Notice of Extraordinary Convention of the UNF of Canada

and Affiliated Organizations

TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to the Resolution of the 36th National Convention of the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada and Affiliated Organizations - Ukrainian Women’s Organization, Ukrainian War Veterans’ Association and Ukrainian National Youth Federation - held at Montreal from October 22-24, 2010, and as per Chapter VII, Article 57 of the UNF of Canada Constitution and Bylaws, take notice that an Extraordinary Convention of the UNF of Canada and AO shall take place on  Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at UNF Toronto Branch, Salon B, 145 Evans Avenue, for the purposes set out as follows:

1. To consider and deal with three proposed amendments to the constitution of the UNF originally tabled at the 36th National Convention, namely:

(i) The West Toronto Branch of the Ukrainian National Youth Federation of Canada proposes that the Constitution of the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada be amended by adding the following provision:

The Credo of the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada shall be:
                        Belief in Christianity 
                        Belief in Canada
                        Belief in the Dignity of the Individual
                        Belief in the Cultural Traditions
                        Belief in Democracy
                        Belief in the Liberty of All Nations, and
                        Belief in the Liberty of Ukraine

Position of UNF Board of Directors: The UNF BD concurs.

 (ii) Amendment to Article 144 - Submitted by UNF Oshawa Branch
In the event of the dissolution of a UNF of Canada Branch, all of its real estate, movable property and all assets whatsoever shall come under the direct administration of the UNF of Canada National Executive (UNF NE). The UNF NE shall have full authority to convert these into whatever form it sees fit and proper and hold them and any proceeds derived from them in trust for a maximum period of twenty years.

a) The UNF of Canada National Executive shall invest these assets prudently and in a manner that minimizes investment risk. The UNF of Canada National Executive shall be entitled to assess a reasonable annual fee for its services in administrating these assets.

b) If the dissolved Branch reconstitutes itself according to the Constitution and Bylaws of the UNF of Canada within that twenty-year period, those assets being administered by the UNF NE shall be transferred back to the newly reconstituted Branch in their entirety within a period of one to three years of its reconstitution, the exact period and terms of restitution to be determined by negotiations “in good faith” between the Branch and the UNF NE. The restitution of assets shall be conditional on the Branch demonstrating that it is a viable operating entity and financially responsible, said determination being made by the UNF National Auditing Committee.

c) Should the dissolved Branch not be reconstituted within the twenty year period specified in Part a) of this Article, then all the assets under administration shall revert completely and without any further obligations, to the UNF NE to use as they see fit.

Position of the UNF Board of Directors: The UNF BD does not concur with the inclusion of such a provision in the constitution. Rather, the UNF BD takes the position that the subject matter of the proposed constitutional amendment be best incorporated into the policies of the Board, and that the Board, in conjunction with the Branches, should within a 12 month period after the 36th UNF National Convention develop policies in respect of this and other questions of governance.

(iii) Proposal on Family Membership - Submitted by UNF Hamilton Branch

Every UNF Branch will set its own Family Membership fees which can either can be equal, more or less than the minimums sent to the respective national executives;

Each UNF Branch has to pay to the UNF NE for each member of the family - male, female and children as per requirements of UNF NE, UWO NE and UNYF NE, respectively, and each UNF Branch has to forward the fees to NE;

Each family member must fill in their own application;

The male will be a UNF Member, the female will be a UWO Member (unless there is no UWO Branch) but still comes under UNF National and UNYF;

Local UNF Branch approves the Family Membership;

UNF NE will approve memberships for UNF and all affiliated organizations for Family Memberships;

Non family members continue to have their memberships approved by their local branch and national executives.

Position of the UNF Board of Directors: The UNF BD expresses no opinion until such time as it hears the positions of the UWO, UWVA and UNYF. 

2. To consider and deal with two amendments to the constitution of the UNF which were approved at the UNF of Canada Board of Directors meeting held January 26, 2011, namely:

(iv) To add at the end of the constitution the following paragraph as Article X:

INTERPRETATION

In this constitution and by-laws, words importing the singular number or the masculine gender shall include the plural number or the feminine gender, as the case may be, and vice versa, and reference to persons shall include firms and corporations.

(v) To consider and deal with the proposed amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the UNF, namely:

Addition to Chapter IV, Objects of the Association

“To articulate, and lobby for, UNF policy positions and objectives on issues of national and community significance and matters of public or social policy on behalf of the Ukrainian community in order to provide our perspective on issues that shape and [have] impact on society here in Canada and abroad and affect the well-being of our community within it.”

Position of the UNF Board of Directors: The UNF BD concurs with the above two proposed amendments.

                         Dated at Toronto, Ontario, this 3rd Day of February, 2011.
                        Daria Diakowsky, Secretary     
                        Walter Kuplowsky, Chair Convention Organizing Committee

 Committee Members: Taras Pidzamecky, Dan Cherkas, Taras Rohatyn, Michael Kalimin.

For further information: email info@unfcanada.com or call 416-925-2770