Delegation Procedures

Delegations shall apply in writing to the Office of the Director of Education, or in the case of committees to the appropriate resource person, indicating:
- the full name and address of the individual, or the organization, or the interested parties to be represented.
- the name(s) of those making the presentation (maximum two) and their position(s) within the organization.
- the authority by which the presentation is being made if representing an organization.
- a clear, specific and detailed outline of the matter which is to be addressed and the specific action requested of the Board or committee. Incomplete outlines may result in postponement or denial of the application request.
The above-noted information, provided by the delegation, will be available to the public through inclusion in the agenda and posting on the Board's website.
As part of the application process, and at the discretion of the Chairperson of the Board, delegates may be referred directly to appropriate committees rather than the Committee of the Whole Board.
Approved delegates, who applied at least nine calendar days prior to a meeting, are granted up to 10 minutes for presentation.
Approved delegates, who applied by the end of the business day (4:30 p.m.) on the day following publication of the Board or committee meeting agenda, will be allowed up to three minutes to make a presentation.
The time allocated to delegations shall be limited to a 1-hour time period unless extended by a Board motion.
Delegates must, through written consent, agree to respect the decorum, and meeting rules of order as established by the Board. Failure to respect the authority of the Chairperson of the Board and/or Committee Chairperson, non-adherence to presentation time limits, and/or disrespectful behaviour may result in immediate suspension of the presentation; forfeiture of presentation privileges for a calendar year; and/or further limitations as deemed appropriate by the Board, including the possible issuance of a trespass notice.
The Board will not hear in open session presentations on personnel matters that may conflict with the rights of staff, student matters that may conflict with the rights of students under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, or personnel, property and/or legal matters that may jeopardize negotiations and are considered in-camera matters under the Education Act.
If the delegation presentation violates the protection of privacy, protection of student records, or constitutes a complaint of specific employees, the Chairperson will interrupt and may direct that the presentation be heard in an in-camera session.
If a presentation constitutes a complaint or criticism of specific employees, such employees shall have a right to be notified and attend the presentation.
Delegates are required to identify themselves before their presentations. Subject to the rules of the meeting, the delegate shall be permitted to make the presentation without interruption.
Presentation materials, in addition to the completed outline, being submitted to trustees will be the responsibility of the delegation and may be distributed during the presentation by the delegation.
Broad or significant departures from submitted, written outlines may result in the immediate suspension of a presentation.
Following the presentation, the Chairperson will ask the members of the Board if there are any points which they wish to have clarified. Only questions clarifying presented information are in order.
To assist in clarifying points raised by trustees, the spokesperson of a delegation may, with the permission of the Chairperson, call upon any other members of their delegation to answer the question.
As soon as the Chairperson is satisfied that all points have been clarified, the Chairperson will close the presentation, thank the spokesperson, and inform the individual how the matter will be dealt with.
The Chairperson may, with the Board's or committee's permission, alter the order of the presentations to facilitate delegations on the same topic to be heard consecutively.
The Chairperson has the discretionary power to request delegations on the same topic to limit their presentations to new information on the same issue.
Where several delegations on a particular topic are anticipated, the Chairperson may call a committee of the whole meeting on that topic.
Certain joint Board/community committees (Accommodation Review Committees as an example) may provide for the hearing of non-preregistered delegations, who may be granted up to three minutes per hearing. Committee meetings of this nature, or meeting for public input/consultation, will be also exempted from the 1-hour time limit for delegations.