A resolution to establish a Committee on Resolution Development (CRD)

Preamble

Whereas one of the three purposes of this SGM in Calgary is to "review and adopt improved processes for policy making"
Whereas our current policy and resolution development and adoption process has no mechanism to insure proportional representation of the full membership,
Whereas traveling to conventions requires considerable resources of time and money which currently favours members living close to the convention site and those with sufficient financial resources to travel.
Whereas the prioritization of resolutions is currently minimal, allowing any number of resolutions of varying importance and complexities to be submitted for consideration at a national convention.
Whereas some resolutions address complex issues that require careful consideration by the entire membership before they are adopted within very limited time available at convention.

Operative

Be it resolved that Federal Council strike a Committee on Resolution Development (CRD) to investigate best practices and propose a proportionally representative system for the development and adoption of resolutions at general meetings.
Be it further resolved that the CRD be tasked to tap the experience and expertise of other Green Parties across the country and around the world to develop a process for resolution adoption that is fair, proportionally representative across Canada and politically effective at advancing the collective objectives of the membership.
Be it further resolved that the committee be structured to be representative of the whole membership and develop a time-line that allows for local EDAs to participate in forging this process before the final recommendation is presented to Federal Council.
Be it further resolved that the CRD's recommendation be submitted to Federal Council by Sep 30, 2017, and that Federal Council be authorized to adopt the proposed system, on an trial basis, for the 2018 BGM.

Background

This Special General Meeting in Calgary has been necessitated, at considerable expense to the attendees and the party, because our current process of resolution development and adoption has failed to represent the unified will of the party. Over time we have tweaked and modified our process in a sincere attempt to make it work but now we know that it doesn't.
With the strife resulting from last Summer's convention it is time to do a comprehensive re-assessment of our internal processes in anticipation of Electoral Reform bringing consensus based governance, in the form of Proportional Representation, to Canada.
To accomplish this, we could strike our own special committee that could be proportionally representative of the membership. The job of the committee would be to tap international Green experience (The Heinrich Boel Foundation might be able to help facilitate this) and provincial Green Party structures (just so we don't miss the obvious in our back yard) and develop a comprehensive proposal for how we develop, process and pass resolutions.
The findings of such a committee could be presented to the membership through regional meetings of EDAs for feedback and proposed changes or amendments. Then after EDA feedback has been considered, the recommendation would be presented to Federal Council and eventually to the 2018 BGM for final adoption.

Code

S16-D014

Proposal Type

Directive

Submitter Name

Thomas Teuwen

Preamble

Whereas one of the three purposes of this SGM in Calgary is to "review and adopt improved processes for policy making"
Whereas our current policy and resolution development and adoption process has no mechanism to insure proportional representation of the full membership,
Whereas traveling to conventions requires considerable resources of time and money which currently favours members living close to the convention site and those with sufficient financial resources to travel.
Whereas the prioritization of resolutions is currently minimal, allowing any number of resolutions of varying importance and complexities to be submitted for consideration at a national convention.
Whereas some resolutions address complex issues that require careful consideration by the entire membership before they are adopted within very limited time available at convention.

Operative

Be it resolved that Federal Council strike a Committee on Resolution Development (CRD) to investigate best practices and propose a proportionally representative system for the development and adoption of resolutions at general meetings.
Be it further resolved that the CRD be tasked to tap the experience and expertise of other Green Parties across the country and around the world to develop a process for resolution adoption that is fair, proportionally representative across Canada and politically effective at advancing the collective objectives of the membership.
Be it further resolved that the committee be structured to be representative of the whole membership and develop a time-line that allows for local EDAs to participate in forging this process before the final recommendation is presented to Federal Council.
Be it further resolved that the CRD's recommendation be submitted to Federal Council by Sep 30, 2017, and that Federal Council be authorized to adopt the proposed system, on an trial basis, for the 2018 BGM.

Background

This Special General Meeting in Calgary has been necessitated, at considerable expense to the attendees and the party, because our current process of resolution development and adoption has failed to represent the unified will of the party. Over time we have tweaked and modified our process in a sincere attempt to make it work but now we know that it doesn't.
With the strife resulting from last Summer's convention it is time to do a comprehensive re-assessment of our internal processes in anticipation of Electoral Reform bringing consensus based governance, in the form of Proportional Representation, to Canada.
To accomplish this, we could strike our own special committee that could be proportionally representative of the membership. The job of the committee would be to tap international Green experience (The Heinrich Boel Foundation might be able to help facilitate this) and provincial Green Party structures (just so we don't miss the obvious in our back yard) and develop a comprehensive proposal for how we develop, process and pass resolutions.
The findings of such a committee could be presented to the membership through regional meetings of EDAs for feedback and proposed changes or amendments. Then after EDA feedback has been considered, the recommendation would be presented to Federal Council and eventually to the 2018 BGM for final adoption.