Western Coton de Tulear Club

Constitution and By-Laws

Effective Date:
October 9th, 2025

1 Name

The name of the club shall be Western Coton de Tulear Club hereinafter referred to as ‘the club’.

2 Area of Operation

The club shall serve the area comprised of:

British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Yukon Territory, and shall be a Regional Club

3 Objectives

The objectives and aims of the club shall be to:

Exhibit and encourage respect and ethical sportsmanship to others at all events held under the CKC Rules and Regulations and any other sponsored activity or function of the club.

Hold the following CKC approved events including but not limited to Conformation, Sprinters, Rally, Obedience.

Hold and attend to additional purebred initiatives such as: meet-the-breeds, and health clinics.

Require club members to accept the Breed Standards, as approved by The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), as the standard of excellence by which purebred dogs shall be judged in Canada.

Encourage, promote, and protect the ethical breeding and ownership of the Coton de Tulear breed

Engage with the community at large to promote the significance of purebred dogs and kennel club function

Actively promote and participate in educational and training opportunities for members, exhibitors, and the general populace

Mentor and support new members in various roles within the Club to encourage growth and foster a strong sense of community.

Encourage and educate judges and prospective judges regarding the breed

4 Principles

4.1 The club shall be a Non-Profit club.

4.2 The club shall take all necessary steps to investigate and comply with Federal and Provincial Guidelines with respect to clubs and corporations.

4.3 The club shall maintain CKC recognition by adhering to the Policy set out by CKC and acknowledge that any changes in such Policy from time to time will supersede contravention within this Constitution & By-Laws.

4.4 The club employs the use of electronic signatures, electronic mail, online bank transfers and virtual meetings as required and any reference to finance, correspondence or meetings in this Constitution and By-Laws shall be deemed to include these methods unless otherwise specified.

5 MEMBERSHIP

5.1 Membership Year

Membership in the Club shall be based on the Fiscal Year, March 1 through the last day of February.

In the event of a change to or from the calendar year, membership fees shall be prorated accordingly.

5.2 Eligibility

Membership shall be open to all persons who support the objectives of the Club and meet the eligibility requirements of one of the membership categories described below.

Except where otherwise specified:

Members must be eighteen (18) years of age or older.

Membership may only be refused to applicants who:

• Have had CKC membership privileges suspended or terminated;

• Have been found guilty in a court of law of cruelty to animals; or

• Have been found guilty of actions in direct contravention of CKC Policy, Mission Statement, or Code of Ethics.

The Club promotes inclusivity and welcomes members from across Canada and internationally who are involved with or are enthusiastic about the Coton de Tulear breed. Applicants may, but need not be a current, past, or future owner of a Coton de Tulear dog. 

An owner of a Coton de Tulear is one who is listed as a whole or part owner on a dog’s Canine Federation of Canada (CFC) registration if that dog was born and/or resides within Canada; or is listed as a whole or part owner on an internationally recognized registration from the kennel club of an FCI or partner country. 

5.3 Categories of Membership

Regular (Individual) Membership

Individuals over 18 years of age who enjoy all Club privileges, including the right to vote. Members residing in Canada may hold office.

Household (Family) Membership

Two (2) adult individuals residing in the same household. Each adult member shall have full voting rights and may hold office. Household memberships shall be provided with two individual votes.

Breeder Membership

Individuals over 18 years of age who own one or more active or potential brood bitches or stud dogs of the Coton de Tulear breed, and have been verified as adhering to the club’s Code of Ethics. Breeder Members enjoy full voting rights and may hold office, and will be listed as preferred breeders on the Club’s website and social media platforms.

Breeder Members must upkeep an active program adhering to the Code of Ethics to retain preferred breeder listing. If no Code of Ethics litters are planned or registered by the Breeder’s affix, or by their stud dog for a period of three (3) years, regular membership will be assumed.

Junior Membership

Open to individuals under eighteen (18) years of age. Junior Members do not pay dues, and are not entitled to vote or hold office. Junior Membership shall automatically convert to Regular Membership upon reaching eighteen (18) years of age.

Non-Owner Membership

Individuals who support the objectives of the Club but do not currently own the breed may opt for non-owner membership. Non-Owner Members shall pay reduced dues and shall not be eligible to vote or hold office.

Honorary Membership

An individual who has made significant contributions to the breed, sport, or Club may be designated an Honorary Member by majority vote at an Annual General Meeting. Honorary Members shall not pay dues and shall not be eligible to vote or hold office.

