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7.
THE LEADER
(a) There shall be a Leader of the Alliance who shall, subject to this
Constitution, be responsible for the overall direction of the Alliance.
(i) The Leader is responsible for the organization and administration of
the Parliamentary Caucus;
(ii) The Leader, together with Caucus, will endeavor to promote and
implement the Principles and Policies of the Alliance;
(iii) The Leader shall set the strategic direction for the Alliance, in
consultation with National Council & Caucus; and
(iv) The Leader will carry out these duties in accordance with this
Constitution.
(b) At every National Convention, the Leader shall carry out an
accountability session with the delegates.
8. THE
INTERIM LEADER
(a) Upon the death, retirement or resignation of the Leader, and until
the completion of the leadership election, the Caucus and National
Council shall jointly elect an interim Leader who shall be recognized as
the Leader by the Alliance.
(b) If there is no Caucus, then National Council shall select the
interim Leader.
9.
LEADERSHIP REVIEW
(a) At each National Convention and only at such meeting, the delegates
shall be asked by secret ballot: "Do you wish to have a leadership
election?"
10.
LEADERSHIP NOMINATION
(a) In the event that more than fifty (50) percent of the votes cast in
the Leadership Review are in the affirmative, or upon the death of the
Leader or public announcement of the Leaders' intention to resign,
National Council shall within six (6) months call for a leadership
election.
(b) The date of voting in a leadership election shall occur at the
earliest convenient date but not earlier than three (3) months and not
later than six (6) months after the date on which National Council
called for such leadership election.
(c) In the event that National Council has called a leadership election,
such election shall respect the principle that each eligible member of
the Alliance shall have the right to one vote in the election of the
Leader.
(d) Only those who have been Members for at least seven (7) days
immediately prior to the effective date of voting in a leadership
election are eligible to vote.
(e) National Council shall make rules and regulations for the leadership
election, and shall appoint;
(i) five (5) members to act as the Leadership Election Organization
Committee, one of whom must be from National Council;
(ii) a Chief Election Officer; and
(iii) a returning officer for each of the Federal Electoral Districts;
to administer the leadership election.
(f) Each candidate for Leader must be nominated and seconded in writing
by Members and in addition, each nomination must be endorsed in writing
by a minimum of three hundred (300) Members who are eligible to
participate in the Leadership Vote. Such Members shall come from no
fewer than thirty (30) different Constituency Associations and five (5)
Provinces and/or Combined Territories.
(g) The election of a Leader shall be conducted by secret ballot.
(h) The National Executive Council can determine reasonable spending
limits for a leadership contest.
11.
LEADERSHIP SELECTION PROCESS
(a) The Principle of one (1) eligible Member, one (1) vote, through
direct election, shall apply.
(c) Balloting shall be by direct voting at polling places established
within individual constituencies. The Chief Election Officer appointed
by National Council may, at their discretion, allow for large
geographically dispersed constituencies to have more than one (1)
polling station; further, the Chief Election Officer may, at their
discretion, allow certain constituencies to co-locate polling stations.
(c) Ballots shall be so designed that each voter will indicate their
choice for their preferred candidate.
(d) If a candidate receives more than half of the total valid ballots
cast, they shall be declared Leader.
(e) If there are three (3) or more candidates and no candidate receives
more than half of the valid ballots cast, a second ballot shall be held
between the two (2) candidates who received the most votes.
(f) In the event a second ballot is required, National Council shall
have made provision in advance for a second ballot to be conducted no
sooner than five (5) days and no later than fourteen (14) days, from the
date of the first ballot.
(g) In order to receive a ballot, a Member must produce current
membership in the Alliance, as well as further identification as proof
of residence in the Federal Electoral District where the Member votes.
(h) National Council shall make provision for a refundable Leadership
Nomination Fee of not less than $10,000 but not more than $25,000 that
must accompany a candidate's nomination form and to be provided as
either a certified cheque or a bond. This Fee shall be returned to all
candidates who receive more than five (5) percent of the votes cast on
the first ballot.
(i) National Council may make provisions for Members to vote in a place
other than the Federal Electoral District where a Member ordinarily
resides, as long as the Member is participating in a Alliance-sponsored
leadership event.
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