4. The objects for which the corporation is incorporated are:

  -I.               - The ACADEMIA DO BACALHAU DE KITCHENER-SOCIAL CLUB is a not-for-profit social club, without political, religious, or commercial purposes.

-II.                 - The objectives of the ACADEMIA DO BACALHAU DE KITCHENER-SOCIAL CLUB are to :

 

-1.                  - Foment, encourage and develop ties of friendship, cooperation and fraternization, independently of the social or cultural level of its members.

-2.                  - Foment, encourage and develop social contact and friendship among different communities.

-3.                  - Foment, encourage and develop initiatives which will contribute to the diffusion of the cultural values and traditions of the  Portuguese-Canadian community.

-4.                  - Foment, encourage and develop moral and financial assistance to charitable associations.

 

5. The special provisions are:

 

The corporation shall be carried on without the purpose of gain for its members, and any profits or other accretions to the corporation shall be used in promoting its objectives.

 

I - COMPADRE AND COMADRE

-1.                  - A male member of the Academia is hereinafter referred to, and addressed as “COMPADRE”, and his spouse as “COMADRE”. A female member of the Academia is addressed as “COMADRE”and her  spouse as “COMPADRE”.

-2.                  - For the purposes of this document, both Compadres and Comadres are hereinafter referred to as Compadres.

 

 

II - ADMISSION  

-1.                  - All the candidates for membership must be proposed by a Compadre.

-3.                  - All the candidates must be unanimously accepted by the Academias (see general note #1 below)..If, during the three month trial/ initiation period any Compadre has valid reasons to object to the candidate’s admission, he should inform the Board of Directors.

-4.                  - Any Compadre that is transferred between Academias is exempted from the three month trial/initiation period, and automatically becomes a Compadre of the Academia to which transferred.

-5.                  - A candidate may consider himself/herself admitted once informed by the Board and pays the stipulated membership fees.

 

III -DISMISSAL                

 

The title of Compadre is lost:

-1.                  - Through resignation

-2.                  - By extensively and repeatedly refusing to collaborate in the activities of the Academia, by discrediting and defaming  the Academia or any of its Compadres.

-3.                      - In cases where the second paragraph applies, the removal of the title of Compadre will be decided at a special meeting by the majority of the Compadres present. However, this decision is only valid if 2/3 of the total number of Compadres of the Academia exercise their right to vote. If the meeting is not attended by at least 60% of the Compadres, a second meeting must be called with twenty-one days notice, at  which the removal may be decided by the majority of Compadres attending.

 

 

  IV -RIGHTS & DUTIES

 

The Compadres have the following rights and duties:

-1.                  - To use the symbols of the Academia;

-2.                  - To participate in the Academia’s meetings and activities;

-3.                  - To pay their membership fees;

-4.                  - To contribute to the best of their abilities when requested to participate in any of the Academia’s activities  .

 

 

V -BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

 

-1.                  - The Board of Directors of the Academia is defined as a group of Compadres, elected to represent the other Comadres, and to manage all the affairs of the Academia.

-2.                  - The Board of Directors is made up by at least five Compadres: one President, two Vice-Presidents, a Treasurer, and a Secretary. They are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting of Compadres.

-3.                  - The board of directors may solicit other Compadres to co-operate in special committees they deem necessary to manage the Academia.

-4.                  - The mandate of the board of directors is for a year, starting on the 1st of October.

-5.                  - Only those Compadres who have been  involved in the activities of the Academia for a period exceeding three years, may be elected President or Vice-President of the Academia. In newly established Academias this rule does not apply.

 

 

VI -MEMBERSHIP FEES

 

-1.                      - The annual membership fees are determined by the Board of Directors.

 

 

VII -MEETINGS

 

-1.                  - The Academia do Bacalhau organizes its meetings at lunches or dinners at dates convenient to the Compadres.

-2.                  - Whenever deemed necessary by the Board of Directors, it may call a Special General Meeting of Compadres. Only Compadres with their membership fees fully paid may attend and vote at such meetings.

-3.                  - A Special General Meeting of Compadres may only be solicited of the Board of Directors by a minimum of ten Compadres.

-4.                  - Every year a Congress of the Academias do Bacalhau is held, wherever the  hosting chapter is located (see explanatory notes below).

-5.                      - The Annual Congress is held to address matters of common concern to the Academias. The issues to be addressed will be determined by the President of the organizing Academia.

 

VIII -SYMBOLS / ENSIGNIA

-   1.                  - The symbols of the Academia are the bell, the standard (flag), the diploma, the tie, and the emblem.

   

 

-1.                  - Additions or alterations to these by-laws require majority approval at a General Meeting of Compadres (see explanatory note 2 below).

 

By-laws approved at a Special General Meeting of the Compadres of the Academia do Bacalhau de Toronto-Social Club, on the 14th May 1999 .

 

 

Written by:  Jose Rocha , First President of  the

 ACADEMIA DO BACALHAU DE KITCHENER - SOCIAL CLUB