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CONSTITUTION

Purposes and Provisions
1) The name of the Society is the “British Columbia Society of Respiratory Therapists”(BCSRT).
2) The purposes of the Society are:
a) To encourage and develop education programs in respiratory therapy, including
continuing education and post-graduate programs;
b) To encourage co-operation with other health disciplines for the provision of better
respiratory care;
c) To regulate the practice of respiratory therapy by members of the Society, including
the establishment and enforcement of standards of conduct, ethics, and practice for
members;
d) To represent the interests of the occupation of respiratory therapy; and
e) Generally to do all such acts and things as are conducive to maintaining and
improving the quality and standards of respiratory care in the Province of British
Columbia.
3) The operations and affairs of the Society shall be conducted without purpose of financial gain
for its members. Any profits or other accretions to the Society shall be exclusively used for
advancing its purposes. This provision is unalterable.
4) Should the Society be disbanded or dissolved, its assets remaining after payment of all debts
and liabilities shall be paid over and transferred to an organization having objectives similar
to those of the Society, or to a charitable organization in the Province or elsewhere in Canada
as may be directed by resolution of the members. This provision is alterable.

Article I – Interpretation

1) In these Bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires:
a) “C.S.R.T.” means Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists
b) “Member”, unless otherwise indicated, means a member of any category of
membership other than honorary or corporate memberships;
c) “Registered address” of a member means his address as recorded in the register of
members;
d) “Society” means the British Columbia Society of Respiratory Therapists
e) “Society Act” means the Society Act of the Province of British Columbia from time
to time in force and all amendments to it; and
f) “C.B.R.C.” means the Canadian Board for Respiratory Care.
2) The definitions in the Society Act on the date these Bylaws became effective apply to these
Bylaws.
3) Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa. Words importing a male
person include a female person and vice versa.

Article II -Membership

1) Membership in the Society shall be divided into the following categories:
a) Active membership;
b) Associate membership;
c) Clinical student membership;
d) Didactic Student membership;
e) Honorary membership;
f) Corporate membership;
g) Affiliate membership.
2) All members shall comply with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society and all decisions,
rulings, or orders made pursuant thereto by the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee,
the Professional Conduct Committee, or any officer or other committee of the Society.
3) All amounts owing to the Society by a member or former member whether as dues,
assessments, levies, costs, penalties, fines, or otherwise, constitute a debt due from the
member or former member to the Society and are recoverable as such by action brought by
the Society against the member or former member in any court of competent judgement.
4) A person shall cease to be a member of the Society:
a) On delivering his resignation in writing to the secretary, provided that no resignation
is effective until accepted by the Board of Directors and no resignation shall relieve
or release the person from any duties, liabilities, or responsibility as a member that
existed prior to the date of acceptance of his resignation;
b) On his death;
c) On being expelled as provided by these By-laws; or
d) On having been a member not in good standing for one month on account of nonpayment
of annual dues and the Board of Directors thereafter summarily and without
a hearing resolving to expel him.
5) All members are in good standing except:
a) A member who has failed to pay his annual dues or any other amount owing by him
to the Society; and/or
b) A member whose membership is suspended as provided by these bylaws.
6) During the period that a member is not in good standing, he shall not be entitled to any of the
rights, privileges, or benefits of membership and in particular, he shall not be entitled:
a) To receive notice of, or to vote or to attend general meetings of the Society,
b) To stand for election or serve as a director or officer or to be appointed to any
committee of the Society, and
c) (If he is a registered member), to use the title “Registered Respiratory Therapist” or
the initials “R.R.T.”, but, such a member remains, nevertheless, subject to all the
duties and obligations of a member as though he were a member in good standing.

