Notice of Regional Provincial Executive Elections

Spring 2023

Procedures and Timelines for Regional Provincial Executive Elections

 

A. Background:

NSTU By-Law Article I – Membership sub-article 2 defines eligibility to hold office:

The rights of Active Membership shall include, but not necessarily be limited to the right to vote and hold office at the local and provincial level.

 

NSTU By-Law Article II – The Council sub-article 1 defines the Provincial Executive as:

The Executive of the Council as described in the Teaching Profession Act shall be the Provincial Executive.

 

NSTU By-Law Article III – The Provincial Executive sub-article 1 outlines the composition of the Provincial Executive as:

Composition

(a)    The composition of the Provincial Executive shall be: the President, the First Vice-President, the Immediate Past-President, and twenty-one (21) Regional Members.

(b)    The number of Regional Members and the regions from which they shall be elected are as follows:

(i)      Annapolis/Hants West/Kings                                                                   2 Members

(ii)     Antigonish/Guysborough                                                                           1 Member

(iii)    Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority (APSEA)                    1 Member

(iv)    Cape Breton Industrial                                                                               2 Members

(v)     Colchester/East Hants                                                                                1 Member

(vi)    Conseil syndical acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CSANE)                   2 Members

(vii)   Cumberland                                                                                                  1 Member

(viii) Dartmouth                                                                                                     1 Member

(ix)    Digby/Shelburne/Yarmouth                                                                      2 Members

(x)     Halifax City                                                                                                   2 Members

(xi)    Halifax County                                                                                              2 Members

(xii)   Inverness/Richmond                                                                                   1 Member

(xiii) Lunenburg County/Queens                                                                        1 Member

(xiv) Northside Victoria                                                                                       1 Member

(xv)  Pictou                                                                                                             1 Member

(c)     A Provincial Executive Member must be an Active Member of the NSTU.

(d)    A Provincial Executive Member shall not concurrently hold office at the Local, Regional, or Professional Association Level.

 

NSTU By-Law Article III – The Provincial Executive sub-article 8 outlines the duties of the Provincial Executive as:

The Provincial Executive functions in the name of Council between sessions; it shall perform its duties in a manner that is consistent with the will of Council as expressed through resolutions passed by Council. In addition, the Provincial Executive shall carry out duties imposed specifically by the Teaching Profession Act, these By-Laws, Standing Orders, and Operational Procedures. The Provincial Executive will have, but not necessarily be limited to, carrying out the following duties:

(i)      appoint and dismiss an Executive Director and such other paid employees of the Union as it may deem necessary and determine their duties, remuneration, and terms of employment, including bonding;

(ii)     provide suitable offices and equipment for carrying on the work of the NSTU;

(iii)    direct and supervise the business, property, and affairs of the NSTU between Council meetings, and all decisions that are deemed policy by the Provincial Executive shall be forwarded to the upcoming Council as resolutions;

(iv)    determine the place and date and make arrangements for workshops and special Council meetings;

(v)     issue a post-Council press release;

(vi)    provide assistance with organizing Locals, Regional Representative Councils, and Professional Associations;

(vii)   shall ratify constitutions of Locals, Regional Representative Councils, and Professional Associations by following regulations outlined in the NSTU Operational Procedures;

(viii)  determine the boundaries of the Locals;

(ix)    publish a magazine or other official publications;

(x)     cause the books and accounts of the Council to be audited annually by a chartered accountant and cause the report of the auditor to be submitted to Council;

(xi)    have the power to convene an emergency meeting of a Local or a meeting of the NSTU Members in a given area; and,

(xii)   is empowered to exercise on behalf of the Union, as the Provincial Executive deems advisable from time-to-time, the powers of the Union under the Teachers’ Pension Act and report thereon to the Council at the next following meeting of the Council.

 

B. Regional Elections to be Held Spring 2023:

Regions Holding Elections           

Number of Members to be Elected

Annapolis/Hants West/Kings

1 Member

Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority (APSEA)

1 Member

Cape Breton Industrial   

1 Member

Cumberland

1 Member

Conseil syndical acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse (CSANE)

1 Member

Digby/Shelburne/Yarmouth

1 Member

Halifax City

1 Member

Halifax County  

1 Member

Northside Victoria

1 Member

Pictou

1 Member

 

C. Procedure and Timeline of Election Process:

NSTU Operational Procedure 8 – Election Procedures sub-section B outlines the voting procedures for Regional Provincial Executive Members as:

I. Notice of Pending Election

a. Notice of all pending Regional Provincial Executive elections shall be posted on the NSTU website and advertised in an issue of The Teacher at least thirty (30) days prior to the closing of nominations. (for Spring 2023 this means Wednesday, January 25, 2023)

b. Notice of a pending Regional Provincial Executive election shall be sent to NSTU leaders (Local President(s), RRC Chair (if applicable), and Provincial Executive Member(s)) from within the boundaries of the region as defined in NSTU By-Laws Article III – The Provincial Executive at least thirty (30) days prior to the closing of nominations. (for Spring 2023 this means Wednesday, January 25, 2023)

c. Notice shall include the process for nominations.

 II. Nominations
a. Nominations for the office of Regional Provincial Executive shall be submitted on the official Nomination Form.

b. The official Nomination Form may be found on the NSTU website.

c. Individuals may nominate themselves.

d. A candidate’s Nomination Form must be completed and returned to the Executive Director or designate no later than 4:00 p.m. on the last Friday of February (the closing of nominations). (for Spring 2023 this means Friday, February 24, 2023)

3. In the event that no nominations are received in a given region, the close of nominations shall be extended by two (2) weeks, and notice shall be sent to NSTU leaders from within the boundaries of the region. (for Spring 2023 this means Friday, March 10, 2023)

 III. Voting Day

a. The voting day shall be the third Wednesday in April. (for Spring 2023 this means Wednesday, April 19, 2023)

 

D. Nominations:

The official Nomination Form is submitted online at:  https://nstu.ca/the-nstu/communications/online-forms/provincial-executive-nomination-form. Confirmation of receipt of the Nomination Form will be emailed to the Candidate upon submission. Candidates will be contacted soon after the close of nominations regarding election procedures.

Contact Person:

For further information regarding the 2023 Regional Provincial Executive Elections, contact Louis Robitaille Executive Staff Officer Research, Governance, and Policy at lrobitaille@staff.nstu.ca or 1-800-565-6788 (local 902-477-5621).