| Policy Number: | GP 1 | Effective Date: | September 2022 |
| Last Review Date: | March 2021 | Next Review Date: | |
| Review Frequency: | Triennial | Related Supporting Documents: | |
The Council of the College will exercise all the powers and duties granted to a governing Council under Section 6 of the Act.
Council is established in accordance with section 5 of the Act
3.1. Council is composed of 8 registrants and 8 public representatives appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
3.2. The CEO & Registrar is a non‐voting member of Council.
4.1. Eligibility of Council members is established in Bylaw 2.
5.1. The term of office for registrant Council members is three (3) years, staggered with approximately one-third of these members appointed each year.
5.2. All registrant Council members may serve one (1) additional term, with a limit of two (2) consecutive three-year terms of service.
6.1. A quorum is a majority of the members of Council.
7.1. Council will establish a schedule of meetings.
7.2. Council will meet at least 3 times per year and at other times as determined by the Chair.
7.3. Council meetings are generally held in a public forum. Council may at any time move in camera to discuss matters that are sensitive, personal or privileged.
7.4. Meetings may be held electronically subject to due notice requirements for any such meeting being met (or waived by unanimous consent in special circumstances).
7.5. As much as is practically possible, Council seeks to make all its decisions by consensus. Consensus means that all Council members have agreed to give the course of action an opportunity to proceed. This means that the Chair will encourage all dissenting views to be fully expressed and weighed by Council. The Chair will seek to build unanimity around a decision before calling for a vote. However, if, in the Chair’s view, unanimity or consensus is not reasonably achievable, then the Chair may call for a vote and a majority decision will then stand.
7.6. While the College Council meetings are governed by Roberts Rules of Order, it is accepted practice that dialogue and divergent views on agenda items are permitted and encouraged in full before a resolution is actually moved and seconded, in order to promote constructive dialogue, integrate meaningful dissent, and have open deliberations.
7.7. All Council members are strongly encouraged to speak freely, directly, and openly. Council members are encouraged to share ideas and ask questions as this type of open communication often promotes innovative thinking and useful checks and balances. It is important that meeting agenda items are fully discussed, and next steps explored.
7.8. Substantive agenda items should be flagged with the Chair in advance of the meeting. New agenda items should be proposed to the Chair two weeks prior to the Council meeting to allow for fulsome preparation.
7.9. While the Code of Conduct covers conflicts of interest and/or loyalty, Council seeks to deal with contentious issues or topics proactively, openly, and clearly. Council members are encouraged to address such issues with the Chair in advance of Council meetings to avoid the Chair being required to make last minute decisions regarding potential conflict situations. Legal counsel and other expertise should be sought early and as needed. A clear and proactive approach to all potential conflict situations is desired. Council seeks to ensure there are no aspersions cast or implied on any individual Council member who may be involved in a conflict-of-interest situation. Conflict situations are inevitable and Council members encouraged to deal with them fairly and openly and without rebuke.
7.10. In-Camera:
7.10.1. A regular in camera agenda item at the beginning and/or end of each board and committee meeting affords the opportunity to consider and, when applicable, hold an in-camera session.
7.10.2. Only Council and invited College staff, legal counsel, observers and guests will remain for any in camera items, as appropriate. College staff apart from the CEO & Registrar, or designate, will generally absent themselves from human resources and employment discussions. Other staff and guests will not be present at in camera meetings, apart from circumstances where Council has agreed to their attendance.
7.10.3. The Chair should determine and announce who will remain in the meeting and the rationale, if requested for excluding any individuals being asked to leave the meeting. Council will delegate a member to take the minutes if business is to be conducted in an in-camera session. The in-camera minutes indicating the agenda topics deliberated and any actions or decisions will be provided to the Corporate Secretary and brought forward to the in-camera session at the next regularly scheduled Council or committee meeting.
7.10.4. The Chair must ensure that Council members discuss only those items on the agenda that have been identified as being required to be held in camera, such as matters that are sensitive, personal or privileged, and do not hold discussions on new issues that are not properly in camera items. At Council’s discretion, formal Council decisions will not be made during in camera sessions, but rather, once the regular meeting reconvenes immediately following the conclusion of the in-camera session.
7.10.5. There may be situations when those who regularly attend Council or committee meetings should not have access to the pre-meeting materials or post-meeting minutes of an in-camera session. This is most likely to happen with members of management. In such situations, the minutes of the respective in-camera portion of the meeting, if any, will be recorded separately and stored confidentially on the College’s platform by the chair. These minutes are approved at an in-camera session at the next regularly scheduled Council or committee meeting with attendance of only that are privy to the minutes. Council members and staff will treat with the utmost confidentiality all materials and information that is distributed for discussion in camera.
