BILL NO. 29

(as introduced)

3rd Session, 58th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
52 Elizabeth II, 2003

Private Bill

Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities Act
(amended)

The Honourable Peter G. Christie
Bedford-Fall River

First Reading: April 8, 2003

(Explanatory Notes)

Second Reading: May 9, 2003

Third Reading: May 22, 2003 (LINK TO BILL AS PASSED)

Clause 1 repeals the definition of "Executive Committee" in the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities Act.

Clause 2 removes the limitation placed on the Union to representing local governments on "Provincial" interests and changes the description of its role from "spokesman" to "advocate".

Clause 3 expands the powers of the Union.

Clause 4 replaces the Executive Committee with a Board of Directors and provides for a transition from the Committee to the Board.

Clause 5 amends by-law making powers to reflect the change from Executive Committee to Board of Directors and repeals several of the by-law making powers.

Clause 6 repeals several Sections of the Act relating to the Annual Conference and general and special meetings of the Union.

Clause 7 repeals a provision for the prescription of Regions and meetings of member units in those Regions.

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 Clause 2(a) of Chapter 103 of the Acts of 1981, the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities Act, is repealed.

2 Clause 4(a) of Chapter 103 is amended by

(a) striking out "Provincial" in the first line; and

(b) striking out "spokesman" in the second line and substituting "advocate".

3 Section 5 of Chapter 103 is amended by adding "exercise such powers and engage in such activities as are necessary or conducive to the attainment of its objects and, without restricting the generality of the foregoing, may" immediately after "may" in the first line.

4 Sections 6 to 17 of Chapter 103 are repealed and the following Section substituted:

6 (1) There shall be a Board of Directors of the Union.

(2) The Board of Directors shall be elected or appointed by representatives of member units in accordance with the by-laws of the Union.

(3) The Board of Directors may, subject to the by-laws of the Union,

(a) exercise the powers of the Union; and

(b) appoint committees and delegate to committees such powers and duties as the Board of Directors considers necessary or desirable.

(4) Notwithstanding subsection (2),

(a) the members of the Executive Committee of the Union holding office immediately before the coming into force of this Section are the first Board of Directors and hold office until a Board of Directors is elected or appointed in accordance with that subsection; and

(b) the officers of the Union holding office immediately before the coming into force of this Section continue to hold office until their successors are elected in accordance with the by-laws of the Union.

5 (1) Subsection 18(1) of Chapter 103, as amended by Chapter 34 of the Acts of 1994-95, is further amended by

(a) striking out "Executive Committee" in the first line and substituting "Board of Directors";

(b) striking out "Executive Committee" in the second and third lines of clause (e) and substituting "Board of Directors";

(c) striking out "and alternate members of the Executive Committee" in the second and third lines of clause (ea) and substituting "of the Board of Directors and members of committees";

(d) striking out "the Annual Conference, any special meeting of the Union or a regional meeting" in the second, third and fourth lines of clause (eb) and substituting "any meeting of the Union"; and

(e) striking out clauses (ec) to (eg).

(2) Subsections 18(2) and (3) of Chapter 103 are repealed.

6 Sections 19 to 21 of Chapter 103 are repealed.

7 Section 27 of Chapter 103 is repealed.