Jeffery Nichols wrote:
Wikimedia Canada is still in the phase of writing the bylaws, there isn't much we can do until we finish those, but if anyone wants to do some long-term planning or make a website, that would be great. They were almost complete, but there is a new law governing not-for-profit organizations and the bylaws have to be checked against it with a fine-toothed comb, preferably by more than one person. I started that process last summer, but this past autumn has been very hectic for me because of a family emergency and some professional issues, so I haven't touched it in a while. If there is still interest in the process, I can get started on that again in February and we could present them to the WMF by spring.
Bylaws as of now: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Canada/Proposed_by-laws New law: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=3864664&...
I have been consistently active in the by-law process, and last summer had a number of exchanges with Jeff about various points. Unfortunately, no-one else showed much interest, and a number of points would be helped by wider discussion. I appreciate that Jeff has now explained his very valid reasons for not continuing his participation; and I am glad to see that there was more to this than a simple loss of interest.
The question of the new law remains. For an explanation of some of its effects see http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cd-dgc.nsf/eng/cs04239.html . That law received royal assent last June, but it was expected to be a year before it could come into effect. Someone incorporating now under the old law would need to make adjustments to its corporate by-laws within three years of the new law coming into effect. Thus, in some respects, I have not been overly concerned about hurrying the process until after we can use the new law.
I contrast with the old law, the new law does not require by-law approval by the government; those by-laws simply need to be filed within one year after incorporation. If we apply now those by-laws would need to be approved. In the interim then, we need to live through a government created Catch-22. Not that Industry Canada approval would be a problem, but that subsequent approval by Revenue Canada for charitable status is what would require careful crafting.
Ray