5.4 Application for Membership

Applications shall:

• Be submitted by electronic form to the Secretary;

• Be accessible to the public via the Club’s official communication channels;

• State the applicant’s name, contact information, and relationship to the breed;

• Define the type of membership which is being sought
• Include agreement to abide by the Constitution and By-Laws.

5.5 Membership Fees

Annual membership dues shall be:

• $35.00 Individual

• $60.00 Household

• $20.00 Non-Owner

Dues:

• Are payable on or before March 1.

• Shall not be prorated.

• Shall be reviewed annually by the Board and confirmed at the AGM.

• Must be paid within sixty (60) days of the start of the Club year or membership shall lapse.

The Treasurer shall maintain accurate records and provide renewal notice prior to the end of the fiscal year and reminders prior to the end of the payment period

5.6 Approval of Membership

(a) Membership is available to any individual related to the breed, unless that individual has been found guilty in a court of law of offences related to actions in direct contravention of the Policy, Mission Statement and Code of Ethics of the CKC and/or the club. Membership will be denied to those who have had CKC membership privileges suspended or terminated, or have been found guilty in a court of law on any charge relating to cruelty of animals.

An applicant whose membership application has been rejected/denied will be provided with a reason for such rejection/denial, in writing, within thirty (30) days of the decision.

Applications shall be forwarded to the Board of Directors. If no objections are raised, the application will be deemed accepted. If an objection is received, the Board shall vote on acceptance or rejection by majority vote. Any objection must be based solely on the eligibility criteria outlined in Section 4.2 and in accordance with CKC policy.

(b) New members without immediate member objection shall be accepted but have a one-year probationary period. If the Board finds the applicant to be in violation of the Constitution and/or By-Laws of the club, or the rules, regulations and Policy of CKC, or conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the club or breed, their membership shall not be renewed

(c) New members applying as a Breeder Membership will assume Regular Membership for a three (3) month probation period prior to having their program reviewed for breeder listing.

5.7 Termination or Suspension of Membership

(a) Any member suspended, debarred, expelled or deprived from the privileges of The CKC shall, without notice, be suspended from the privileges of this Club for a like period.

(b) Upon termination or suspension of membership, all records, property and related paraphernalia of the club shall be returned to a current club officer immediately.

Resignation: Any member in good standing may resign from the club upon verifiable written notice to the Secretary, but no member may resign when in debt to the club. All materials belonging to the club must be surrendered in proper condition to the Secretary no later than ten (10) days after resignation of membership. Obligations other than membership fees are considered a debt to the club and must be paid in full prior to resignation

Lapsing: A membership shall be considered lapsed and automatically terminated if such member’s dues remain unpaid sixty (60) days after the first day of the club year. If any member is in financial distress, the Board may grant thirty (30) days of grace to such members or waive the membership fee entirely by a majority vote of the Board on a case-by-case basis. In no case may a person whose fees are unpaid be entitled to vote or hold office.

5.8 Voting Privileges

An equal vote is provided to each Regular Member, each individual of a Household Membership, and each Breeder Member in good standing.

6. Board of Directors

6.1. Officers

The officers of the club shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Secretary and Treasurer may be combined into one role.

The President and Vice-President and either the Secretary or Treasurer must be members of The Canadian Kennel Club in good standing.

The club’s officers shall serve in their respective roles at both club meetings and Board meetings

A club officer must not also be a club director

Club officers must be residents of Canada.

6.2. Directors

The club’s directors shall serve in their respective roles at both club meetings and Board meetings.

A club director may not also be a club officer.

The club shall maintain 2 (two) or more director positions.

Club directors must be residents of Canada

6.3 Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall hereinafter be referred to as ‘the Board’, which shall be composed of the officers and directors described in sections 6.1 and 6.2.

6.3 Duties and Responsibilities

The President shall preside at all club meetings and may call Special Meetings of the Board. It is the President’s duty to ensure that the constitution and bylaws of the club are current, updated as necessary, and observed by the board and membership. The President may delegate duties to the Vice-President, Members of the Board, or request the formation of committees.  

The Vice-President shall attend all club meetings. In the event of absence, resignation, or vacancy of the President, all presidential duties will become the responsibility of the Vice-President.   

The Secretary shall attend all club meetings, and keep accurate minutes of Board and General meetings. The Secretary is responsible for official communication between the President and Membership in regards to meetings, membership, elections & results, and disciplinary proceedings.   

The Treasurer shall attend all club meetings. The treasurer shall keep accurate records of all income and expenditures of the club. Financial records will be accessible for inspection by the board at all times, and officially reported at all meetings.  

The Directors shall attend all board and general meetings as members of the board. Votes which require a majority from the board will include those votes of the directors. Directors will accept communication and recommendations directly from the membership, and may be appointed to form committees as they relate to club projects and endeavors.  