Article III – Admission To and Renewal of Membership

1) A person who applies for admission to a category of membership in the Society (other than
Honorary or Corporate membership) and who:
a) Applies in writing and completes the approved application form(s) for admission to a
specific category of membership,
b) Forwards the completed application to the Secretary of the Society
c) Meets the membership requirements as outlined in Article IV,
d) Is not currently being investigated by any body responsible for the regulation of this
or any other profession;
e) May be admitted to that category of membership by the Board of Directors.
2) A person may be admitted to honorary membership by a resolution of the members passed at
a general meeting of the Society by a majority of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the votes
cast. The resolution shall specify the term of the honorary membership conferred.
3) The term of membership rights, privileges and benefits for all membership categories other
than honorary membership shall be from the date of admission until the end of the Society’s
fiscal year following admission. Thereafter, membership rights, privileges and benefits shall
be subject to annual renewal for one-year terms coinciding with the fiscal year of the Society.
The term of membership rights, privileges and benefits of an honorary member shall be as
determined by the resolution conferring the honorary membership.
4) A Certificate of Membership shall be issued to each member at the time of his admission
indicating his category of membership. Upon cessation of membership in the Society or in the
category of membership so indicated, the member or former member shall, upon demand,
return his Certificate of Membership to the Society.
5) Corporate membership may be granted to an individual, proprietorship, partnership,
association, body corporate, trustee, executor, administrator, or legal representative not
eligible for membership in other membership categories, but who promote cardio-respiratory
health by either:
a.) Employing registered respiratory therapists for the purpose of providing
respiratory care or sales; or
b.) Promoting cardio-respiratory health and awareness through non-profit
organizations; or
c.) By representing a medical sales company.
The Board of Directors of the BCSRT must approve the application for corporate membership
and the applicable annual dues must be paid.

Article IV – Membership Requirements

1) Active Members
a) To achieve Active member status, an individual must complete the Society application
form(s), pay the appropriate application fees, and meet the following requirements.
He/she must:
i) Be a graduate of a respiratory therapy school approved by the registration
committee.
ii) Have successfully completed an exam approved by the registration committee.
iii) Have practised within the province for not less than 6 months
Or
iv) Be licensed to practice by a regulatory authority that is a signatory to the Mutual
Recognition Agreement.
b) To maintain Active member status an individual must:
i) Demonstrate continued competence through participation in the Quality Assurance
program approved by the registration committee which includes:
(1) Active maintenance of his/her professional portfolio
(2) Providing documentation of or attesting to having provided services exclusive to
a registered respiratory therapist to an employer for paid remuneration for a
minimum of 900 hours within a four year period.
c) Pay the appropriate yearly membership fee.
2) Associate Membership
An active member who ceases to be engaged in the practice of respiratory therapy, but who
desires to remain associated with the Society is qualified to have his membership converted to
associate membership.
3) Clinical Student Membership
An applicant for admission to Clinical Student membership must satisfy the following
qualifications:
a) Graduation from the second year of a respiratory therapy school approved by the
registration committee;
b) Eligibility for admission to the Clinical year of a respiratory therapy school as approved
by the registration committee.
4) Didactic Student Membership
A person enrolled in the Didactic year of an accredited respiratory therapy-training program in
British Columbia is qualified to apply for admission as a Didactic student member.
5) Honorary Membership
A person selected according to Section (2) Article III of these Bylaws.
6) Corporate Membership
A person(s) selected according to Section (5) Article III of these Bylaws.
7) Affiliate Membership
Any person not meeting the requirements of the previous six (6) membership categories who
has paid the applicable annual dues and has received the approval of the Board of Directors.

Article V – Occupational Title

1) The Board of Directors maintains application under Part 10of the Society Act, for registration
of the Society and for protection of the title “Registered Respiratory Therapist” and the
initials “R.R.T.” for use by active members of the Society.
2) No member other than an Active Member in good standing shall be entitled and qualified to
the title “Registered Respiratory Therapist” and initials “R.R.T.”.
Article VI – Meetings Of Members
1) The Annual General Meeting of the Society is to be held in the Province of British Columbia
on a day to be determined by the Board of Directors. Notification to members of this meeting
is to be mailed and/or emailed as per article XVI no later than 30 days prior to the meeting
time.
2) The President may call Special meetings. Notice of such meeting is to be mailed and/or
emailed by the Secretary no later than 14 days prior to the meeting.
3) A quorum for transaction of business at a general meeting shall consist of 10% of the
membership eligible to vote, but never less than 3. Such representation may be in person or
by proxy.
4) Proxies.
a) Every member entitled to vote at a meeting, provided he is a member in good
standing of the Society, may appoint a proxy to attend and act at the meetings in the
same manner, to the same extent, and with the same power as if the member were
present at the meeting. The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing, and
shall cease to be valid after the meeting for which it was designated. The instrument
appointing the proxy may be in any form as long as it is consistent with the
provisions of the Society Act.
b) At the discretion of the Board of Directors, the notice calling any meeting may state
that no proxy shall be entitled to vote at such meeting unless such instrument
appointing him shall have been deposited with the Secretary by mail before the time
at which such meeting is held, and in such case, no proxy shall vote at such meeting
unless such instrument shall have been deposited.
5) Voting.
a) Only Active Members and Clinical Student Members in good standing shall be
entitled to vote.
b) Unless a poll is required, the Chairperson shall declare whether a resolution has been
carried or not, and an entry in the minutes to that effect shall be deemed as conclusive
evidence of the result of a vote.
c) Voting shall be by show of hands unless the members by ordinary resolution resolve,
with respect to a particular resolution, that the voting shall be by secret ballot.
The chairperson shall be the sole judge of the result of any vote and as to the validity of any votes
cast. In the event that there is no motion of adjournment, the chairperson may adjourn a meeting
at any point if he considers the adjournment to be in the best interests of the society.

