SLCO Board Job Specifications

Senior Liberals’ Commission – Ontario (SLCO) – Mandate:

Engage Ontario Senior Registered Liberals within the Liberal Party of Canada to: represent and promote their interests and needs; and to encourage their active participation in the affairs of the Liberal Party of Canada .

Activities shall include (but not be limited to):

  • continuous engagement in platform policy development and advocacy;
  • representation on the Senior Liberals’ Commission (SLC) National Board and Committees;
  • proposition of amendments to the SLC Charter, LPC Constitution and By-Law#1; and,
  • collaboration with other Commissions, Sections, Clubs, the Liberal Party of Canada – Ontario (LPCO) and Federal Liberal Ontario Electoral District Associations (EDAs).

The SLCO shall respect the regional nature of Canada in its structure and operations through the provision of leadership and support to its Regions.

The SLCO Board shall meet not less than FOUR times per calendar year. Such meetings may be videoconferences, teleconferences, or when circumstances permit, in person.

The SLCO shall have an annual or biennial General Meeting, to be held in conjunction with the General Meeting of the Liberal Party of Canada – ONTARIO.

CHAIR

  • Ensures that the affairs of the SLCO are conducted in accordance with the Charter and guidance received from members at a General Meeting, and in a manner that considers both Francophone and Anglophone perspectives
  • Provides leadership and direction to SLCO
  • Calls and presides at meetings of the Board
  • Represents the SLCO on the National Board of SLC
  • Appoints, in consultation with Board Members, individuals to represent SLCO on any committee of the SLC
  • Advises and supports, as appropriate, the other members of the SLCO National Board in achieving the goals and objectives of the annual Work Plan
  • Serves as a voting ex-officio member of all SLCO Committees
  • Recruits and appoints SLCO Board Members, in collaboration with, and with approval from, the SLCO Board (between SLCO Elections)
  • Provides counsel and support to all SLCO Board Members
  • Responds to any SLCO queries emanating from LPC, SLC, SLCO Board, Members of all SLCO Committees, EDA Senior Representatives, EDA Chairs, LPCO Management Committee members, Registered Senior Liberals, and the public at large (e.g. emails received through the SLC Website)
  • Ensures at the end of their term, that all documents and files, for which the Chair is responsible, are transferred to the incoming Chair within 30 days of the new Chair taking office.

VICE CHAIR

  • Represents the Chair in the absence of the Chair at both SLCO and SLC and LPCO Meetings
  • Chairs SLCO Board Meetings, in the absence of the Chair
  • Assumes other tasks as assigned by, and as agreed in collaboration with, the Chair
  • Identifies and, with approval of the Chair and the SLCO Board, takes on authority and accountability for appropriate special projects
  • Ensures at the end of their term that all documents and files, for which the Vice-Chair is responsible, are transferred to the incoming Secretary within 30 days of the new Vice-Chair taking office.

BOARD CO-ORDINATOR

  • Provides advice and assistance to the SLCO Board Chair with preparation and circulation of Board meeting notices and records of meetings
  • Keeps accurate minutes, and records, of all SLCO Board meetings and circulates draft minutes to the Board within seven days of the meeting
  • Establishes and maintains a system for filing and retrieving notices and agendas of meetings, summary records of all meetings, any correspondence received or sent by SLCO and other documents of significance to SLCO – including the current version of the SLC Charter, Governance documents and LPC By-Laws (and, in collaboration with the SLC Executive Member assigned by SLC, ensures there are links to the most current version, on the SLCO Website)
  • Serves, at the request of the Chair, notice of meetings to SLCO members
  • Keeps accurate minutes and a summary record of discussions, decisions and actions agreed upon during any general meeting of the SLCO members and distribute such records to all members of the SLCO within seven days of the meeting
  • Maintains, and provides to the SLCO Board, a current record of SLCO Board member contact information
  • Maintains and archives records of all meetings, guides, policies, work plans and governing documents for SLCO Board and Committees in a safe, secure and confidential manner
  • Ensures at the end of their term that all minutes, documents and files for which the Board Coordinator is responsible are transferred to the incoming Board Coordinator within 30 days of the new Board Coordinator taking office
  • Ensures, at end of their term, that ALL Officers shall make arrangements with the new Board Coordinator, to pass on to all incoming Officers, all of the files pertaining to their positions

POLICY CHAIR

Policy” shall be defined as the philosophical and/or constitutional position of the Board with respect to an identified issue

