Candidate Guide 2021 District Council Delegates - Affinity Credit Union
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2021 District Council Delegates Candidate Guide
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Print Date: November 2020
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 2Dear Candidate,
On behalf of the Board of Directors and members of Affinity Credit Union 2013 (Affinity), thank
you for your interest in becoming a nominee for the 2021 District Council Delegate Elections.
This candidate guide provides information about Affinity, as well as details of candidate
requirements and the role of the delegate. This guide is intended to help answer all your questions
before submitting your acceptance of nomination.
Affinity is committed to protecting personal information in accordance with legislative
requirements. Personal information provided in the nomination and election process will be used
and disclosed only for the purposes of administering the Affinity Credit Union delegate election
process.
If you decide to proceed with submitting your acceptance of nomination, please complete and
submit a nomination package as outlined at the end of this guide.
Nominations will be accepted from January 6, until January 19, 2021 at 4 pm.
Candidates are encouraged to submit their nomination papers as early as possible.
If you have any questions, please contact Shawna Miller, Governance Manager at
306.946.3522 or governance@affinitycu.ca.
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 3AFFINITY CREDIT UNION - VALUES YOU CAN BANK ON
Our purpose as an organization and promise to our members, employees and communities is
built on co-operative values and principles. These values and principles guide us in all we do
and set us apart from any other financial institution. We had our members in mind when we
built our vision, mission and values. Where we’re headed and how we get there are closely
aligned with what our members have told us they want to see in their financial institution.
Our Vision
To build a better world for everyone, every day.
Our Mission
To enable our members and communities to invest in one another.
Our Values
Open. Honest. Inclusive. Committed.
Co-operative Principles
As a credit union, Affinity’s a co-operative financial institution. This means we’re owned by our
members, and it also means we’re guided by seven principles shared by every co-op. These
are:
1. Voluntary and open membership – everyone’s welcome at Affinity. Each of our members
helps make their community a better place to live and we appreciate every one of them.
2. Democratic member control – we’re owned and controlled by our members. Each
member has a voice in the way we do business – one member, one vote.
3. Member economic participation – every member has a $5 share in Affinity, and they
have a say in how we operate.
4. Autonomy and independence – we get to know our members, their families, their
businesses and their communities, and in partnership with them we make decisions in
everyone’s best interest.
5. Education, training and information – we provide education and training for our
members, elected representatives and employees so they can contribute to the
development of their credit union. We share knowledge through our website, workshops and
at our advice centres.
6. Co-operation among co-operatives – we co-operate with other co-operatives to build
businesses that serve the needs of our members and their communities.
7. Concern for community – we have a social and economic responsibility to build and
maintain strong communities. It’s for the benefit of everyone!
Truth and Reconciliation
First Nations and Métis peoples are a key part of Saskatchewan’s vibrant social and economic
fabric, and we’re committed to making a place for them at Affinity and in Canada. Reconciliation
among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples is important for our whole country and it’s
something we’re eagerly pursuing. We’re working to improve access to financial services for
Indigenous people, hiring a representative work force, educating our employees and elected
officials on the history of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples in this country and building
better understanding of each other among all of our communities in Saskatchewan.
Our Indigenous District presently represents our First Nations communities and is a unique and
important piece of our governance structure.
It exists to improve access to financial services and support Indigenous individuals, families,
businesses and their economic growth. It has the same powers and responsibilities as all the
other districts and represents the voice of the Indigenous people of Saskatchewan.
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 4Our Governance Structure
Affinity has a diverse and unique governance structure, which connects our members to our
co-operative roots.
Affinity’s members across the province are grouped into districts (clusters of members in a
geographical area). Each district is represented by a district council, which is made up of
delegates elected at-large by the members.
Members fall within one of these districts based on their principle residence address (i.e. their
postal code). For more information on district boundaries, consult the district council map on our
website.
From their ranks, each district elects one or more directors to the Affinity Board of Directors
based on the number of members within their district. This structure encourages interaction,
engagement and involvement at the local level, all of which ultimately benefit the organization
and its members as a whole.