Article VII – Directors and Officers

1) The officers of the Society shall consist of a President-Elect, a President, a Past President, a
Secretary and a Treasurer.
2) Officer terms.
a) The members at Annual General Meetings shall elect the officers, other than the
President and Past President. Elections to the offices of Secretary and Treasurer shall be
for a two-year term. The person elected as President –Elect shall serve on the Executive
Committee for a total of three years, the first year as President-Elect, the second year as
President, and the final year as Past President.
b) The President-Elect shall automatically become the President at the end of the year of the
term of the incumbent President, who shall automatically become the Past President.
3) The Officers of the Society shall also be members of the Board of Directors of the Society.
4) The Board of Directors shall consist of: the Executive Committee as described in Section 1,
Article VII of these Bylaws and two Directors at Large representing the general membership
and the student members.
5) The Director at large shall serve a term of two years, and the student director shall serve a
term of one year.
6) Any casual vacancy of the Director(s) may be filled by appointment by the Board of
Directors.
7) A Board of Directors meeting may be called by the President or by any two or more other
members of the Board. The quorum for transaction of business at a meeting of the Board shall
be one-half of its members.
Nominations and Qualifications for Officers
8) With the exception of the Director at Large representing the Student members, only Active
Members in good standing are eligible to serve as Officers or Directors. Only Student
Members in good standing enrolled in the clinical year of their training program are eligible
to serve as Director at Large representing the Student Members.
9) Nominations for election of Directors of the Society shall be made by mail out or at the
Annual General Meeting, followed by an election at the Annual General Meeting.
10) Directors and Officers may serve for consecutive terms if elected by the members.
11) A Director or Officer may be removed from office prior to expiration of his term by special
resolution of the members. The Board of Directors shall convene a Special General Meeting
to consider the passing of such a resolution if it receives a petition signed by a majority of the
Society’s Active Members in good standing requisitioning a Special General Meeting for this
purpose.
12) A Director or Officer shall cease to hold office upon ceasing to be qualified to serve as such,
but otherwise shall hold office until removal, resignation, or until the election or assumption
of office of his successor,
Remuneration of Directors and Officers
13) No Officer shall be paid any remuneration by the Society for his services as an Officer unless
such remuneration is first approved by ordinary resolution of the members.
14) No Director shall be paid any remuneration by the Society for his services as a Director.
15) Directors and Officers shall be reimbursed by the Society for all reasonable and proper
expenses incurred by them in the discharge of their duties.
Powers, Duties and Responsibilities of Directors and Officers
16) Subject to the Society Act and the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society, the Board of
Directors shall manage or supervise the management of the operations and affairs of the
Society and may exercise all the powers of the Society.
17) The Executive Committee may in the interval between meetings of the Board of Directors
exercise all the powers of the Board of Directors and make any decision that the Board of
Directors is authorized to make. The Executive Committee shall perform such other duties
and functions as may be assigned to it by the Board of Directors.
18) The Board of Directors may appoint special committees for such purposes, as it deems
necessary.
19) The powers, duties and responsibilities of the Officers of the Society shall be as follows:
a) President:
i) Shall preside at all general meetings of the Society.
ii) Shall be a member of all committees except the Professional Conduct Committee.
iii) Shall function in his position for the benefit of the Society or as directed by the
membership.
iv) Shall meet all duties and responsibilities in his capacity as a member of the House of
Delegates of the C.S.R.T.
b) President Elect:
i) Shall familiarize himself with the functions of the Office of President.
ii) Shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as may be assigned to him by the
President, the Executive Committee, or the Board of Directors.
c) Past President:
i) Shall serve as a voting member of the Executive Committee and the Board of
Directors.
ii) Shall act in an advisory capacity to the President, the Executive Committee, and the
Board of Directors.
d) Secretary:
i) Shall attend all meetings of the Society and all meetings of the Board of Directors
and at such meetings, the secretary shall record the votes and minutes.
ii) Shall keep the records of the Society.
iii) Shall perform the business of the Society as directed by the Board of Directors.
iv) Shall maintain an accurate mailing list of the members of the Society.
v) Shall provide notification to the members of any annual, general or special meeting
called.
vi) Shall validate all proxies.
d) Treasurer:
i) Shall keep accurate accounts of assets and debts of the Society.
ii) Shall keep records of all disbursements and receipts and shall deposit all monies paid
to the Society.
iii) Shall submit the accounts to the auditor of the Society as requested.