  • Chairs the SLCO Policy Committee composed of Senior Registered Liberals who are members of the Senior Liberals’ Commission – Ontario
  • Represents the SLCO on the SLC National Policy Committee (NPC)
  • Collaborates with the NPC, refines and implements a policy development process – consistent with NPC and LPC guidelines – including establishing and implementing mechanisms to identify and prioritize the policy interests of Senior Registered Liberals in Ontario (i.e. those which reflect their specific issues of concern)
  • Develops, debates and prioritizes informed responses to those specific issues of concern (above)
  • Engages, where possible, with stakeholders (e.g. LPCO and other Commissions) to collaborate on joint Policy Resolutions
  • Investigates various means to survey Ontario Senior Registered Liberals to identify their priorities, (including collaborating with stakeholders (e.g. LPCO)
  • Ensures the development of high quality, well-crafted resolutions, corroborated by solid research that provides evidence to underpin the resolutions
  • Supports the engagement of potential endorsers for SLCO policy resolutions
  • Leads the Policy Committee in an advisory capacity to the SLCO Board
  • Submits SLCO approved policy resolutions for consideration at SLC National Policy Committee
  • Coordinates the progress of SLCO submitted policy resolutions through the process as determined by the national SLC
  • Coordinates the progress of SLCO submitted policy resolutions through the process as determined by the Liberal Party of Canada
  • Convenes and chairs a minimum SIX meetings per year of the Policy Committee comprising at least 50% +1 of its voting members
  • Such meetings may be videoconferences, teleconferences, or when circumstances permit, in person
  • Develops agenda for meetings of Policy Committee
  • Ensures distribution of appropriate documentation to members of the Policy Committee prior to meetings
  • Maintains accurate Minutes of all meetings of the Policy Committee (although such responsibility may be delegated to another member of the Committee during Policy Meetings
  • Ensures distribution of Minutes to the members of the Committee and Board Coordinator of the Board within seven days of the meeting
  • Convenes, from time to time and in consultation with the Board Chair, joint meetings of the Policy Committee and Board of the SLCO
  • Maintains a record of all identified issues, working papers and policy resolutions developed by the SLCO
  • Ensures at the end of their term, that all documents and files, for which the Policy Chair is responsible, are transferred to the incoming Policy Chair within 30 days of the new Policy Chair taking office.

COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR

  • Represents the SLCO on the SLC Comms. Committee
  • Submits SLCO Website changes to the Chair of the SLC Communications Committee (or to the designated member of the National Board of the SLC)
  • Ensures the SLCO website content is current and refreshed regularly in both official languages
  • Liaises with the Chair of the SLC Communications Committee on maintaining the SLCO website and on other SLC communications priorities
  • Monitors the SLC Website to ensure SLCO is current on key LPC and SLC documents
  • Submits Blog postings with SLCO content to the Communications Chair (or to the designated member of the SLC) for posting to the SLC website
  • Advises SLCO Board, (and, where feasible, after consultation with EDA Senior Reps. to determine what would meet their needs) on communications strategies including, but not limited to, the SLCO website and Facebook page
  • Advises SLCO Board on effective methods of outreach to Senior Registered Liberals in Ontario to encourage them to become engaged in, and contributing members to:
  1. Policy development/voting;
  2. LPC events and activities in their EDAs;
  3. Election readiness and involvement in EDA outreach and engagement activities targeted to Registered Senior Liberals in the riding.
  • Develops and implements SLC Board approved communications strategies, including, but not limited to, the SLCO website and outreach to Senior Registered Liberals in Ontario
  • Advises the SLCO Board on effective survey tools
  • Ensures at the end of their term all documents and files for which the Communications Chair is responsible, are transferred to the incoming Communications Chair within 30 days of the new Communications Chair taking office.

REGIONAL DIRECTOR

  • Establishes and maintains current contacts lists of EDA Chairs and EDA Senior Reps – to be shared with the Chair
  • Engages through outreach with EDA Chairs to communicate the Goals and mandate of the Senior Liberals’ Commission (Ontario)
  • Builds support for the appointment of an EDA Senior Rep to each EDA Exec Committee in their Region
  • Ensures that the appointment of an EDA Senior Rep is a joint – SLCO/EDA – appointment and, confirms that it is an EDA voting position
  • Maintains regular, ongoing contact with EDA Chairs to share areas of interest to Senior Registered Liberals
  • Collaborates with EDAs on electoral engagement to encourage active involvement of local/EDA Seniors (as volunteers and as voters)
  • Establishes ongoing relationship with EDA Senior Reps. to early identify any ongoing or emerging issues of concern to Senior Registered Liberals in that area
  • Informs SLCO Chair, Policy & Communications Chairs of any emerging Seniors’ issues – whether nationally, provincially or locally
  • Collaborates with other SLCO Regional Directors – to identify areas of support to Policy Development (focus groups, outreach to EDA Seniors through EDA Senior Reps) as needed
  • Ensures at the end of their term that all documents and files for which the Regional Director is responsible, are transferred to the incoming Regional Director within 30 days of the new Regional Chair taking office.

DIRECTOR AT LARGE

  • Assumes responsibility for special projects in support of SLCO Board activity – upon request of the Chair and the SLCO Board
  • Represents the interests of specific groups, (e.g. Policy Emeritus, Women’s Commission Liaison) through specifically assigned tasks and reports on those activities to the SLCO Board, when required
  • Provides input and counsel to Board