Role of the District Council Delegate
The duties of a district council delegate are captured in three key ways – duty of care, being an
Affinity ambassador and sharing your voice of community.
Duty of Care
• Elect a Board of Directors that will make decisions in the best interest of the
organization.
• Make recommendations to the Board of Directors on policy and/or procedures that allow
for the optimization of regionalized member service.
• Provide input for planning processes based on their proximity to the districts and
regional knowledge.
• Review and consider all potential merger opportunities.
• Attend a minimum of two-thirds of regularly scheduled district council meetings in any
calendar year.
• Actively participate in training and development opportunities provided in accordance
with board-approved policy.
• Delegates exist in a member representative model; whereby delegates are elected by
the members to represent their interests, with no obligation of canvassing or meeting
with individual members.
Ambassador
• Being a role model in the community for both Affinity values and for the decisions made by
the board and management. It includes being a representative of Affinity outside of the
organization, such as attending events, being visible to community members and attending
delegate meetings.
Voice of Community
• Maintain a current working knowledge of trends, activities and development in their
respective district and communicate this to the elected Board of Directors as required.
• Identify and/or review requests for opportunities for credit union support in the district
and decide on funding amounts for initiatives within the annual community support
budget.
• Make recommendations for support of large scale community development initiatives
that are outside of the scope of the annual community support budget.
Delegates adhere to the direction set in the Bylaws of Affinity Credit Union, Affinity Policy
Manual and their supporting documents.
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 5Affinity delegates can also take advantage of professional development opportunities, including:
• effective networking opportunities
• training on governance, financial management and leadership
• access to a mentorship program
Term of Office
The term of office of a delegate is for three years and begins thirty days prior to the Annual
General Meeting occurring after the election. The term ends 30 days prior to the Annual
General Meeting occurring in the year of expiry of the delegate’s term. If elected to fill a
vacancy, a delegate holds office only for the unexpired term.
The Nomination Paper for Office of District Council Delegate lists the available positions and
terms for the 2021 election.
Remuneration
Delegates are remunerated for participating in applicable meetings and approved training, as
outlined in Affinity policy.
• $225 meeting or training, 1-4 hours in length
• $100 meeting or training that’s less than one hour in length
• $400 meeting or training that’s greater than 4 hours in length
• $1,000 District Council Chairperson annual honorarium
Estimated Delegate Time Commitment
Below is an estimate of the time necessary to fulfill your role as a delegate.
Item Estimated Time (not including travel)
Orientation One-day orientation session.
Agendas target a maximum time limit of two and a half
District Council meetings
hours. There are approximately three meetings per year.
District council Estimate one to two hours per meeting. Packages are shared
pre-read package electronically through a secure portal.
A meeting of all delegates held annually, typically in
All Delegates meeting
November.
Regular monitoring of your emails is expected as many of
Electronic communications
our communications are shared this way.
Delegates are expected to participate in community
Community involvement
activities.
Delegates are encouraged to participate in the available
Training & Development
development opportunities based on their role.
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 6NOMINATION & ELECTION PROCESS
Important Dates
Nomination Period: January 6-19, 2021 at 4 pm
Voting Period: February 3-16, 2021 at 9 pm
Annual General Meeting: April 14, 2021
Election results will be announced on our website and at the 2021 Annual General Meeting. If
elected as a delegate, your term will begin on March 15, 2021.
Eligibility Requirements/Qualifications
In addition to the qualifications set out in The Credit Union Act, 1998 for directors, nominees for
district council delegates must meet the qualifications as outlined in the Affinity Credit Union
Bylaws.
a) The nominee shall have been a member of the Credit Union for a minimum of one (1)
year, except for any newly created or altered or expanded district when any nominee
must either be a member or become a member immediately prior to selection as a
delegate.
b) The nominee shall use the Credit Union as the nominee’s primary financial institution.
c) The nominee shall be a resident of the district in which the nominee is seeking election.