Article VIII – Special Interest Groups

1) As provided in this Article, members may apply to organize special interest groups within the
Society to pursue objectives of special professional interest to them.
2) An application to form a special interest group shall be made to the Board of Directors by at
least 12 members in good standing. The application should specify the objectives of the
proposed group and describe the activities planned to achieve those objectives. The proposed
Terms of Reference of the group shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval.
3) The Board of Directors must approve the application for recognition as a Special Interest
Group. That approval must be confirmed by ordinary resolution of the members at a general
meeting of the Society. If an approved special interest group fails to function as described in
the application for its approval or acts contrary to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society,
its status as an approved special interest group within the Society may be revoked by the
Board of Directors whose decision shall be immediately effective and shall remain so unless
and until reversed by ordinary resolution of the members at the next Annual General Meeting
of the Society.
4) A member of a Special Interest Group may be invited to sit on the Board of Directors to
exchange information pertaining to professional interest.

Article IX – Annual Dues

1) The annual dues payable by members shall be determined from time to time by ordinary
resolution passed by the members, present in person, at an Annual General Meeting. Proxies
may not be used for voting purposes on any resolution to determine annual dues.
2) Annual dues may be determined at different amounts for different categories of membership.
3) Annual dues for a fiscal year shall be payable on or before the 31st day of March of the
preceding fiscal year.
4) Failure by a member to pay annual dues when due will result in his membership ceasing to be
(held) in good standing and renders her subject to summary expulsion from membership as
provided in Section 4(d) of Article II of these Bylaws.
5) Any person expelled from membership for failure to pay annual dues may, at the discretion of
the Board of Directors, be reinstated to membership if he applies for reinstatement and
tenders payment of his accrued arrears of annual dues and payment of a reinstatement fee as
may be set by the Board of Directors in an amount not to exceed the amount of the accrued
arrears of annual dues owing.

Article X – Code of Ethics

Every member shall observe and uphold the principles, rules, and standards of ethics and conduct
set forth in this Article as the Code of Ethics of the Society.
1) Each member of the Society shall conduct himself in such a manner as to gain the respect and
confidence of other health care personnel, as well as respecting the human dignity of his
associates and peers;
2) Each member shall be responsible for the execution of his assigned duties, in a competent and
efficient manner, being guided at all times by his concern for the welfare of the client. Each
member shall familiarize himself with and comply with provincial and federal laws
governing the practice of respiratory therapy.
3) Each member shall keep in confidence any and all privileged information concerning the
client. Enquiries regarding the dissemination of privileged personal or clinical information
pertaining to the client by persons other than those members of the health care team, who are
responsible for the care of the client, shall be directed to the client or the person in charge of
the care of the client.
4) No member shall endeavour to extend his practice beyond his competence and the authority
invested to him by a physician.
5) Each member must avoid conflicts of professional interest.
6) Each member shall accept responsibility for referring incompetence and illegal or unethical
conduct to the proper authorities and the Society. Only through the integrity of each member
can the purposes of the profession be served.
7) Each member shall adhere to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society and support the
objectives and purposes contained therein.
The Board of Directors may, from time to time, publish interpretations of the Code of Ethics for
the guidance of the membership.

