The Alberta Teachers’ Association

A by-election for the position of District Representative, Calgary City, has been necessitated by the resignation of current district representative Kevin Kempt. Kempt will take over from Frank Bruseker as president of Calgary Public Teachers Local No. 38 effective July 1, 2016.

Posted on the Association’s website at www.teachers.ab.ca is the complete call for nominations package, which contains essential election information, schedules and forms. Hard copies of the package have been sent to ATA local secretaries and ATA school representatives across the geographic district of Calgary City to enable them to share the information with colleagues in their locals and schools.

Who is eligible to run?

To be eligible to run in the 2016 Calgary City by-election you must not be in receipt of an Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund pension and you must either

• hold an active ATA membership in good standing and be employed by any of the two school boards in the geographic district of Calgary City,
• hold an associate ATA membership in good standing and be employed by a school authority in the geographic district of Calgary City, or
• hold an associate ATA membership in good standing, be employed by an employer without a local and reside in the geographic district of Calgary City.

Nomination deadline

The deadline for nominations is May 19, 2016, at 5 p.m.

Election and acclamation

If the Association receives nominations from two or more candidates, a by-election will be conducted online. Voting will take place from June 2 to June 9, with results announced June 10.

If the Association receives only one nomination, the individual nominated will be deemed elected by acclamation.

Term of office

The successful candidate for district representative Calgary City will serve on Provincial Executive Council from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017, the last year of the two-year term to which the current Council was elected.

Remuneration

The Association enters into agreements with school boards to ensure district representatives have the time needed to serve on Council (up to 100 days release time) and conduct Council-related functions.

In addition to the release time, district representatives are also provided honoraria and expense coverage related to Council meetings and other related duties and activities.

About Calgary City

Calgary City is one of 11 ATA geographic districts. It encompasses two school jurisdictions: Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Separate School District.

ATA members employed by these two school jurisdictions are members of two corresponding ATA locals (local teachers’ associations): Calgary Public Teachers Local No. 38 and Calgary Separate Local No. 55.

ATA locals and the views of their members are represented by district representatives (DRs), who form part of Provincial Executive Council.

About Provincial Executive Council

Provincial Executive Council is the body responsible for transacting the business of the Alberta Teachers’ Association. It meets at least nine times each year, including at the Annual Representative Assembly, which also is attended by more than 400 teacher delegates who debate and set Association policy.

Council is made up of five table officers (the Association’s president, two vice-presidents, past president and executive secretary) and 15 DRs. General elections are held every two years for president, vice-president and DR positions. By-elections for those positions are held when vacancies occur before the two-year Council term ends.

The current term of Council ends June 30, 2017. A general election for all 18 elected positions will be launched this fall with voting taking place in the spring of 2017.

Contacts for 2016 Calgary City by-election

Direct your questions regarding the upcoming by-election to either of the following election team members:

Marvin Hackman, ATA elections returning officer
marvin.hackman@ata.ab.ca, 780-447-9488

Laura Harris, ATA elections administrative officer
laura.harris@ata.ab.ca, 780-447-9476

We’ll keep you posted

Read the ATA News and visit the ATA website for up-to-date by-election information. ❚