If the nominee does not reside in any district, they may only be nominated in the district
where they maintain their primary account.
d) The nominee, or the nominee’s spouse, shall not be involved in active legal proceedings
against the Credit Union or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, in the previous thirty-six
(36) months.
e) The nominee, or the nominee’s spouse, shall not have loans or credit in arrears (in excess
of sixty (60) days) with the Credit Union in the previous twelve (12) months or have any
Judgement registered against them.
f) The nominee shall not be a director or officer of a business selling competitive products
or services except as a representative of the Credit Union. The nominee must meet the
qualification requirements established by the Bylaws and the requirements of the Credit
Union’s Conflict of Interest policy.
g) The nominee, or nominee’s spouse, shall not have been an employee of the Credit Union
within twenty four (24) months of the time at which nominations for delegates are opened.
h) The nominee shall provide such evidence of eligibility as the Credit Union may require.
Election Campaigning
As an election candidate you’re not permitted to make election promises or state a position on
policy matters. Campaigning is not permitted in Affinity advice centres and all campaign
materials (print and digital) must be approved by Affinity prior to use.
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 7Submitting your Application
To be considered an eligible candidate, your complete nomination package must be received no
later than 4 pm on January 19, 2021.
We encourage you to plan ahead to allow sufficient time to complete the nomination package.
Deadlines are firm and no exceptions will be made.
Your nomination package must include:
1) Nomination Papers for Office of District Council
• As a member, your district is based on the postal code of your primary residence. If
you’re unsure of which district you’re eligible to be nominated for, please contact us
prior to submitting your application for nomination.
• To be valid, nomination of a candidate requires the support of three eligible members of
Affinity Credit Union. An eligible nominator must be at least 18 years of age, an
Affinity Credit Union member (hold a $5 membership share) and have accounts
in the district of nomination.
2) Candidate’s Acceptance of Nomination
• Ensure all statements have been reviewed in full and answered truthfully.
3) Candidate Information Sheet
• All areas must be completed in full. The Candidate Statement will be published and
available to Affinity members during the election process.
4) Current photograph
• The photograph must be a high-resolution head and shoulder shot taken in colour
against a plain or neutral background and submitted electronically in JPG file format.
Nomination packages can be submitted by:
• email: governance@affinitycu.ca
• mail: Affinity Credit Union, Administration Office
Attention: Governance Department
902 – 7th Ave N
PO Box 1330
Saskatoon, SK S7K 3P4
• in person: At any Affinity Credit Union advice centre.
Complete nomination packages must be received by 4 pm on Tuesday, January 19,
2021. Incomplete nomination packages will be returned to the candidate for resubmission,
subject to the application deadline.
Credit Union and Privacy legislation prescribe and restrict the use of personal, financial or credit
information (Information) without consent. To obtain details about credit union policies and
procedures for protecting privacy of information and customer rights, please contact the Credit
Union Privacy Officer.
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 8NOMINATION PAPER FOR OFFICE OF DISTRICT COUNCIL DELEGATE
Nominations close at 4 pm on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
We, the undersigned eligible voting members in good standing with Affinity Credit Union,
hereby nominate:
Name Member Number
_____
Civic/Legal Address City/Town Postal Code
As a candidate for the election to be held for the Affinity Credit Union District Council, in the
following district: Only those districts having vacancies or terms expiring are listed below.
Please check off the District being nominated for. Select one only.
North District – 3 positions (3-year terms)
(Which shall encompass the business area historically or traditionally served by advice centres in the
trading areas of Borden, Hague, Langham, Martensville, Rosthern, Waldheim and Warman.)
Saskatoon District – 5 positions (3-year terms)
(Which shall encompass the business area historically or traditionally served by advice centres in the
trading area of Saskatoon.)
South Central District – 7 positions (Three are 3-year terms, two are 2-year
terms & two are 1-year terms)
(Which shall encompass the business area historically or traditionally served by advice centres in the
trading areas of Colonsay, Davidson, Kenaston, Nokomis, Semans, Shaunavon, Simpson, Strasbourg and
Watrous.)
South District – 3 positions (3-year terms)
(Which shall encompass the business area historically or traditionally served by advice centres in the
trading areas of Broadview, Milestone, Regina and Sedley.)
East District - 7 positions (Three are 3-year terms, two are 2-year terms & two
are 1-year terms)
(Which shall encompass the business area historically or traditionally served by advice centres in the
trading areas of Hudson Bay, Kamsack, Lintlaw, Norquay and Porcupine Plain.)