8.1. To distinguish Council’s own unique work from the work of its CEO & Registrar, Council will concentrate its efforts on the following:
8.1.1. Strategic governance of the College with a focus on the execution of its oversight roles (Appendix 1) in accordance with Council’s principles (Appendix 2).
8.1.2. Approve strategic directions, performance outcomes, risk tolerances, governance policies and budget, then gain reasonable confidence that the College is achieving these (monitor and evaluate actual performance in each area).
8.1.3. Oversee risk and ensure critical risks are reported, monitored and appropriate controls or treatment strategies are put in place by management under its risk management program.
8.1.4. Appoint the CEO & Registrar.
8.1.5. Review the CEO & Registrar’s performance at least annually.
8.1.6. Oversee the College’s performance to ensure intended results align with strategic goals.;
8.1.7. Delegate to Management the authority (approval and reporting authority levels: see Appendix 3) to manage the College’s day-to-day business, while reserving the ability to review Management decisions.
8.1.8. Oversee the College’s financial reporting and disclosure through the approval of the audited financial statements.
8.1.9. Appoint governance and regulatory committee Chairs and members.
8.1.10. Approve changes in the Bylaws of the College.
8.1.11. Gain reasonable assurance regarding the integrity of the College's internal control and management information systems.
8.1.12. Take action when performance falls short of its goals or when other special circumstances warrant it.
8.1.13. Develop the College’s approach to corporate governance, including developing a set of corporate governance principles and policies that are specifically applicable to the College.
8.1.14. Gain reasonable assurance that the College always operates within applicable laws and Regulations, and to high ethical and moral standards.
8.1.15. Incorporate public perspectives in decision-making.
8.1.16. Ensure that the required regulatory and legislative responsibilities named in the Act and other relevant legislation and agreements are met.
8.2. Governance of Council. Council will:
8.2.1. Have the Chair set an agenda in consultation with individual Council members (who may propose new agenda items for consideration), and the CEO & Registrar.
8.2.2. Communicate with management regarding Council’s information needs and the timing of reports
8.2.3. Ensure that meeting materials are distributed in a timely manner.
8.2.4. Appoint the Chair from among the members of Council as outlined in GP 5 Chair’s Charter.
8.2.5. In the absence of the Chair, the Chair of the Leadership Review and Governance Committee will be designated as acting Chair of Council.
8.2.6. Maintain rules of order.
8.2.7. Seek consensus.
8.2.8. Prepare and circulate minutes in a timely fashion.
8.2.9. Speak with one voice.
8.2.10. Receive education and training in order to fulfill its mandate.
8.2.11. Seek outside expert advice as needed.
8.2.12. Evaluate the performance of Council, the Chair, individual members, regulatory or governance committee Chairs and members.
8.2.13. Review Policies and Charters on a triennial basis.
8.3. Strategic Engagement and Interfaces with Management
8.3.1. Council is responsible for corporate governance, its responsibility to direct, monitor and evaluate the College itself, through strategy, policy and the CEO & Registrar.
8.3.2. In the area of corporate governance, Council seeks to be actively engaged in strategy, meaning active participation by Council in assessing and approving strategic direction. Council governs through the approval and monitoring of strategic direction and Council-level policies (these are high level governance policies, not the College’s policies and procedures.)
8.3.3.Transparency in corporate governance is balanced by privacy protection afforded under law and the fiduciary duty to protect the best interests of the College and the confidentiality of Council matters.
8.3.4. While Council will inevitably and necessarily seek and need information from management from time to time at an operational level, Council endeavours to use this information in its governance roles – that is, to set the strategic direction and gain reasonable assurance that the College is indeed moving substantially in that direction.
8.4 Formal Communications
In terms of formal communications, the following principles apply:
8.4.1. The Chair, CEO & Registrar and any senior staff member delegated by the CEO & Registrar are authorized to act as primary spokespeople for the College, according to the following criteria:
8.4.1.1. Topics involving the College governance or Council: Chair is primary spokesperson.
8.4.1.2. Topics not involving the College governance or Council: CEO & Registrar is the primary spokesperson.
8.4.1.3. Availability within the reporter’s deadlines: If the Chair cannot be reached, and the subject involves the College’s governance or Council, the CEO & Registrar would be the alternate spokesperson. The CEO & Registrar is a consistent visible face for the College. Since media prefer to speak with people they know, there is higher probability of being contacted if the CEO & Registrar is the most used contact.
8.4.1.4. If appropriate key messages have been developed and policy is not involved, a consistent response could be delivered by any of the identified spokespeople.
8.4.1.5. A spokesperson can be selected in advance if the timing of an issue or media relations campaign is known and the availability of the Chair and/or CEO & Registrar has been predetermined.
