Hello Everyone,
I wanted to update those of you who missed the meeting on July 30th on the results of the special resolution on voting rights for ACMG members. To pass, a special resolution requires a 75% majority over a simple majority required for most other motions.
Mountain Guide members voted 87% in favour of changing Section 46 of the ACMG Bylaws from:
“Only Mountain Guides (active or inactive) are eligible to vote via special resolution on proposed amendments to the Bylaws or objects of the Association.”
To:
“Only active and inactive Mountain Guides, Specialty Guides, and Hiking Guides, excluding those holding only a Day Hiking Guide certificate, are eligible to vote by special resolution on proposed amendments to the Bylaws or Objects and Business of the Association, except in matters directly related to the ACMG’s membership in the IFMGA, for which only Mountain Guides are eligible to vote.”
To be clear, all active and inactive professional members are eligible to vote on all matters in the Association, with the exception of changes to ACMG Bylaws and the Objects and Business of the Association document, which until now only Mountain Guides could vote on.
Section 46 of the ACMG Bylaws was written back when the Association was mainly made up of Mountain Guides and almost exclusively run by Mountain Guides. The association evolved and grew and added other certification levels and membership classes. Over the years, the question of who gets to vote on bylaw and object changes came up several times.
The first attempt at changing section 46 was when the Board put forth a special resolution in the spring of 2023 which read:
“Only active and inactive Mountain Guides, Specialty Guides, Hiking Guides (excluding those Hiking Guides with only a Day Hiking Guide certificate), and Climbing Instructors (including only those Climbing Instructors with a Climbing Gym Instructor Level 2 or 3 certificate), are eligible to vote via special resolution on proposed amendments to the Bylaws or objects of the Association.”
This change failed by one vote, with 74.7% of the Mountain Guides voting in favour. The Board decided to try again, but this time with a better thought-out process that included consulting the Mountain Guide membership. Last year, four online forums for Mountain Guides only were held. Ideas, opinions and concerns were gathered. Then a survey was sent to all Mountain Guides asking for feedback on what they would approve should a next vote occur. From the gathered data, it was clear there was an appetite for change within the Mountain Guide membership.
The successful passing of last week's resolution is great news for the Association. While this change does not extend voting on changes to ACMG Bylaws and the Objects and Business of the Association to every membership category, it represents an important step forward and provides hundreds of additional members with a greater role in shaping the future of the Association.
I want to thank all the individuals who have put so much effort into this initiative over the years, including past Boards and Presidents, working groups, Executive Directors, and the present Board.
I'd also like to thank my fellow Mountain Guides who had the will to support this change. As the voting members who held this responsibility under the previous bylaw, we had an important role in making this happen.
To the members who were not included in this resolution, I understand this outcome may be disappointing. I want to emphasize that your contribution to the ACMG is deeply valued. You are an important part of this Association, and the work you do strengthens our profession. Progress doesn't always happen at the pace we would like, but this vote represents an important step in the Association's continued evolution. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the ACMG and for everything you contribute to our community.
Enjoy the rest of summer.
Sincerely,
Paul Vidalin, President
Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
[email protected]