Why this bill will be harmful

S-1001 will damage Scouts Canada

Scouter Liam Morland, December 9, 2006

Bill S-1001 will be harmful to Scouts Canada. Here's why:

1. The current act states that the purpose of Scouts Canada is "to promote and carry out in Canada the objects of the said Association". The purpose of the corporation is to support the association of Scouts and Scouters. The proposed act makes no reference to the association, just the corporation.

   The current act lists four specific functions that Scouts Canada is to do. These relate to supporting local Scouting organizations. The proposed act says just, "The object of the Corporation is to promote the mission of scouting among young persons". Since the mission of Scouting is defined by the Board, this statement of purpose provides no guidance. Scouts Canada can do whatever it wants and call it "Scouting".

2. The proposed act grants Scouts Canada the powers of a natural person. This is the sort of language used to define business corporations. Scouts Canada is supposed to be a non-profit charity, not a business.
3. Normally, corporations are required to have annual meetings of shareholders or, in the case of a membership corporation, a meeting of members. The proposed act has a clause that removes this requirement and substitutes an annual meeting "of the corporation". This will give legal sanction to the current practise of forbidding ordinary members of Scouts Canada from voting at annual meetings.
4. The proposed act repeals all the previous acts dealing with Scouts Canada. This both erases our history and abolishes any rights that we members had under the previous act.
5. Scouts Canada has kept the bill as quiet as possible. They have not consulted the membership about it in any way. This bill comes from Scouts Canada's management, not from the membership. This is backwards. No bill should be passed unless it has the unambiguous support of Scouts Canada's membership.