Article XI – Professional Conduct

1) All complaints alleging that a member has been guilty of misconduct or a condition referred
to in Section 10 of Article XI shall be initially referred to the Executive Committee for
review and consideration. Complaints may only be considered if they are brought forward in
writing to the BCSRT. If the allegation to which the complaint pertains to is already under
investigation by another body authorized to do so, no further action will be undertaken by the
Society until such time as said investigation is complete and a judgement is rendered.
2) If the allegation to which the complaint pertains to is not currently under investigation by
another body authorized to do so, the Executive Committee will call for the formation of an
Inquiry Committee. This committee will include no less than three active members to
investigate the complaint.
3) After review and consideration by the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee shall
decide whether the complaint appears warranted. Should the Executive Committee determine
that the complaint(s) are unwarranted, no further action shall be taken.
4) In circumstances where the investigation is being undertaken by an authorized body other
than the BCSRT (as in Article XI section 1), the results of this investigation will be
considered by the Executive Committee as if they had been carried out by the Society itself.
If the results of this investigation determine that the complaint(s) are unsubstantiated, no
further action shall be taken. In circumstances where the investigation is being undertaken by
an Inquiry Committee of the BCSRT (as in Article XI section 2), the Inquiry Committee will
formally deliver a written report on the allegation, detailing all of the facts, to the Executive
Committee. The Executive Committee upon execution of any business being conducted under
Section XI shall ensure that there is one (1) public appointed person included on the
Committee. If the Executive Committee, upon review of the facts, determines that the
complaint(s) are unsubstantiated, no further action shall be taken.
If the complaint is substantiated, as determined from the results of an outside investigation (as
in Article XI section 1) or as determined by the Executive Committee after review of the facts
presented by the Inquiry Committee, but the breach of conduct does not fall under any of the
categories listed in Article XI section 10, then no further action will be taken.
5) If the complaint is substantiated, as determined from the results of an outside investigation (as
in Article XI section 1), and it is determined that the breach of conduct falls under the
categories listed in Article XI section 10, the Executive Committee may carry out the
penalties as defined in Article XI section 11.
If the complaint is substantiated, as determined by the Executive Committee after review of
the facts presented by the Inquiry Committee, and it is determined that the breach of conducts
falls under the categories listed in Article XI section 10, the Executive Committee may direct
that a citation be issued against the member and that a hearing into the conduct of that member
be held.
6) The Citation shall:
a) Describe the general nature of the complaint against the member and provide
particulars of the alleged conduct to be investigated at the hearing.
b) State the time and place of the hearing: and
c) Be served personally on the member at least 14 days before the date of the hearing or
mailed to him at his registered address, by registered mail at least 21 days before the
date of the hearing.
7) The hearing pursuant to the Citation shall be convened before a Professional Conduct
Committee composed of three active members and one (1) public appointed person. The
Professional Conduct Committee will be formed specifically for the purpose of the hearing
under the direction of the Board of Directors. The Professional Conduct Committee:
a) Shall have authority to govern its proceedings and to order adjournments thereof;
b) Shall be bound by the rules of evidence and procedure as would pertain in the court
of law;
c) Shall Cause the evidence of witnesses to be given under oath or affirmation and to be
written by stenographer or recorded by a sound recording apparatus of other
convenient means, and if required, transcribed;
d) May proceed with the hearing in the absence of the cited member, being satisfied that
the citation was duly served on or mailed to the cited member as provided by these
Bylaws and this can be substantiated;
e) May order that the hearing be held in camera, and;
f) Will recognize that the member shall at all times be entitled to be represented by
legal counsel and may be accompanied by a family member or another member of
the Society.
8) The Society and the cited member shall have the right to submit evidence and argument
relevant to the Citation to the Professional Conduct Committee and each shall have full rights
of cross-examination. Both the Society and the member shall be entitled to be represented by
legal counsel.
9) The Professional Conduct Committee shall not be confined to inquiring into only that conduct
of the member that is described and identified in the Citation. The member may at any time,
request an adjournment and the Professional Conduct Committee may grant the adjournment
where it considers that fairness to the member requires it.
10) At the termination of the hearing, the Professional Conduct Committee shall either dismiss
the Citation or decide that the member:
a) Violated the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society;
b) Violated the Code of Ethics of the Society or otherwise acted in an unethical manner;
c) Engaged in incompetent or substandard professional practice;
d) Is incapable of safe and competent practice by reason of a physical or mental
condition or an addiction to or abuse of alcohol or drugs;
e) Engaged in professional misconduct or conduct unbecoming to a member of the
Society; or
f) Committed or is subject to any combination of the aforementioned conduct,
conditions, or practice.
