By-Law - Turkish Canadian Cultural Association

BY-LAWS OF THE TURKISH-CANADIAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION

Adopted: 1979

Revised: 1991

Revised: 1994

Revised: 2024

Revised: 2026

GENERAL

Name

The name of the corporation (hereinafter called the Association) shall be THE TURKISH-CANADIAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION. For the purpose of the Association, the term Turkish shall be understood to include anything or anyone of Turkish origin as well as anyone who is a Turcophile, or anyone interested in furthering the objects of the association.

Location

The Association is domiciled in the city of Ottawa, in the Province of Ontario in Canada.

Seal

The seal of the Association shall be in the form impressed hereon in the margin hereof.

Objectives

The objectives of the Association are to encourage, establish and promote good relations, on one hand, between the peoples of Canada and Türkiye, and on the other, among the Turkish people in Canada and the world; the principal activities being the study, preservation, and representation of Turkish lifestyle, language, and cultures. To this end, the Association organizes social and cultural meetings, exchanges, conferences, exhibitions, publications, media programs, demonstrations, travels, visits, educational activities, etc., and representations on behalf of its members along with their collective will. The Association cooperates with other organizations and individuals having similar objects and shall assist or receive assistance, wherever possible, from these organizations and individuals encouraging similar activities in Türkiye and elsewhere and relating to Canada.

Limitations

The Association is secular and non-political and shall not have any religious or political affiliations or activities.

No pecuniary gain to members

The Association is a non-profit organization and shall be carried on without pecuniary gain to its members and officers. Any profits or accretions to the Association shall be used solely for promoting its objectives. Officers of the Association shall not receive remuneration for their services.

MEMBERSHIP

Constitution

Membership in the Association shall be limited to persons of legal age interested in furthering and supporting the objectives of the Association and shall consist of anyone whose application for admission as a member has received the approval of the Executive Committee or the General Assembly. There shall be provision for the following special classes of membership:

a) Honorary members: Persons who are recognized to have served the Association or its objects in an exceptional way, who have been nominated by the Executive Committee and elected by a 2/3 majority vote of the General Assembly.

b) Sustaining members: Persons who have made a significant financial contribution to the Association, who have been nominated by the Executive Committee and elected by a 2/3 majority vote of the General Assembly.

c) Active members: Persons who have paid their annual membership fees in full and are not delinquent in their payments. This membership will be valid until December 31^st of the calendar year of the membership due payment or the General Assembly of the same year, and approval of membership by the executive committee.

d) Inactive members: Persons who have not paid their annual membership fees. For the purpose of interpreting these By-laws, the term ‘member’ does not include this category. However, the Secretary of the Association shall continue to maintain valid addresses on file for these members, for the purpose of sending notices, newsletters etc. as determined by the General Assembly or the Executive Committee. Membership fees must be paid before participating in the proceedings of the General Assembly in a given year.

e) Terminated members: Persons whose membership has been terminated according to the “Termination of membership” clause of these by-laws.

Rights and Duties

A copy of the By-laws of the Association shall be sent to each new member. The payment of the membership fee or the acceptance of nomination for an honorary or sustaining membership shall be deemed to be an undertaking by the member to abide by and be bound by all such By-laws and other rules of the Association. The right to vote in the affairs of the Association and the right to nominate candidates and to be nominated as a candidate to any office of the Association are limited to members who have been an honorary, sustaining, or active member for at least the past eleven (11) months. Non-members known to be interested in furthering the objectives of the Association shall be invited to general meetings by the Executive Committee and shall have the right to participate in its deliberations without the right to vote.

Annual membership fee

An annual membership fee shall be prescribed each year by the General Assembly in the following categories:

a) Individual

b) Family (to cover two individuals from a household, plus any children under 25). Family membership can only cast maximum two votes.

c) Student/Youth (under 25).

d) Honorary and sustaining members are exempt from paying the annual membership fee.

