MEMBERSHIP
A) FULL MEMBER
A Full member is a person who has fulfilled the requirements of membership and abides by the community bylaws. He/she embraces the mission, vision, and mandate of the community. In addition, the person should be willing to actively participate in community activities.
B) ASSOCIATE MEMBER
The Executive Board Members in consultation with Council of Directors have the authority to grant an associate membership to non-Eritreans who are friends of Eritrean Community as long as he/she embraces the vision and mission of the community. An associate member is entitled to have the same rights and privileges as a full member as long as he/she fulfills the required obligations as a full member. An associate member eligible to vote, however, is not eligible to be elected as a a board member
C) HONOURARY MEMBER
Honourary membership shall be granted to individuals who are recognized as having rendered outstanding intellectual, financial and/or moral contribution to the community. Honourary members are not entitled of any rights and privileges like a full member or an associate member.
REQUIRMENTS FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP
A) Proof of Eritrean identity and evidence of residency in The Province of Manitoba.
B) He/she has to be an adult (18 years of age and older) during the time of registration.
C) Join individually on his/her free will by understanding the Mission, Objectives, and good spirit the community stands for and abides by its bylaws and principles. The individual should commit to the best interest of the community.
D) To ensure its unity and solidarity spirit of the community, group membership is not allowed.
E) Every person should apply individually and personally in his/her free will; there should be no third person /party representation.
F) Has never participated in any defaming or damaging the reputation of the community or its elected board members.
G) Has never involved in any harassment or disturbances at the community or its events.
H) Has never involved or worked against the best interest of the people of our two home lands Eritrea and Canada.
I) A person should be in a good standing and his/her membership application has to be approved by the board members
DEFINITION
For the purpose of these By-laws, an Eritrean is:
· a person born from Eritrean parents in or outside of the land of Eritrea;
· a person whose father or mother is of Eritrean origin;
· the spouse of an Eritrean person;
· An individual who may not be an Eritrean from ethnic point of view, but who, because of his/her Eritrean up-bringing may have incorporated Eritrean culture and psychological make-up, and presently residing in Manitoba Canada.
MEMBERSHIP PROCESS
Any Eritrean-Canadian who resides in Manitoba, on his/her free will and by understanding the objectives and good spirit the community stands for as outlined in section III of this By-Law, when requests a membership has to follow the proper membership process; namely:
a. Has to fill out and submit an official registration form that could be found in our website.
b. Make an appointment to attend in person and make known his/her intention to join the community by speaking to board member or representative of the community.
c. The applicant should provide at least two pieces of ID for identification purposes. One piece of ID should be an official Canadian document e.g. Permanent Residence Card, MB Health Card, and an Eritrean identification document e.g. Eritrean ID or other legal document.
d. Make a non refundable registration fee payment currently set at $10; however, it is subject to amendment as the discretion of the board members.
e. All registration forms must be reviewed and approved by the board members to ensure that all requirements of registration are met. The board decision should be communicated to the applicant in writing and reported to The Council of Directors.
MEMBERSHIP FEE
In order to be a full member or an associate member, one has to pay an annual membership fee of $120/yr/family. In one family, there could be only one person or multiple people. Manitoba Health Card will determine this. If a person is single, he/she would pay as one family. However, one membership fee would represent one count towards service privileges. Thus, a family has an option to have one count as a family by paying only $120/yr for the whole family or may opt to have more than one count by paying the first person $120/yr and each of the remaining family members who would like to have their own service privileges should pay $60/yr. This will foster the family value of our community.
In appreciation of the contributions towards their fellow Eritreans, if a community member is a retired person, then he/she would pay senior discounted rate half of the full rate.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
· For accountability and administrative purposes, full members and associate members who have intention to renew their membership, they must make payments of their membership dues by the end of the community’s set fiscal year - December 31th of every year.
· If an individual does not make annual membership fee payments for two consecutive years, the membership of the individual would be suspended. And if the suspended individual would like to renew his/her membership after two years of absence, the person should pay again a registration fee in order to renew his/her membership.
MEMBERS OBLIGATION, RIGHTS AND PRIVELAGES
A) MEMBERS RIGHTS AND PRIVELAGES
- A member who doesn’t fulfill the annual payment of last year and the year before that he/she is not eligible to elect or be elected or get any membership benefits of any kind.
- A member of a family who fulfils his/her annual payments and in good stand according the standards set in this bylaw is eligible to elect and be elected and could assign a proxy.
DEFINITION: A proxy is a person who is entitled to vote at the annual general meeting (AGM) on behalf of a member who has appointed him/her according the set rules of Proxy as indicated in sub section VI of this bylaw.
3. A full member or an associate member is entitled to elect and be elected in any subcommittee of the community as well as to hold a position in any programs of the community. However, an Associate member cannot hold the position of executive board member of the Community or of its programs.
4. Membership services shall commence six months post approval of the membership application by the board.
- A full member or an associate member is entitled to participate in the Sponsorship Program of the Community in sponsoring his/her family and relatives to Manitoba according to the set rules and principles of the Sponsorship Program.
- A full member or an associate member is entitled to participate in any community activities and programs for free or by paying only the special set membership fee in receiving any services.
B) MEMBERS OBLIGATIONS
To run an organization as large as a community it requires full participation and a lot of dedication of time, money, skills and efforts of all its members. Our community would exist and be strong only if all of us, as its members, volunteer and dedicate some of our time and combine our knowledge and effort for the well being of our community. Therefore, a full member or an associate member should:
a. Make an extra effort to attend meetings and other community activities.
b. Be willing to volunteer and participate in community programs and activities at least one day a month.
c. If not able to volunteer one day a month, provide monetary or in kind contribution to the community.
d. Make annual membership fee payments on time i.e. December 31 of every year