11) Should the Professional Conduct Committee determine that the member is in violation of
Article X or Article XI it may:
a) Reprimand the member;
b) Impose probationary conditions on the continuance of the membership of the
member;
c) Suspend the membership of the member for a period of time not in excess of two
years;
d) Expel the member from membership in the Society;
e) Order the member to pay all or part of the costs incurred by the
Society in investigating the complaint against the member and prosecuting the
Citation against him; or
f) Take or order any combination of the foregoing actions against the member.
12) The decision of the Professional Conduct Committee under Article XI Section 10 and 11
shall be in writing and the Committee shall state its rationale for the decision. A copy of the
decision and the Committee’s rationale shall be served upon or sent to the member in the
same manner as provided for a Citation under Article X1 Section 6. If the member is found
NOT to be in violation of either Article X or Article XI, it will be thus documented by the
Professional Conduct Committee and kept on the members’ file. Additionally, any expenses
incurred by the member during the citation and hearing process will be 100% reimbursed by
the Society.
13) A member in receipt of a Notice of Professional Misconduct may appeal the decision of the
Professional Conduct Committee to the Board of Directors by serving a notice of appeal to
the Society within 14 days after notification of the decision of the Committee or, if the
decision was mailed to the member, within 21 days after the date of the mailing.
14) Upon receipt of a notice of appeal within the time limited, the Treasurer of the BCSRT shall
ascertain the estimated cost of preparation of a transcript of the proceedings before the
Professional Conduct Committee, plus four additional copies thereof, and shall notify the
appellant thereof. The appellant shall pay the estimated cost to the Society. The Secretary of
the BCSRT will then arrange for preparation of the transcript and additional copies. If the
appellant fails to provide the necessary funds within 30 days of the date on which notice of
the estimated cost is given to the appellant, the Executive Committee may summarily declare
that the appeal is abandoned.
15) The quorum of the Board of Directors for the appeal hearing shall be at least three of its
members, and the inclusion of one (1) public appointed person. No member of the Executive
Committee or of the Professional Conduct Committee, whose decision is being appealed,
shall take any part in the hearing or decision of the appeal.
16) The appeal to the Board of Directors shall be argued on the basis of the transcript, the
exhibits, and the decision of the Professional Conduct Committee. New evidence shall only
be allowed where exceptional circumstances so warrant. Except where inconsistent with
these Bylaws, the Board of Directors has the same powers on an appeal as the Professional
Conduct Committee has in relation to the hearing. In circumstances where the decision of the
Executive Committee was based on the results of an investigation conducted by an outside
body authorized to do so, and of the member, all judgements passed upon the member under
Article XI section 11 as a result of the original decision will be revoked and the member
reinstated without prejudice.
17) The President shall set the time and place for the hearing of the appeal and shall ensure that
written notice is delivered to the appellant. The notice shall be served on the appellant at least
14 days prior to the date of the appeal or mailed to him by registered mail at least 21 days
prior to the date of the appeal.
18) If the appellant does not appear by himself or his counsel at the time and place appointed for
the hearing of the appeal, the Board of Directors, on being satisfied that the written notice
referred to in Section 17 was duly served or sent to the appellant as provided in that section,
may summarily dismiss the appeal.
19) After hearing the appeal the Board of Directors may:
a) Dismiss the appeal and confirm the decision rendered by the Professional Conduct
Committee;
b) Allow the appeal and set aside the decision, rendered by the Professional Conduct
Committee, in which case the appellant shall be entitled to a 100% refund of any and
all costs associated with the appeal including costs of the transcript paid by the
appellant under Section 14;
c) Vary the decision rendered by the Professional Conduct Committee
20) The decision of the Board of Directors shall be in writing and shall state its reasons for the
decision. A copy of the decision and reason shall be served or sent to the member in the same
manner as provided for a Citation under Section 6. The decision of the Board of Directors
under Section 20 shall be final and not subject to any further appeal or review.
21) Decisions of the Professional Conduct Committee and of the Board of Directors shall be
published in such manner and to such persons as my be directed by the Board of Directors.
22) A person expelled from membership by a decision under this Article my not apply for
reinstatement to membership until at least two years have elapsed from the date of expulsion.
After that time the person may apply for reinstatement to the Board of Directors. In dealing
with such an application, the Board of Directors shall have regard to the conduct of the
applicant, which resulted in the expulsion to safeguard against the recurrence of similar
conduct in the future, and such other facts and circumstances, as it considers relevant.
23) Any member in respect of whom a complaint is made is entitled to be treated fairly and
impartially at all stages of the professional conduct review process provided for by this
Article. To this end, no person shall take any part in any investigation, hearing or appeal
under this Article if reasonable grounds exist to believe that the person:
a) May be biased for or against the member; or
b) May be subject to a personal interest that conflicts with his duty to act fairly and
impartially.

