Past-Presidency

[Fred McKim]

I think it would make more sense if it was only past presidents who could hold this position - it might be the wording was incorrectly fashioned in the handbook.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Fred:

BY-LAW NUMBER TWO OF THE CHESS FEDERATION OF CANADA

10. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

.............The position of Past President shall not be elected but shall be occupied by the immediate Past President unless he resigns or the Assembly, by ordinary resolution, at the Annual Meeting specifically decides to elect another person in place of the Past President. ..............

I cannot see anything in this section or the rest of the Handbook that implies that " any person " must be " a past president ".

Furthermore, there lurks here the often debated issue of whether someone must be a governor to be nominated for an executive position, which I'm not sure has ever been definitely decided in the debates I've seen.

However, these two interpretation issues are academic this year ( so far ), since Chris is an incoming governor again ( by virtue of him being a past president in the last five years ). So he is also a past president.

Bob

[Kerry Liles]

The President's ruling of the motions out of order was political as was his justification. The Governors have the right to vote on them. I have already informed the Governors via email that my proxy will be challenging those rulings at the AGM.

Well, good luck with that challenge. I don't see how that challenge will get any traction, but then, I am by no means an expert in Roberts Rules of Order (nor have I consulted that tome)... Perhaps the excluded motions can be raised anew with the incoming assembly? I don't know if they would meet any pre-requisite conditions (concerning constitutional amendments and the like) ... I shall leave that to others to decide.

[Fred McKim]

Bob: At one time, years ago, I also assumed that only Governors could run for Executive positions, but yet there is nothing in the Handbook that refers to it.

Personally, I think only Governors should be able to run for Executive positions. If there are no nominations, then a non-Governor could put their name forward.

[Ken Craft]

Kerry, a challenge just requires 50%+1 of Governors voting to disagree with the President's ruling.

Fre, the requirement to be a Governor to run for the executive was removed a few years ago.

[Fred McKim]

I would think if that can be found in a GL, we can simply change the handbook.

I'm also thinking that the Change to put the Youth/Junior Co-ordinator (instead of the Rating auditor) on the Executive should be put into the handbook right away, as this is a biggie. I have no idea when that happened.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Fred:

I have never heard of it anywhere being mentioned that the person running against a past president had to be a past president themselves. And I would not favour such a change. If the governors are so dissatisfied with a past president they want to remove him, they should not be restricted to finding a past president willing to run. Anyone qualified would be able to take on the executive position.

As to the Youth Coordinator/Rating Auditor amendments to switch their positions, as Chair of the Procedures' Committee, I have already instructed Kerry Liles ( Handbook Updating Subcommittee ) to make the changes, as soon as he can locate the motion making the switch, or find some authority that the switch was authorized somehow ( Maurice in his research did not seem to come upon the relevant motion, since he did not amend the sections ).

Bob

[Fred McKim]

Is there at least an implication then that the past president position would be someone who could act in an informed advisorly role to the Executive or would it be wide open ?

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Fred:

I'd have to say that it would be " wide open ". I can't find anything in the Handbook to indicate otherwise and I just went through:

SECTION 2 - Letters Patent, Bylaws 1, 2 & 3, Rules & Regulations
SECTION 3 - Motions Applicable To No Other Section

I do think it is helpful to have a past president on the executive, given his possible help, due to his experience. But when he must be replaced, then anyone with the right qualities may be chosen by the governors, regardless of experience ( and like you though, I'd prefer it be an incoming governor, even if technically it could be a non-governor ).

Bob

[Gordon Ritchie]

As I read the handbook, it is within the powers of the Assembly to name someone other than the most recent past president to sit in this position on the Board (executive). This strikes me as patently absurd, but that simply adds another item to a long list of absurdities.
Chris Mallon has seized on this provision to announce his candidacy for the post. My memory may be failing me, but I seem to recall that Chris abdicated part way through his second term leaving Bill Doubleday holding the (empty) bag. Perhaps Chris would be good enough to state his qualifications for the position and, specifically, his accounting for the financial record of the CFC during his tenure as president.