Standing Rules for Conducting Business of the Convention

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada

These rules are based upon references to “Special Rules of Procedure for the General Assembly”, included in the Design for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

1. To facilitate deliberation and action on all Business Items by the Convention, a Business Committee will be established as follows: 

   a. Prior to the opening session of the Convention, the Board of Directors will serve as the Business Committee.
   b. During the Convention, the Business Committee will consist of the Moderator serving as Chairperson, three members of the Board of Directors (selected by the Board of Directors) representative of the three Areas, plus four voting representatives selected by the Convention upon recommendation of the Moderator or nomination from the floor. The Executive Minister will serve as a resource person. 
   c. All items of business to be considered by the Convention, except emergency items, shall be filed with the Business Committee, through the Executive Minister, no later than ninety (90) days before the opening session of the Convention, in order to allow consideration by the Business Committee and time for distribution to congregations and voting representatives in advance of the Convention.

2. The Business Committee will review all business items, make whatever amendments or comments that seem advisable, establish a total time for debate on each business item and present the items of business to the Convention with a recommendation for appropriate action and designation of total debate time. The original wording of the resolutions shall be available in the docket together with any proposed changes.

3. Business items will originate from any congregation, Area, Administrative or program unit or organization with recognized relationships with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada, through the governing board or any such organization. Business items may also be submitted in writing signed by no fewer than six members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada.

4. Any item of business can be considered an emergency only if its content is of such a nature that it could not have been regularly filed ninety (90) days before the opening session of the Convention. Emergency Business items will be accepted only when submitted in writing by no fewer than six (6) voting representatives of the Convention from not fewer than three congregations.

5. The Business Committee at the Convention will receive all business items appropriately filed for consideration as emergencies, determine if such items are truly emergencies, and if they are, prepare appropriate recommendations to the Convention.

6. A quorum for the transaction of business by the Convention shall be 40% of the registered voting representatives present at the Convention. If a quorum is not present at any business session, matters to be considered will be referred to the next business session. If a quorum is not present at the final session, matters which were to have been considered shall be referred to the All-Canada Committee. The All-Canada Committee may take action within the established policy of the Convention, subject all matters to a review of its action by the next Convention.

   a. The total time for debate set by the Business Committee and designated in the Convention business docket shall govern the total time for debate on any given business item. Each person with floor privileges, when recognized by the presiding officer, may speak to each business item and debatable motion once, and for no longer than three (3) minutes, and may speak again after all the other persons desiring to speak have had the opportunity within the allowable debate time.

   b. The presiding officer may change the time for individual debate from three (3) minutes with the permission of the Convention. The Convention may change the total time for debate for any business item or change the time limit for individual debate by two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote.

7. A parliamentarian shall be appointed by the Board of Directors for each Convention of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada. 

8. Debate and action shall be based on the substance of the resolution and not on the recommendations of the Business Committee. This will not apply when there is a motion to commit or refer.

9. Debate and action shall be based on the substance of the resolution and not on the recommendations of the Business Committee. This will not apply when there is a motion to commit or refer.

10. In general, the basic rules of parliamentary procedure described in Robert Rules of Order    Revised will be followed. To assist representatives, the following list of motions in order of precedence is given:

    1. To adjourn

    2. To take a recess

    3. To raise a question

    4. To call for the orders of the day

    5. To rise to a point of order

    6. To withdraw a motion

    7. To close debate (move the previous question)

    8. To limit or extend time for discussion and debate

    9. To postpone discussion to a certain time

    10. To commit or refer

    11. To amend

    12. The main motion

11. “Privileged” or “Incidental” motions are (a)-(f); Motions subsidiary to the main motion are (g)-(k); Debatable motions are (i)-(l);

12. The following cannot be amended: (a), (c)-(g); The following do not require a second: (c)-(f); The following may interrupt a speaker: (c)-(e);

13. Simple majority votes carry, except for a 2/3 affirmative vote required for (g) and (h).

14. The motion to close debate shall not be accepted until opportunity has been given for at least two speakers on both sides of a given issue.

Adopted 1980 Convention (Mississauga, ON) / Revised 1986 Convention (Lower Sackville, NS)