representing at least two provinces and/or territories, shall be required to nominate for the position of Co-Chair of the YGC.
3.5 All nominees must have been members of YGC who are members in good standing for at least thirty (30) days as of the Council election date.
3.6 Nominations will close at least thirty (30) days prior to the vote.
3.7 Instructions for how to vote in the Council election shall be emailed out at least thirty (30) days prior the Council election date.
3.8 All members of the YGC who are members in good standing of the Party and who have been members for at least thirty (30) days shall be eligible to vote in the selection of the Council members.
3.9 The vote for the Council shall require None-of-the-Above (NOTA) to be a contestant, shall be by preferential ballot, and a majority vote shall elect.
4. Council Meetings
4.1 The Council shall conduct meetings no less than six (6) times per year.
4.2 Quorum at Council meetings shall be a majority of voting members then in office.
4.3 Council may meet by electronic means.
4.4 All decisions of Council shall be by consensus or, if consensus cannot be reached among those present, by a majority vote of those present and voting, except as may be specifically stated elsewhere in these Bylaws.
4.5 Council meetings shall be scheduled by the Council, or may be called by the Co-Chairs, or may be called by a minimum of 1/3 of all Council members. Notice of Council meetings must be given to all Council members a minimum of two (2) weeks prior to the meeting date.
4.6 Council may make decisions between normal meetings by email and other electronic means, and the result of any such votes shall be ratified and read into the minutes at the subsequent meeting.
4.7 All and only members of Council may vote in Council meetings. The Party’s representative shall be present at all meetings, whenever possible, but shall not hold the right to vote.
4.8 The Council may adopt procedural rules, not inconsistent with these bylaws, for conducting their meetings.
5. Campus Clubs
5.1 The YGC will encourage the development of, recognize and support YGC campus clubs (“campus clubs”).
5.2 Campus clubs must meet the following criteria:
5.2.1 Respect the purpose of the Young Greens of Canada;
5.2.2 Respect the regulations of the relevant student union (where applicable);
5.2.3 Have had their constitution approved by the Council;
5.2.4 Have reported the names of their President(s)/Chair(s) and contact information to the Party each semester at minimum; and
5.2.5 Executives of campus clubs hold Party membership where eligible.