Termination of membership

Membership may be terminated at any time either by:

a) the member resigning in writing and lodging a copy of the same with the secretary of the Association, or

b) the two thirds (2/3) majority of the General Assembly where, in its opinion, a member has acted contrary to the interest of the Association, provided that before terminating membership under this clause, the member shall first be given an opportunity to explain his/her position in writing, or

c) the Executive Committee, where non-payment of the annual membership fee by a member indicates that the member is no longer interested in or capable of participating in the activities of the Association.

d) the Executive Committee may suspend a member, if the member has acted contrary to the interest of the Association until the General Assembly. The suspension of this member shall be confirmed by the General Assembly as defined in part b) of this clause.

MEETING OF MEMBERS

Annual General Meeting

The annual general meeting of the members shall be held as a rule on a weekend. The typical duration between two consecutive annual general meetings shall be twelve (12) months. However, this duration shall not be more than fifteen (15) months after the previous annual general assembly under extraordinary circumstances.

Special general meeting

Special general meetings of the members may be called at any time by the Executive Committee, or fifty percent of the honorary, sustaining and active members plus one.

Notice of general meetings

The Executive Committee shall inform each member by an electronic notice of all annual and special general meetings at least two weeks before the date of such meetings, indicating the hour, the place, and the agenda of the meeting. No unintentional error or omission in giving notice of any meeting of the members shall invalidate such meetings or make void any proceedings thereat.

Quorum, voting, etc.

Fifty percent of the members plus one, or thirty members, present in person in a general meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a lesser number shall adjourn to a later day no later than two weeks from the date of the meeting. A member who cannot be present in person may, by means of a written proxy, appoint a proxy holder to attend and act at a specific meeting of members, in the manner and to the extent authorized by the proxy. A proxy holder must be a member of the Association. A member shall not hold more than two (2) proxies at the general assembly, with a total voting power of three (3). At all general meetings of the members and those of the Executive Committee, every issue shall be resolved by a simple majority of votes unless otherwise specifically provided by statute or these By-laws.

Organs and officers

The organs of the Association shall be the General Assembly, and the Executive Committee. The officers of the Association shall be the President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, and the other members of the Executive Committee.

General Assembly

Any annual or special general meeting of the members, in which the quorum exists, shall be known as the General Assembly. Any two members of the Executive Committee shall validate the quorum. The power to direct the Association is vested in the General Assembly. Each General Assembly is chaired by a General Assembly chairperson elected by that General Assembly. A recording secretary is elected to record the minutes of the General Assembly.

Executive Committee

The General Assembly shall elect an Executive Committee consisting of an odd number not less than five members, and not more than nine members. It is the primary duty of the Executive Committee to further the objectives of the Association, and nominees for this Committee shall disclose their potential conflict of interests as defined in the conflict of interest clause of these bylaws. The Executive Committee shall be empowered by the General Assembly to manage the property and business and to administer the affairs of the Association. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to appoint and re-appoint from among its members the President, Vice-president, Treasurer and the Secretary of the Association. The Executive Committee may meet at any time and place to be determined by its members. Quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be one more than half of the number of Executive Committee members which must include the President or designate. Tied votes at Executive Committee meetings will be resolved in favor of the vote cast by the President or designate. The Executive Committee shall be authorized by the General Assembly to take such steps as they may deem necessary to enable the Association to acquire, accept, solicit, or receive legacies, gifts, grants, settlements, bequests, endowments, and donations of any kind whatsoever for the purpose of furthering the objects of the Association. The minutes of the Executive Committee meetings shall be made available to the general membership of the Association if requested in writing. Each member shall have the right to access such minutes. The Executive Committee may empower a Sub-Committee from among its members to investigate a particular matter and delegate decision authority to the Subcommittee on this matter. The past president of the Executive Committee may serve as a non-voting member of the Executive Committee in an advisory position.