 

6.4 Execution of Documents

Any contracts or documents in writing requiring the signature of the club shall be signed by the President or Vice-President, together with one additional executive of the board.

All contracts, documents, or instruments in writing so signed shall be binding upon the club without any further authorization or formality.

Electronic signatures by the same combination of authorized signing authorities will be considered equal in legitimacy to written signatures

6.5 Vacancies

The office of a member of the Board shall automatically be vacated if: 

1. An Officer or Director sends a written resignation to the Secretary. Any Officer or Director with the intent to resign shall provide the Secretary with one month’s written notice of their intended date of resignation; 
2. A resolution is passed by a majority vote of voting members that they be removed from office;   
3. They are incapacitated or otherwise unable to perform their duties in office 
4. They pass away 

The Vice-President shall automatically become the Acting President should the position of the President become vacant during the year 

The vacancy of any board position other than the president which occurs during the year will have its duties filled by the remainder of the board until an election is held  

Each retiring Board member shall turn over all properties and records relating to that office to their successor within 30 days after the election or on the date designated by the current Board.

In the case of a vacancy, the position may be filled by another member of the board or director, at the majority vote of the board. An election shall be held for whichever position remains vacant.

A vacancy or resignation is not required for two (2) or more board members or directors to rotate positions mid-term, at the majority vote of the board.

The rotation of positions within the board shall not reset the duration of their term. The  term of the officer(s) or director(s) shall end at the time that they entered into office. 

6.6 Term of Office

The offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary shall have a term of three (3) years. An election shall be called at the end of three (3) years from the date the individual took office or at vacancy of the position.   

Directors shall be elected by a majority vote received by eligible members (>51%). Elections shall be held every three (3) years from the date the individual took office or at vacancy of the position.   

The term of any official or director elected midterm shall expire in three years, during the month of the general election. 

Individuals may only hold office in perpetuity if they are continued to be elected by majority vote received by eligible members (>51%).  

Executive members may not serve more than two (2) terms unless continued to be elected by majority votes received by eligible members (>51%).  

If there are no nominations given for an elected position, no election shall be needed, and the position is assumed to be the last individual in that position. 

Any executive or director may not win more than one (1) consecutive terms as a result of no-contest elections. After this, a call for nominations will be called and an election held.  

An official or director’s term of office may extend until their successors have been elected 

6.7 Nominations

The Secretary shall provide the members in good standing with a nomination form a minimum of two (2) months before May 1. Nominations must be returned to the Secretary a minimum of one (1) months before May 1st. Such deadlines shall be clearly defined with a date and time when provided to the members. 

No person shall be a candidate in a club election who has not been nominated in accordance with this Constitution & By-Laws. 

No person shall be a candidate for more than one position. 

All documentation with respect to nominations shall be retained and stored for a period of two (2) years 

6.8 Elections, Ballots, and Voting

 

 Elections  

 

An election shall take place in May, in the year that an official or director’s term has ended. 

 

An election shall take place following the end of the term of an Officer or Director, or within four months of the occurrence of an Officer or Director position being vacated mid-term.  

  

The date range of an electronic vote will be provided to the Membership by the Secretary via official communication. Voting will take place over a predetermined five day period. 

 

Ballots 

 

Ballots shall be distributed to all members in good standing that have voting privileges. 

 

Ballots must be received by the date and time as specified by the Secretary and provided to the membership in official communication.  

 

Voting shall remain confidential. This will be done through an anonymous Google Form or a similar platform  

 

If no more than one valid nomination is received by the Secretary a minimum of 30 days prior to the election, the slate of the Nomination Committee is elected , and no ballot shall be required.  The Board and Membership will be informed by the Secretary via official communication.  

 

If one or more eligible nominations of members in good standing are received by the Secretary a minimum of 30 days before the election, and the nominations are received in a manner acceptable to the constitution, an election shall commence. The Secretary will provide a ballot to any member eligible to vote, listing all of the nominees for each position.  

 

Membership will be provided with a brief description of each nominee. Members must return the ballots to the Secretary via electronic vote during the described election period. The Secretary shall forward the returned ballots to the Nomination Committee and the Committee Chair shall certify the results of the voting via official communication.  

 

Voting  

 

A voting platform or method shall be defined by the board and communicated to membership by the Secretary.  

 

Only those members with voting privileges and in good standing with the club are eligible to vote. 

 

Candidates with the majority of votes on the ballots returned shall be declared the winners.

