NOMINATION PERIOD

  1. There are four (4) director terms that have expired at the 2022 AGM and are open for nominations;

  2. Last call for Nominations will be by the Chair of AGM during nomination period on the agenda;

  3. Nominations must be made by the Local President and/or designate representing their Local;

  4. Candidates will be asked to stand for the Director position by the Chair (President) following nomination period;

  5. If four (4) candidates or less stand for the position, then those candidates shall be acclaimed to the Board of Directors. No election will be necessary.

ELECTION

  1. If there is five (5) or more candidates nominated, an election shall occur by electronic ballot via Election Runner platform.

  2. The electronic ballots will be sent to all 'attending' Local Presidents (or assigned designate) for voting following the end of the AGM, June 14, 2022.

  3. RSVP: If you plan to attend in-person or via Zoom, we need to know for planning purposes. Please fill out the form asap.


  1. Designee Vote: If you are NOT able to attend you can transfer your vote to a member of your Local who WILL be in attendance (i.e. your Burn Fund Rep or member). Please have them RSVP as well. Fill in the Designation Form below no later than Tuesday, June 14th at 3:00PM. Your designee will be sent the link to register the vote for your Local.


  1. Proxy Vote: Pursuant to the Constitution and Bylaws 7.6 - Proxy Voting, you can transfer your vote to another Local who will be in attendance. Fill in the Proxy Form below no later than Tuesday, June 14th at 3:00PM and your Proxy will be sent the link to register the vote on behalf of your Local:

      • Proxy Form *It’s important we have the correct contact information for electronic balloting.


  1. Please note that, for Local Presidents who are not in attendance (in-person or Zoom), have not transferred your vote to a designee, and have not provided your proxy vote to another Local, you will not be permitted to register a vote.

Directors and Nominees for the 2022 AGM are classified in to one of the following three categories:
(A) Requiring re-appointment;
(B) Standing for re-election; and
(C) New Nominations Received

(A) Directors by Re-Appointment

  • Gord Ditchburn

  • Todd Schierling

  • Lois Budd

  • James Docherty

(B) Directors by Re-Election

  • Ray Boucher

  • Pat Barton

  • Kirk Corby

  • Umesh Lal

(C) New Nominations Received to Date *

  • Gareth Lockhart


*Nominations for positions close at 'Last Call' at AGM session on June 14, 2022

5.1 Eligibility: Any individual is eligible for election or appointment as a Director providing they are endorsed by either a Member Local or the Board, and are otherwise qualified in accordance with the Societies Act.

ABOUT THE CANDIDATES FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BARTON, PAT

Nominated by: Jason Picklyk, President, Kelowna Professional Firefighters Local 953

Pat Barton has been a member of the Kelowna Fire Department for the last eighteen years. Pat has been involved with several charitable events in his community and was a founding member of “A Night Out with the Kelowna Falcons”, an annual event that earns approximately $20,000. Prior to joining the Burn Fund board a decade ago, Pat served as Kelowna’s Burn Fund representative. On the provincial board, Pat has served on various committees and is currently on both the finance and governance committees. Pat has attended Burn Camp for over a decade and was a founding member and current chair of the Thrive program – a Burn Fund support program for young burn survivors. Pat is involved with the International Association of Burn Camps where he has been on the board for five years.

BOUCHER, RAY

Nominated by: Steven Piccolo, President, Coquitlam Firefighters Local 1782

Ray Boucher currently serves as the vice-president of the Burn Fund and has been on the provincial board since 2012. Ray currently sits on the governance committee (co-chair), allocations committee, and the strategic planning committee. Additionally, Ray is the chair of Bright Nights - the Burn Fund’s largest annual fundraiser held every November to January at Stanley Park in Vancouver. Ray has been involved with Bright Nights since its inception 25 years ago. Additionally, Ray has been involved with various committees and programs with the Burn Fund including serving in various leadership positions with Burn Camp. Ray is a retired fire fighter after thirty-four years with Coquitlam Fire Rescue, several of which were spent as Fire Captain. Outside of volunteering with the Burn Fund, Ray has been active with Municipal politics in the Fraser Valley Regional District.

CORBY, KIRK

Nominated by: Jeremy Wilson, President, Victoria Firefighters Local 730

Kirk Corby has served in various roles including firefighter, driver, and acting captain for two decades with Local 730. Prior to joining the Burn Fund board in 2016, Kirk was a Burn Fund Rep for thirteen years. Kirk has been involved with Burn Camp for sixteen years and currently serves on the Burn Camp committee. With the Burn Fund, Kirk also currently serves on the fire prevention and Thrive program committees. On Vancouver Island, Kirk is the rep for the Future Is Mine program and is the liaison for Burn Fund reps in the South Vancouver Island region. In his local community, Kirk has been an active participant and organizer in various charitable initiatives (i.e., Ride to Conquer Cancer) and bursary programs (Jeff Strang Memorial Bursary). Kirk continues to be active in a variety of union and charitable functions.