8.4.1.6. In the case of special events, Council members or staff may be delegated specific media spokesperson duties by an appropriate primary spokesperson.
8.5 Informal Communications
As regards informal communications, individual Council members will inevitably and legitimately have informal communications with partners and registrants of the College. In all these instances, it is incumbent upon Council members to be explicitly clear that they are communicating in a personal capacity, not on behalf of the College or Council.
8.6. Social Media
Council members engaging in social media are to meet the following criteria:
8.6.1. Obtain permission from the CEO & Registrar before using the College’s name to set up social media (identities, login IDs, usernames).
8.6.2. Do not share confidential information or information restricted by privacy legislation or professional ethical standards.
8.6.3. Respect copyright laws including the College owned copyrights and brands.
8.6.4. Protect the College stakeholders by not citing them or obviously referencing them without their approval.
8.6.5. Use disclaimers to identify your role as a Council member while making it clear that you are not speaking officially on behalf of the College.
8.7. Attendance at Events
8.7.1. The College may host events including those of a social, representational and commercial nature which Council members are invited to attend. As with all communications with stakeholders, Council members are expected to exercise vigilance and tact, referring any sensitive matters to the designated College spokesperson(s).
8.7.2. There may be instances when Council members are requested to participate in various other events by virtue of their association with the College, for example a speaking engagement to a professional College. In these instances:
8.7.2.1. The Council member should advise the Chair, Corporate Secretary and/or CEO & Registrar of the request;
8.7.2.2. The request will be considered and vetted by the Chair and/or CEO & Registrar;
8.7.2.3. The Council member may be provided with generic speaking notes for the occasion;
8.7.2.4. The Council member will make it clear that he/she is not speaking on behalf of the College, rather in a personal capacity; and,
8.7.2.5. The Council member will provide the Chair, Corporate Secretary and/or CEO & Registrar with a verbal debrief of the event.
8.8. Media Relations
8.8.1. Council members will refer any requests for media interviews to the CEO & Registrar or designated media spokesperson. In referring a media enquiry, Council members should be mindful that:
8.8.1.1. Media requests for information usually require a speedy response and should be handled on a priority basis;
8.8.1.2. By referring the call to the CEO & Registrar or designated spokesperson, Council members provide a signal as to the limit of their authority; and,
8.8.1.3. Off the record discussions with any member of the media is prohibited.
8.9. Requests from the public
Occasions may arise from time to time whereby a Council member is approached, either in writing or otherwise, by an individual or the College requesting the assistance of a Council member in resolving an issue with the College. Under these circumstances the request should be directed to the Corporate Secretary who will route the enquiry or request for appropriate action within the College.
8.10. Delegation of Authorities
8.10.1. Council embraces the principle of empowerment: that governance and management are more effective and efficient when they are separated – Council being responsible for governance, and the CEO & Registrar generally for management – and when management decision-making authority is delegated as far into the organization as is consistent with levels of competence and capacity.
8.10.2. Within the limits and policies established by Statute, Bylaws, and Council, authorities regarding various aspects of operations have been delegated to the CEO & Registrar (and by the CEO & Registrar to lower management levels) as outlined in this policy.
Council is committed to regulating in the public interest through the following six oversight roles:
1. Regulatory Oversight
The College register contains registrants that provide safe, competent and ethical care.
2. Risk Oversight
The College has a culture of proactive and deliberate risk management.
3. Financial Oversight
The College maintains its financial viability through strategic resource allocation. The College is committed to pension viability and compliance with pension legislation.
4. Governance/Operational Oversight
The Council governs the College activities within public interest and within applicable legislation.
5. Strategic Oversight
The College achieves its strategic direction within its regulatory mandate.
6. Culture Oversight
The College maintains responsible and healthy relationships externally and internally.
Drawing the Line Between Council and Management:
The following examples are given to illustrate the line between Council and Management. Of course, no list of this sort can be comprehensive, and the line may shift from time to time, but this should assist Council and Management in differentiating their responsibilities and clarifying accountabilities. The format follows the core responsibilities of the College’s preferred governance model (“reform” governance, a governing type of council.)
Leadership:
| Function | Council Responsibility | Management Responsibility |
| Strategic Planning |
|
|
| Policy Development |
|
|
| Council Committees |
|
|
Stewardship:
| Function | Council Responsibility | Management Responsibility |
| Risk Management |
|
|
| Succession |
|
|
| Compensation |
|
|
| Delegation of Authority |
|
|
Monitoring:
| Function | Council Responsibility | Management Responsibility |
| Financial Oversight |
|
|
| Disclosure |
|
|
| Member and Stakeholder Communications |
|
|