 

In the event of a tie, a revote shall be cast until such time as there is a declared winner. Such revote must be held in the same manner as the original vote 

 

If a declared winner does not accept the position and more than one other candidate was nominated for the position, there shall be a revote cast until such time there is a declared winner. If there was only one other nominee for the position, that person shall be declared elected. If there were no other nominees for the position, then an additional call for nominations shall be made. If only one person is nominated, that person shall be declared elected. If there is more than one person nominated, a vote will be cast until such time there is a declared winner. 

 

All documentation pertaining to elections, including ballots, shall be retained and stored for a period of two (2) years. 

 

7 Meetings

7.1 Annual General Meeting

The AGM will be held each March as designated by the Board of Directors

Notice of the date, time, and access method of the AGM shall be communicated with the membership a minimum of 30 days in advance of the date

All board members and directors must attend the AGM unless excused in advance by the President

7.2 Board Meetings

Board meetings shall be held as designated by the president,or at request of the majority of the board. 

Board meetings will be held prior to club events if deemed necessary.

The date of the meeting will be provided by the president a minimum of (14) days in advance

All items requiring a board vote shall be placed on the agenda for the next Board Meeting. If the President and Vice-President determine that a board vote is needed prior to a Board Meeting, it may be instead determined by electronic form.

7.3 Special General Meetings

Special General Meetings may be called by the President, or by a majority vote of the board.

Special General Meetings may be requested by petition received by the Secretary as signed by five club members who are in good standing. The petition must include the purpose of the meeting.  

 

When approved by the President, notice of Special Meetings shall be sent by the Secretary in advance of the date. The notice of the meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting and no other business may be transacted

7.4 General Membership Meetings

 

General membership meetings may be held at the discretion of the board

 

Such meetings will not be held within three (3) months of the AGM.

 

The date and access method of a General Membership Meeting will be communicated with the membership via the secretary a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled meeting

7.5 Quorum

The quorum for voting at Board Meetings shall be a majority of the Board

The quorum for voting in club elections shall be 51% of ballots received from eligible voters

8 Finances

The financial year or Club year shall be The Fiscal Year from March 1st to the last day of February.

Financial signing authorities for the Club account shall be the elected treasure. Financial signing authorities must not reside in the same household.

No Officer, Director, or member of the Club shall receive remuneration for service.

9 Committees

At its discretion, the Board of Directors may appoint Standing Committees by a majority vote to further the interests of the Club in the areas of, but not limited to, elections, events, discipline, membership, procurement and any other project that may require the resources of a committee. 

At its discretion, the Board of Directors may terminate any Standing Committee by a majority vote when it is deemed that the Standing Committee has fulfilled its original purpose. 

10 Conflict Resolution

Any member who is suspended or terminated from the privileges of The CKC shall, without notice, be suspended from the privileges of this Club for a like period. 

Complaints – Members 

Any member may file a complaint against another member of the club for alleged misconduct prejudicial to the best interests of the club or in contravention of this Constitution and By-Laws, or the Policy, By-Laws and Code of Ethics of CKC.

Complaints must be filed in writing to the Secretary and accompanied by a deposit of $50, which shall be forfeited if such charges are not substantiated by the Board following a hearing.

The Secretary shall forward the complaint to each Board member which shall prompt a board meeting where the board shall determine if the alleged violation, if proven, contradicts the interests of the club.

If the board determines that the alleged conduct is not a conflict of the club, the complaint may be discarded, and the secretary shall inform the complainant of the decision. 

If the board determines that the alleged conduct conflicts with the purpose  and standards of the club, a hearing will be scheduled, and the Secretary will inform both the complainant and the defendant of the decision.

If a member chooses to resign while charges have been laid against them, prior to the completion and decision of a hearing process, upon reapplying for membership, they may not reapply for membership for three (3) years. Reapplication for membership will require authorization of the board.

Complaints that are in violation of CKC By-Laws, Regulations, and Code of Ethics must be sent directly to the CKC. The official procedure can be found below:
https://www.ckc.ca/en/Files/Forms/Shows-Trials/Regulatory/Official-Complaint-Package  

 

10.1 Hearing 

When a complaint proceeds to a hearing, it will be scheduled by the board between thirty (30) and sixty (60) days from the

The hearing will require the attendance of the President or Vice-President, the Secretary, and two or more additional board members OR two or more members who have been appointed to the complaints committee. Committee members may not be a subject of the complaint, nor have any relation to the complainant or defendant. 

Both the plaintiff and defendant shall attend the hearing and be treated fairly and without prejudice and have the right to present any evidence.

If either the plaintiff or the defendant fails to attend the hearing, they forfeit their right to provide testimony.

