The democratic life of the group is rich in the commitment of its members to take part in the various bodies in place.
The democratic life of the Regroupement des cuisines collective du Québec (RCCQ) depends largely on the degree of participation of its members at the various decision-making levels of the organization. The annual general meeting is the time of the year when all of the members can come together and make decisions regarding the priorities that the RCCQ should adopt. It is also the time when the new Board of Directors (BD) is elected.
Every year, there are positions to be filled on the BD. If you are a member in good standing of the RCCQ and would like to get more involved, you can run for a position on the board. It starts by completing a candidate form.
You can also get involved by joining one of the existing working committees.
Every type of involvement is important and the more diversity there is, the better the RCCQ will be able to represent all of its members.
Decision Making Levels
The Annual General Meeting is the direct democracy decision-making level of the RCCQ. Members decide on the organization’s directions and its annual action plan as well as electing the members of the Board of Directors. The general meeting is also a forum for getting informed, sharing ideas, discussion and decision-making.
The Board of Directors (BD) is the representative democracy decision-making body of the RCCQ. It develops the RCCQ’s major directions and manages the business of the RCCQ in accordance with the law, the RCCQ’s statutes and by-laws and the mandates the Board receives at the general meetings. The BD, in keeping with the mission and values of the RCCQ, is responsible for planning, organizing, coordinating, decision-making and managing the organization’s human and financial resources.
The organization’s Officers (President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary) possess no more power than the other directors. Their roles are simply different.
The BD mandates the Executive Committee (EC) to make decisions regarding financial and human resources as well as to manage the organization’s business between BD meetings. The BD approves the decisions of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is a decision-making body where consultative and representative democracy is exercised.
Consultative democracy also takes place in the Working Committees. The composition and mandates of all of the working committees are determined by the BD or at general meetings. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the purpose of the working committees is to inform the BD and assist it with its work, by making recommendations.
The Coordinator directs and oversees the realization of the action plan. She or he has a comprehensive understanding of all operations and proposes development paths for the RCCQ. The Coordinator is automatically a member of the BD and the EC, the bodies that assign her or his mandates. She or he is the intermediary between the BD and the work team. The Coordinator has the power to influence decisions, etc. (consultative democracy).
The work team plays a role in the consultative democracy process. It brings together all RCCQ employees to share the various tasks stemming from the action plan; to exchange ideas; to get informed about the work of the committees and the specific matters they are handling; to delegate representatives to certain committees; to report on activities; and to carry out the mandates that the BD may assign them.
The permanent employees of the RCCQ have specific roles and duties. Most sit on a committee where they are invited to discuss various matters and make recommendations to the BD as members of their respective committees. They must report on their work to the Coordinator, the work team and the committees.