Conflict of Interest

Executive Committee members of the Association must act in the best interests of the Association and avoid any conflicts of interest that could compromise or appear to compromise their independent judgment. A conflict of interest may arise when a committee member, or their immediate family, has a financial, personal, or professional interest, including but not limited to being an executive member of another organization that has overlapping objectives or domain of activities as this association, that could improperly influence their decisions or actions on behalf of the Association.

Disclosure of Interests: Each Executive Committee member is required to disclose any actual, perceived, or potential conflict of interest as soon as it arises. This includes disclosing any affiliations, transactions, or relationships that may influence the member’s judgment in the Association’s matters.

Abstention from Decisions: A committee member with a disclosed conflict of interest must abstain from voting or participating in discussions and decisions related to the matter in question. They may be required to leave the meeting room during deliberations to ensure impartiality.

Documentation: All disclosed conflicts and subsequent actions taken by the Executive Committee to manage or resolve the conflict shall be recorded in the meeting minutes to maintain transparency and accountability.

Review of Conflicts: The Executive Committee reserves the right to review any conflicts of interest and take further steps, including requesting the resignation of a member if the conflict is deemed to significantly impair the member’s ability to serve in the best interest of the Association.

Executive Committee members must adhere to these guidelines to ensure their conduct aligns with the Association’s ethical standards and to uphold public trust.

The President of the Association

The President shall be charged with the general supervision of the business and the affairs of the Association, preside over all the meetings of the Executive Committee, and do, perform, and render such acts and services as the General Assembly shall prescribe and require.

The Vice-President of the Association In the absence of the President, the Vice-president shall have all the powers and duties of the President.

The Treasurer

The Treasurer shall keep complete and accurate books of account in which all receipts and disbursements of the Association shall be recorded and under the direction of the President and/or the Executive Committee shall control the deposit of money, the safekeeping of securities and the disbursement of the funds of the Association. The treasurer shall render to the General Assembly, to the Executive Committee and to the President and the Auditors, whenever required, an account of all transactions of the treasury and of the financial position of the Association, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Executive Committee from time to time. It is the duty of the Treasurer to prepare a budget and ensure the fulfillment of any municipal, provincial or federal tax return requirements related to this association. The Treasurer shall support the work of the association’s auditors, providing all necessary financial documentation and assistance to facilitate the annual audit and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

The Secretary

It shall be the duty of the secretary to prepare the correspondence relating to the affairs of the Association and act as custodian of such correspondence, to retain custody of the Seal of the Association, to record membership, to keep minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee and to perform all other duties as may from time to time be prescribed by the Executive Committee and the President.

Terms of office

The term of office for all Executive Committee members shall be from one annual general meeting to the next. Each member is eligible for re-election during the annual general meeting up to a maximum of three consecutive terms.

Vacancies and removals

The Executive Committee is empowered to fill any vacancies due to resignation or other reasons in the Executive Committee from among the members of the Association. Any member of the Executive Committee may be removed by a majority vote of members at the General Assembly.

Nomination

Members shall have the right to nominate candidates for the positions of officers of the Association. With the notice of the annual general meeting, the Executive Committee shall ask members to nominate candidates for the Executive Committee of the Association in the coming year. If the nominee cannot be present at the General Assembly meeting, the nomination must include a written promise signed by the nominee to accept the position if elected. A nomination list will be prepared and distributed to the members at the annual general meeting.

Committees

Because of the great value of flexibility in serving the purposes of the Association, no provision is made in these By-laws for standing committees other than the Executive Committee and the Education Committee. Committees may be created, discharged, eliminated, replaced, their powers expanded or limited by the General Assembly as the Assembly may from time to time determine. The Executive Committee may also appoint and discharge Committees with specific mandates as it may deem necessary from time to time. The chairperson and the members of Committees shall be appointed by the General Assembly or the Executive Committee and shall be responsible for the completion of their mandate to the General Assembly or the Executive Committee respectively.

Fiscal year

The fiscal year and business year of the Association shall be from one annual general meeting to the next, in which the new officers of the Association are duly elected.