The meeting procedures shall be Call to Order, Chair Opening Remarks, Complainant, Defendant, Questions, and Deliberations. 

 

10.2 Decision

Should the charges be sustained after hearing all the evidence and testimony presented by complainant and defendant, the Board or appointed Committee may, by a majority vote of those present, determine appropriate consequence. Any suspension dealt will count from the date of the hearing. 

Decisions will be filed with the Secretary who, within thirty (30) days, who shall notify the complainant and defendant in writing of the decision. 

 

10.3 Complaints – Executive

Where the complaint involves misconduct, misrepresentation or any breach of this Constitution and/or By-Laws by one or more members of the Board of Directors, written notice of the offence together with supporting evidence must be forwarded to the club Secretary and the club Secretary must immediately provide copies of the complaint to the Board of Directors. 

If the complaint is in whole or in part against the Secretary, then the complaint shall be forwarded to the President or Vice-President, or whichever Board member is not a subject of the complaint. 

The Board of Directors shall respond to the complainant with resolution within thirty (30) days of receipt of the complaint.  If the Complainant remains unsatisfied with the decision and considers the conduct unresolved, a Special General Meeting shall be scheduled by the club Secretary where, by a majority vote of the membership present, the validity of the complaint shall be determined. 

 

If the complaint is deemed justified, the meeting will follow the Hearing format process outlined above, with the decision determined by majority vote of those members present.  

10.4  Appeal Process 

Any person subject to any decision arising out of a complaint filed through the Club’s internal disciplinary process may file an appeal with the Club Secretary. The Secretary shall forward the appeal to each Board member and/or present them at the following Board meeting. 

An appeal hearing shall be scheduled within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the appeal. The complainant and defendant shall be provided with a date and time for the appeal hearing a minimum of thirty (30) days before the appeal shall be considered. 

Both the complainant and defendant have the right to attend the appeal hearing, which may be conducted in the same manner as the original hearing. 

This shall not be a retrial, but rather a hearing to determine whether there is just cause to overturn the decision. Arguments during the appeal process are limited to this aspect. After hearing the testimony presented by the complainant and defendant, the Board may, by a majority vote of those present, decide to sustain or overturn the expulsion. The Secretary shall inform both the complainant and defendant of any decision in writing within thirty (30) days of the hearing.

 

10.5 Expulsion 

Permanent expulsion of a member requires a Special General Meeting where Section 13 – Conflict Resolution is deemed insufficient. 

Expulsion requires 40% of the members present at the meeting. 

The following are considered grounds for expulsion: 

• Any member found to be mistreating any animal. 
• Any member found to be stealing or falsifying documents of any kind. 
• Any member found guilty of defying the rules of any dog club event 

Immediately after the Board has reached a decision regarding expulsion, all findings will be officially filed by the Secretary. The Secretary will notify the member of the decision, and the reasons for the decision. This communication will be officially recorded by the Secretary. 

 

11 Amendments

The Club shall have the power to add, modify, and/or rescind items in the Constitution & By-Laws.  

 

Amendments may be proposed by the Board or membership 

 

All proposals shall be included in the agenda for the upcoming AGM. Items may open to a live vote at the AGM, OR proceed to balloting using the same method of voting as club elections. In order to ratify, amendments require 2/3 approval of ballots received including 2/3 approval of the Board of Directors. 

 

Minor amendments, affecting only syntax or clarification of existing items, creating no change to function of the club, may be passed by majority vote of the board.

 

Within thirty (30) days of an amendment being passed, membership will be notified via official communication, and the updated constitution will be forwarded to CKC Shows & Trials Division.  

 

12 Dissolution

Dissolution of the Club shall take place when: when no less than 60% of members of good standing vote in agreement of dissolution, or when membership is not sufficient to nominate and elect at least three members of the board. No property, assets of the Club, nor any proceeds thereof shall be distributed to any members of the Club.  After all payment of debts of the Club, its property and remaining assets shall be donated to a charitable organization.  

The Secretary will notify The CKC in writing immediately of the decision to dissolve and include a copy of the Minutes from the meeting where dissolution was confirmed. 

13 Rules of Order

The order of business at Club Meetings, so far as the nature of the meeting permits, shall be as follows:

• Roll call
• Approval of Agenda
• Reading of Minutes of Last Meeting
• Reports from Treasurer
• Unfinished Business
• New Business
• Notice of Next Meeting
• Adjournment

Approval of Constitution and By-Laws by Board of Directors of the Club:

 October 1st,  2025

President:
Kaitlyn Fraser

Secretary:
Kathryn Sarkany

Vice-President:
Aleesia Chow

Treasurer:
Allison Goosney