LAL, UMESH

Nominated by: Chad Porter, President, Nanaimo Professional Firefighters Local 905

Umesh Lal is currently a fire prevention officer with Nanaimo Fire Rescue, where he has been employed since 1999. In addition to serving as a member of his local Burn Fund committee for over two decades, Umesh has served six consecutive terms on the Board of Directors as the North Vancouver Island Regional Director. At the provincial level, Umesh has attended Burn Camp as a counselor since 2007. Furthermore, Umesh has been involved with a variety of Burn Fund initiatives including the Home Away program. Umesh has served on a variety of provincial committees, including the election committee, prevention committee, and the Blue Skies committee. Umesh was instrumental in the launch of the Little Lionhearts Family Camp and program, a newer Burn Fund initiative designed to support under-aged burn survivors, their siblings, and parents.

LOCKHART, GARETH

Nominated by: Jordan Sparrow, President, Township of Langley Firefighters Local 4550

Gareth Lockhart is in his 12th year as a member of Local 4550. During this time Gareth has served on his Political Action committee, serving as chair for eleven years. Gareth has run three consecutive 3rd party advertising sponsor campaigns and co-managed Ryan Svendsen’s (Local 1183) successful municipal councilor campaign in Maple Ridge. Gareth has been on his local's bargaining committee for the entirety of his career and serve(ed) on his Safety, Health and Wellness, Paraphernalia and Mental Health committees. Additionally, Gareth is a founding member of his Charitable Society's Mayor's Gala. During his time as a charitable society operations committee member, Gareth has liaised with local businesses to create ongoing revenue streams for his charitable society. Furthermore, Gareth is serving his second term as an elected steward of his local.

POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

2.4. DIRECTORS & ROLES

2.4.1. The number of Directors serving on the Board of Directors shall be determined annually prior to the notice to members/AGM by the current Board of Directors.

2.4.2. A minimum number of directors shall be assigned to the following regions to represent;

● Lower Mainland 3 Directors (Revised 02/10/12)

● Vancouver L18 1 Director (Revised 6/24/2020 AGM)

● Island 1 Director

● Okanagan 1 Director

● Kootenay 1 Director

● North 1 Director

2.4.3. Directors will not necessarily live in the region that is assigned to them to represent. (21/01/04) (Mar 19/04)

2.4.4. All Directors are expected to participate with projects or Committee Chairs/Member. (Mar 17/05)

2.5. REGIONAL BURN FUND DIRECTOR

2.5.1. The Role of the Regional Burn Fund Director is to provide leadership, support and guidance to the Local Burn Fund Representatives, to all the members in the Province, the Burn Survivors and their families as well as the General Public. The following is a guideline of points on being a Regional Burn Fund Director:

● Will have a working understanding of all the Burn Fund Programs

● Will be an ambassador for the Burn Fund cause

● Understand the geographic and economic factors in the Locals

● Be willing to educate and have a working relationship with the Local Burn Fund Representative by providing the information and opportunities available through the Burn Fund and Where the Dollars go

● Be a resource to the Local Burn Fund Representatives for fundraising support, cheque presentations, requests for assistance, communication link to the Provincial Office, etc.

● Be available to assist the Burn Fund Communications staff person & Local Burn Fund Representative work with their local Media for all Burn Fund programs.

● Advise the Burn Fund Communications staff person of Local fundraising events well in advance of the date, to ensure that the information is posted on the Burn Fund website www.burnfund.org and/or in the quarterly Burn Fund newsletter, the Link

● Be available to attend Provincial Meetings and Functions to represent the Regional Interests. (19/04/04)

● Become a serving member of the Burn Fund / VGH Burn Collaborative. (2022/02/13)

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS:

2.4 Member Locals - All Locals of the Provincial Association are Member Locals. A Member

Local has the following rights:

(a) to vote, through its appointed Representative or by proxy in accordance with Bylaw 7.6;

(b) to attend, and speak at, any general meeting of the Society through its appointed Representative;

(c) to endorse candidates for Director; and

(d) to receive notices of general meetings of the Society.

2.5 Member Local Representatives - Each Member Local is required to provide in writing, the name of one individual who will represent that Member Local at any general meeting of the Society. That individual is the Representative of the applicable Member Local. Each Member Local is required to notify the Secretary-Treasurer of the Society as soon as there is a change of their Representative.