Audit

At each annual general meeting, the members shall elect two auditors for the coming year. No member of the Executive Committee shall be eligible to be appointed as an auditor of the Association’s accounts.

Auditor duties

It shall be the duty of the auditors to examine, at least once before an annual General Assembly, all books, vouchers, and accounts of me Association and all documents having reference to the business thereof, including the balance sheet and financial statement prepared by the treasurer, and to prepare a report to the General Assembly concerning the accuracy and method of preparation of such documents.

Signature and certification of documents

Contracts, documents, or other instruments in writing, including cheques, requiring the signature of the Association shall be signed by the President and either the Secretary or one other member of the Executive Committee. All contracts, documents and instruments signed shall be binding upon the Association without any further authorization and formality. The Seal of the Association, when required, may be affixed to contracts, documents, and instruments in writing as aforesaid.

Rules and regulations

The Executive Committee may prescribe such rules and regulations not inconsistent with these By-laws relating to the management and operation of the Association as they deem expedient, provided that such rules and regulations shall have force and effect only until the next annual meeting of members of the Association when they shall be confirmed, and failing such confirmation at such annual meeting of members shall at and from that time cease to have force and effect.

Books and records

The Executive Committee shall see that all necessary books and records of the Association required by the By-laws of the Association or prescribed by the General Assembly or by any applicable statute or law are regularly and properly kept.

Amendments or repeal

No amendments to the By-laws or repeal of the By-laws shall be made except by a vote of at least two thirds in number of the members present at an annual or special general meeting, the notice of which has specified the proposed amendment or repeal. Any amendment or repeal of By-laws not embodied in the letters patent shall not be enforced or acted upon until the approval of the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs has been obtained.

Dissolution

In the event of dissolution or winding-up of the Association, all its assets, after payment of its liabilities, shall be distributed to one or more organizations in Canada having similar or cognate objects.

Interpretation

In all By-laws of the Association where the context so requires or permits, the singular shall include the plural and plural the singular.

By-Law Concerning the Education Committee

a. Purpose and Role 

The Association addresses the Turkish language and culture education needs of school-age children through the Education Committee.

The Education Committee (EC) serves as a supportive link between the Association and the school board, primarily by collaborating with and supporting the Turkish Heritage Language program (i.e. Indigenous and International Languages (IIL) Program-Parent Advisory Group (PAG)) established under the school board’s guidelines and promotes the Turkish Heritage Language program within the broader community.

b. Resources
The Education Committee utilizes:

Association resources approved by the Executive Committee, and relevant programs and resources from provincial/federal governments (e.g., cultural materials, contributions, volunteers).

All resources must be used in compliance with the school board’s policies.

c. Responsibilities
The Education Committee:

• Facilitates communication between the Association and the school board via the PAG, ensuring community input aligns with school board policies on equity, inclusivity, privacy, and the provincial Code of Conduct.

• Shares community resources (e.g., books, materials) with the PAG to support the Turkish Heritage Language program.

• Promotes the Turkish Heritage Language Program to increase community engagement and enrolment.

• Applies independently for eligible government funding (e.g., heritage language or cultural grants) and coordinates voluntary supplementary contributions from the Association to the Turkish Heritage Language program for supplementary resources, extracurricular activities, or celebrations, in compliance with Ministry and board guidelines.

• Provides support/volunteers for PAG-led celebrations/events. The Education Committee has no authority over program supervision, instructor hiring, curriculum, policy-setting, or event planning, which remain with the school board.

d. Membership and Election

The Education Committee consists of a maximum of two Association members. Executive Board members of the Association and Turkish Heritage Language program instructors may not serve.

Members are elected for a one-year term at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations may be proposed by Association members during the meeting. Vacancies are filled by the Education Committee from Association members; if both positions are vacant, the Executive Board appoints replacements.

e. Accountability

The Education Committee submits an annual report to the General Assembly on its activities and resource use. The Committee must declare conflicts of interest.