GC44 GS18 Opening Procedural Motions for October 2023

Bounds of Council 

That the bounds of the 44th General Council annual meeting 2023 be the virtual meeting room and the telephone connections to that meeting space. 

Corresponding Members 

That the following persons who are in attendance be corresponding members of the 44th General Council annual meeting 2023, and as such, be entitled to speak but not to move motions or to vote: 

• former Moderators of The United Church of Canada;
• global partners, Youth Forum participants, and members of the Facilitation Group fromGC44, 2022;
• General Council Officers, Executive Ministers, Executive Officers, and Regional Council Executive Ministers;
• members of the General Council Executive who are not Commissioners;
• members of the National Indigenous Council and National Indigenous Elders Council who are not Commissioners;
• Commissioners from GC43 who have since become staff members of the General Council Office or a region; and
• those who have been requested by the General Secretary, General Council to serve as resource persons to the Council.

Business Table Membership 

That the Business Table for the 44th General Council annual meeting 2022 be: 

• Carmen Lansdowne – Moderator
• Michael Blair – General Secretary
• Kit Loewen – General Council Executive, Business Planning Committee
• Allan Buckingham – General Council 43 and 44 Business Coordinator
• Shannon McCarthy – Executive Regional Minister, Northern Spirit Region, Living Skies Region and Prairie to Pine Region
• Nicole Treksler – Legal/Judicial Counsel
• Sharon Ballantyne – Equity Monitor 

Facilitation Group 

That the Facilitation Group for the 44th General Council annual meeting 2023 be the members of the business table named above. 

Minute Secretary 

That the Minute Secretary for the 44th General Council annual meeting 2023 be Shirley Welch. 

Business before the 44th General Council annual meeting 2023 

That the reports and proposals provided in the Workbook (online and including additions and updates) be received for consideration by the 44th General Council annual meeting 2023. 

Agenda 

That the 44th General Council annual meeting 2023 accept as its agenda, the agenda as circulated. 

New Business 

All notices of new business (including the draft proposal) will be presented in writing to the Business Committee for consideration. New business that cannot be dealt with within the time limitations of the meeting will be referred to the General Council Executive for consideration and action.

Business Procedures 

The Moderator will chair the meeting, making any rulings necessary. The Moderator will apply the Procedures for Holding a Meeting and Decision-Making (The Manual Appendix). Bourinot’s Rules of Order will be used as the authority should a question arise which is not answered by the Appendix. 

Speakers will: 

• indicate their intention to speak as per instructions provided at the meeting
• be recognized by the Moderator prior to speaking
• begin comments by identifying themselves by name, role, and Regional Council (or position as appropriate)
• only speak once to a given proposal except at the discretion of the Moderator
• each new speaker should offer a new perspective or information
• keep comment brief except at the discretion of the Moderator;

Procedure for Withdrawing Proposals from the Consent Motion: 

The 44th General Council annual meeting 2023 will adopt the following procedure in the event that a Commissioner desires that a proposal be withdrawn from the consent motion: 

1. The Commissioner making such a request will have one minute to make their request and provide their rationale for their request.
2. The request will be granted only if a majority of Commissioners vote in favour of it.
3. If an item of business is removed from the consent proposal the business table will determine time on the agenda; if time does not allow, it will be forwarded to the General Council Executive as unfinished business for decision.