2.6 Affiliate Member - any person who does not belong to a Member Local may apply for membership of the Society and, on acceptance of their application by the Directors or their delegate, will be an Affiliate Member. Affiliate Members have the following rights:

(a) to vote;

(b) to attend, and speak at, any general meeting of the Society;

(c) to receive notices of general meetings of the Society; and

(d) if elected or appointed, to serve as a Director.

2.7 Director Member – if an individual is elected or appointed as a Director of the Society, that individual shall be admitted as a Director Member of the Society, with the following rights:

(a) to vote;

(b) to attend, and speak at, any general meeting of the Society; and

(c) to receive notices of general meetings of the Society.

(d) If the Director Member was, before their election, the Representative of a Member Local, they shall cease to be the Representative of that Member Local and the Member Local shall appoint another individual to serve as its Representative.

PART 6 - ELECTIONS

6.1 Elections: Directors shall be elected by secret ballot unless only one candidate is nominated for a given vacancy, in which case such candidate shall be elected by acclamation and no election will be held.

6.2 Ballot Committee: The President shall appoint a ballot committee composed of Directors who are not candidates for re-election, and that committee shall hand out, collect and tally the ballots. The ballot committee will then turn over all the ballots to the Secretary-Treasurer who shall preserve them for one year. The candidate receiving the plurality of votes shall be declared elected. A candidate for office may appoint a witness to observe the ballot committee in the distribution, collecting and tallying of the ballots.

6.3 Tie Vote: In the event of a tie vote, a second election will be held immediately. If the second election results in a tie, the President will determine the winner by drawing lots in the presence of all candidates

6.4 Oath of Officers: Before taking office, each newly elected officer shall subscribe to the following;

"I _____________________ DO HEREBY PLEDGE MY HONOUR, TO PERFORM THE DUTIES OF MY OFFICE, TO DELIVER ALL BOOKS, PAPERS AND OTHER PROPERTY OF THE SOCIETY IN MY POSSESSION AT THE END OF MY TERM TO MY SUCCESSOR IN OFFICE, AND AT ALL TIMES TO CONDUCT MYSELF AS BECOMES A MEMBER OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS BURN FUND (AND THE BRITISH COLUMBIA PROFESSIONAL FIRE FIGHTERS’ ASSOCIATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS.)"

PART 7 - MEETINGS

7.3 Notice of General Meeting: The Society will send notice of every general meeting to:

(a) each member shown on the register of members on the date the notice is sent; and

(b) the auditor, not less than 7 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date of the general meeting. No other person is entitled to notice of a general meeting.

7.4 General Meetings by Communications Medium: The Board may resolve, in its discretion, to hold any general meeting in whole or in part by Communications Medium. Where a general meeting is to be conducted using Communications Medium, the Board must take reasonable steps to ensure that all participants are able to communicate and participate in the meeting

7.5 Annual General Meeting

(a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held at least once every calendar year.

(b) The President, Vice-President, or Secretary-Treasurer will chair all meetings.

(c) A quorum will be five members provided at least one is the President, Vice-President or Secretary-Treasurer.

(d) Each Member Local shall send their Representative to bring forward the concerns of the Local and vote on the issues presented to them.

(e) Each Affiliate Member shall have voice and vote.

(f) Each Director Member shall have voice and vote.

(g) Any member of the Provincial Association may attend the Annual General Meeting as a visitor but will not have voice or vote.

(h) With the exception of elections or meetings conducted in whole or in part by Communications Medium, voting will be by a show of hands.

(i) Voting by proxy is permitted in accordance with Bylaw 7.6.

(j) The order of business shall be;

(i) Call the meeting to order,

(ii) Adoption of rules of order;

(iii) Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting;

(iv) President's report;

(v) Secretary-Treasurer’s report;

(vi) Executive Director's report;

(vii) Auditor's report;

(viii) Appointment of the auditor;

(ix) Amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws;

(x) Such other business that is time sensitive and requires immediate action;

(xi) Election of Directors;

(xii) Swearing in of Officers;

(xiii) Adjournment.

7.6 Proxy Voting: Proxy voting is permitted at general meetings, subject to these Bylaws and in accordance with the following rules:

(a) A Member Local may, by form of proxy, appoint a Director its proxy holder to attend and act on its behalf at a specified general meeting, and any adjournment of that meeting.

(b) A form of proxy appointing a proxy holder is not valid unless it is:

(i) in a form approved by the Directors;

(ii) signed and dated by a Representative of the Member Local.

(c) A form of proxy must state the meeting for which it is valid and, if it does not state the general meeting for which it is effective, it will be deemed effective for the next general meeting held on or after the date indicated on the form of proxy.

(d) A Director who is a proxy holder may vote on behalf of the Member Local which has appointed that proxy holder, in addition to exercising any voting rights of that Director.