Resolutions Committee
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/official258
- Date
- 1989 June 15-23
- Source
- General Synod. Minutes
- Type
- Act 9
- Mover
- Ms. J. Werrun
- Seconder
- Mr. Justice R.C. Stevenson
- Text of motion
- That the following guidelines for the Resolutions Committee be adopted for use at this General Synod:
- 1. Membership
- a) The committee shall consist of up to eight members, one of whom shall be an assessor, and at least one of whom shall be a bishop, one a member of the clergy, and one a member of the laity, all appointed by the Organization Committee in consultation with the Prolocutor.
- b) Where possible one or two persons who have served on the committee at a previous Synod should be included among the members.
- c) The Deputy Prolocutor is the officer of the General Synod who has general responsibility for the work of the committee.
- d) The committee will be supported by a member of the national staff.
- e) A quorum shall consist of one-half of the appointed members plus one.
- 2. Task
- It is the responsibility of the committee:
- a) to receive, and prepare for debate, resolutions proposed for the consideration of the Synod;
- b) to ensure that proposed resolutions contain clear and concise statements of what is intended by the sponsors.
- c) to consolidate, and, if necessary, reword resolutions which deal with the same subject, after consultation with the sponsors; and
- d) generally to ensure that the resolutions do not contradict the resolutions procedures which form part of these guidelines.
- 3. Relationships
- a) The committee shall, either through its chairperson or another member, maintain regular contact with the Deputy Prolocutor and the Agenda and Expenditures Committees.
- b) Normally, the national staff person will be the liaison person with the General Synod office.
- 4. Meetings
- a) At the call of the Deputy Prolocutor, the committee will meet on the day prior to the convening of the Synod for organization and to prepare for debate those resolutions which have already been received or which have been printed in the convening circular.
- b) During the Synod session the committee will meet each day, usually at the conclusion of the evening sitting, to complete preparation of the resolutions to be presented the next day, and to plan for the orderly presentation of all other resolutions which have been, or may be, submitted to the committee.
- 5. Sources of Resolutions
- The following are the sources from which resolutions will come:
- a) Some will be contained within reports which are printed in the convening circular.
- b) Some will be contained within reports which are presented to the Synod but which are not included in the convening circular.
- c) Some will arise in the course of discussion of subjects during the sittings of the Synod.
- d) Some will be presented by members of the Synod, after proper notice has been given.
- e) Some will arise in questions concerning procedures or in extending greetings or courtesies to persons or groups. (These do not have to move through the procedures outlined in these guidelines.)
- f) Some may appear in the form of memorials to the Synod, but such memorials must be shaped in the form of resolutions by the sponsors if they are to be considered by the Synod.
- 6. Resolutions Procedures
- a) All resolutions not already printed in the convening circular, except those of a procedural or a courtesy nature, or that arise in the course of debate, shall be written on the prescribed form (Appendix A) and submitted to the Deputy Prolocutor for consideration by the committee before being put to the Synod.
- b) The committee shall not debate the merits of any proposed resolutions, but will ensure that it contains a clear and concise statement of what is proposed.
- c) Any resolution presented to the committee may be accompanied by an explanatory note setting forth the considerations leading to the proposal. This note will not form part of the resolution, but will serve to acquaint members of the committee with the reasons for the proposal.
- d) No resolutions shall include any preambles (i.e. "Whereas, etc. etc.") but when printed for presentation to the Synod may, at the discretion of the committee, be accompanied by a brief explanatory note.
- e) The committee is authorized to consolidate, and, if necessary, re-word resolutions which deal with the same subject, with the understanding that in doing so the committee will consult with the sponsors of the resolutions.
- f) The committee may reject, or return for amendment, any resolution it considers to be:
- i) outside the jurisdiction of the General Synod;
- ii) unclear or ambiguous;
- iii) inaccurate;
- iv) of a local rather than a national character;
- v) impossible of performance; or
- vi) calculated to be a source of embarrassment to the Church.
- g) No notice of motion, except one of a procedural or a courtesy nature, will be received beyond the time stated on the agenda for the reception of notices of motion except with the consent of a two-thirds majority of the Synod.
- h) Any resolution which requires the expenditure of funds, the source of which has not been identified prior to the Synod session [ROP 15 (b)] must be referred by the sponsors to the Expenditures Committee.
- 7. Sequence of Preparation in the Committee
- a) Upon receipt of a resolution either in the convening circular or on the required form, the resolution will be named and numbered.
- b) The resolution will be written on newsprint, reviewed by the committee and any necessary changes suggested and noted on the sheet.
- c) The sponsors of any resolution which is recommended for change by the committee must be consulted and asked for their agreement to the change(s) proposed. If agreement cannot be reached the committee has authority to present its version, and the sponsors will have the opportunity to propose any amendments they believe desirable.
- d) Although the committee may work in small groups on different resolutions the final wording of every resolution must be decided by the whole committee or a quorum thereof.
- e) The Resolutions Committee will ensure that the report of the Expenditures Committee pursuant to ROP 15 (b) has been prepared where required.
- f) Once agreement on a resolution has been reached it will be printed and prepared for distribution. Resolutions will be printed one to a page with the number of the resolution printed on the top right hand corner of each sheet on which it appears.
- g) All revisions of a resolution which has been printed and distributed must bear the same name and the same number with a letter designation indicating the sequence of the revisions [i.e. Resolution 64, 64A (first revision), 64B (second revision), etc.].
- h) A record of the progress of a resolution from its reception by the committee through debate and disposition will be kept on a chart (Appendix B) by all members of the committee. This chart will also be set up on newsprint in the room where the committee meets.
- 8. Liaison with Agenda Committee
- a) The Resolutions and Agenda Committees, or their representatives, will consult each night about the number of resolutions still to be presented to the Synod and the order of their presentation.
- b) Normally resolutions will be dealt with in an order which is appropriate to the elements of the agenda or in the order in which they are received. However, if time for debate is limited, the Agenda Committee will decide which resolutions will go forward for debate and which should be recommended for reference to appropriate bodies other than the Synod. ["Motions with reference to reports from standing committees shall take precedence over other motions on the paper." ROP 12 (c).]
- 9. Appeals
- Any decision of the Resolutions Committee or the Agenda Committee regarding resolutions may be appealed to the Synod. CARRIED ACT 9
- Subjects
- Anglican Church of Canada. General Synod. Resolutions Committee
- Anglican Church of Canada. General Synod - Government
- Anglican Church of Canada - Rules and practice
- Anglican Church of Canada. General Synod (32nd : 1989 : St. John's, Nfld.) - Resolutions