Article XII – Borrowing and Signing Authority

1) The Society may not borrow money by way of loan except as approved by special resolution
of the members. This restriction is not applicable to transactions in the ordinary course of
business whereby the Society procures goods or services on credit terms, including a
President’s Credit Card with a maximum limit of $5000.
2) The signing officers for cheques drawn on any bank account of the Society are the Executive
members. The signature of both the Treasurer and one other officer shall be required.

Article XIII – Auditor

1) This Part applies only where the Society is required or has resolved to have an auditor.
2) The first auditor shall be appointed by the Directors who shall also fill all vacancies occurring
in the office of the auditor.
3) At each Annual General Meeting the Society shall appoint an auditor to hold office until he is
re-elected at the next Annual General Meeting.
4) An auditor may be removed by ordinary resolution. An auditor shall be promptly informed in
writing of appointment or removal.
5) No Director and no employee of the Society shall be auditor.
6) The auditor may attend general meetings.

Article XIV – Inspection of Records

1) All books, records and documents of the Society shall be available for inspection by members
on reasonable notice and during reasonable hours permitted by the Board of Directors other
than those books, records and documents which relate to:
a) Investigations or proceedings under article X11, except for decisions of Discipline
Committee or Board of Directors which have been published generally to the
profession or otherwise made public; or
b) Other matters or proceedings of a confidential nature, the disclosure of which would,
in the opinion of the Board of Directors, be harmful to the best interests of the
Society or an unwarranted intrusion on the privacy of an individual member or other
person.
2) The books, records and documents of the Society that are less than 3 years of age (other than
financial records) will be kept by the Secretary of the BCSRT at the registered office of the
Society on file with the Corporate and Personal Properties Registry.
Financial records of the Society that are less than 3 years of age will be kept by the Treasurer
of the BCSRT at his/her address that is on file with the Corporate and Personal Properties
Registry.
All other books, records and documents of the Society will be kept in storage (address of the
facility available from the Secretary of the BCSRT).

Article XV – Society Seal

The seal of the Society shall be entrusted to the custody of the Secretary and shall only be used
as authorized by the Board.

Article XVI – Notice to Members

1) A notice may be given to a member, either personally, by mail and/or email at his registered
address or email address. Each member shall promptly advise the Society of any change of
his address so that the register of members may be changed accordingly.
2) A notice sent by mail shall be deemed to have been given on the second day following that
on which the notice is posted, and in proving that notice has been given it is sufficient to
prove that notice was properly addressed and put in a Canadian post office receptacle, or
submitted by email.
3) Notice of a general meeting shall be given to:
a) Every member in good standing shown on the register of members on the day notice is
given, and to the auditor, if applicable.
b) No other person (other than a and b above) is entitled to receive notice of general
meeting.

Article XVII – Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws

1) Except as provided in the Article, the Bylaws of the BCSRT may only be amended in
accordance with the provisions of the Society Act.
2) The Bylaws may only be amended by special resolution passed at an Annual or Special
General Meeting of the members. Written notice of the proposed special resolution shall
accompany the notice of meeting sent to the members.
3) The Constitution of the BCSRT may only be amended in accordance with the provisions of
the Society Act.
4) The Constitution may only be amended by special resolution passed at an Annual or
Special General Meeting of the Members. Written notice of the proposed special resolution
shall accompany the notice of meeting sent to the members.
5) On being admitted to membership, a member may request and is entitled to receive a copy
of the Constitution and Bylaws. The Society shall provide a copy to the member at no
charge.