2011.01 Proposals

Notice of Motions to Amend the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario.

Proposed by Peter Renzland, January 1st, 2011

Proposal 1 Re: PART VI, CHARGES, Summary of the Antient Charges and Regulations.  Item 11

Whereas the Constitution of this Grand Lodge is based on that of the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE).

Whereas Item 11 summarizes Regulation XXXIX of Anderson's original Constitution of 1723, 

as amended on  June 24, 1723 viz: "That it is not in the power of any person or Body of Men, to make any Alteration or Innovation in the Body of Masonry without the consent first obtained of the Annual Grand Lodge."

Whereas William Preston wrote an accurate summary of this item on page 120 of his 1775 edition of Illustrations of Masonry,

Whereas William Preston omitted the words "without the Consent first obtained of the Grand Lodge" from the 1781 edition .

Whereas in 1827 the UGLE erroneously copied Preston's corrupted text into its Constitution,

omitting the clause "without the Consent first obtained of the Grand Lodge".

Whereas on December 10, 1986 the UGLE corrected this error in its Constitution and restored the original wording,

as documented on page 204 of the UGLE Proceedings.

It is proposed that the inaccurate Summary be corrected, adopting the authentic text as it appears on page viii of the UGLE Constitution, 

http://www.ugle.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/boc-2009-online-craft-rules.pdf    viz.:

Change  "You admit that it is not in the power of any man, or body of men, to make innovation in the body of Masonry."

to           "You admit that it is not in the power of any Man or Body of Men to make any Alteration or Innovation in the Body of Masonry without the consent first obtained of the Grand Lodge."

Proposal 2 Re: Section 307, Form 6,  Application for Initiation.

Whereas the words "Free by Birth" and "Free Born" had been removed from the English Constitution in 1847, following the abolition of slavery.

Whereas this Grand Lodge was formed several years later, supposedly based on the English Constitution, "mutatis mutandis".

It is proposed that the Application Form be corrected, adopting the authentic text from the English Constitution (Rule 162), viz.:

Change "being free by birth" to "being a free man".

Proposal 3 Re: Section 113 (Powers and Duties of Grand Secretary)

Whereas the Grand Lodge membership consists of the Principal Officers of the lodges, and the Past Masters, pursuant to Sections 9, 10, 56 and 57.

Whereas the Grand Lodge is entitled to know the number of members of the Grand Lodge.

Whereas Grand Secretaries have not reported the number of Grand Lodge members in the past.

It is proposed that the following subsection be added:

"113. (q) report the number of Grand Lodge members to each annual meeting of Grand Lodge".

Proposal 4 Re: Section 70  (The Constitution of Grand Lodge may be amended ...)

That the following sentence be added:

Except as agreed to by the proposer, the text of the proposed amendment, along with any reasons provided by the proposer, shall be transmitted in its entirety, and unaltered, to the Grand Lodge members by the Grand Secretary.

Proposal 5 Re: Powers and Duties of Standing Committees

Section 136 (d) Constitution and Jurisprudence

that:

"To consider the regularity of proposed amendments to the constitution of Grand Lodge"

be changed to:

"To consider whether proposed amendments would introduce inconsistencies into the constitution of Grand Lodge, and if so, to report the particulars of such inconsistencies to the Grand Lodge."

Proposal 6  Re: Meetings of Grand Lodge -- Section 27

that Section 27 (c) be added as follows:

"All motions, discussions, questions, answers, decisions, and other deliberations be recorded completely and accurately, and that the official minutes be a complete and accurate account of the recorded proceedings, and that any exception therefrom be noted, and the reasons stated."