North West District – 3 positions (3-year terms)
(Which shall encompass the business area historically or traditionally served by advice centres in the
trading areas of Birch Hills, Candle Lake, Canwood, Christopher Lake, Leask, Shellbrook and Prince
Albert.)
North East District – 3 positions (3-year terms)
(Which shall encompass the business area historically or traditionally served by advice centres in the
trading areas of Kinistino, Lake Lenore, Melfort, Muenster, Naicam, St. Brieux and Watson.)
South East District – 3 positions (3-year terms)
(Which shall encompass the Business Area historically or traditionally served by advice centres in the
trading areas of Carlyle, Carnduff, Estevan, Lampman, Minton, Oxbow and Redvers.)
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 9Minimum of three (3) nominators to sign:
Please note to be an eligible nominator you must be at least 18 years of age, an Affinity Credit
Union member (hold a $5 membership share) and have accounts in the district of nomination.
You may be contacted by an Affinity employee to verify your information.
1)
_______________________________
Nominator Name (please print) Member Number
_______________________________
Nominator Signature Telephone
2)
_______________________________
Nominator Name (please print) Member Number
_______________________________
Nominator Signature Telephone
3)
_______________________________
Nominator Name (please print) Member Number
_______________________________
Nominator Signature Telephone
Candidate Nominee to sign:
Nominator Name (please print)
_______________________________
Nominee Signature Date
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 10CANDIDATE’S ACCEPTANCE OF NOMINATION
(This acceptance must be attached to the Nomination Paper)
I, , named in the attached nomination to the District
Council of Affinity Credit Union, hereby state THAT:
1. I am the full age of eighteen (18) years.
2. I am a resident in the district in which I am seeking election. If I do not reside in any
district, I am seeking election in the district where I maintain my primary account.
3. I am of sound mind and have not been found by any court in Saskatchewan or
elsewhere to be of unsound mind.
4. I am an individual and I have been a member of Affinity Credit Union for at least one
year.
5. I am not an employee of Affinity Credit Union or of Credit Union Deposit Guarantee
Corporation; nor have I, or my spouse if applicable, been an employee of Affinity Credit
Union for a minimum of two (2) years.
6. I am not a director or officer of a business selling competitive products or services
except as a representative of the Credit Union, nor is my spouse if applicable. I meet
the qualification requirements established by the Bylaws and the requirements of
Affinity Credit Union’s Conflict of Interest policy.
7. I have not been convicted of a criminal offence as described in section 102 of The Credit
Union Act.
8. I am not, nor is my spouse if applicable, involved in active legal proceedings against
Affinity Credit Union or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, nor have I been in the
previous thirty-six (36) months.
9. I do not, nor does my spouse if applicable, have loans or credit in arrears (in excess of
60 days) with Affinity Credit Union in the previous twelve (12) months or have any
judgement registered against me.
10. I am not in a bankrupt status.
11. I am not a professional adviser to Affinity Credit Union.
12. If elected, I will use Affinity Credit Union as my primary financial institution.
13. I will accept the office, if elected, and keep in strict confidence the information or
transactions of any member that comes to my knowledge or attention.
I understand that the above information relative to my nomination may be verified by Affinity
Credit Union and I hereby provide permission to do so.
Nominee Signature Witness Signature
Date Date
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 11CANDIDATE INFORMATION SHEET
The following questionnaire is intended to provide Affinity Credit Union with background
information to confirm your eligibility for nomination as a district council delegate.
Name
Civic / Legal Address
Mailing Address (if different from above)
City / Town, Province Postal Code
Telephone: Home Telephone: Work Telephone: Cell
Email
Date of Birth DD/MM/YY (required) SIN (required)
List all organizations or entities of which you are an employee or appointed/elected official
(including position):
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Are you aware of any known or potential conflicts between your personal and/or business
interests and those of Affinity’s? If yes, please provide details:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 12Candidate Statement
This information will be published to the members of Affinity during the election process.
Please state exactly how you wish your name to appear on the election ballot:
____________________________________________________________________________
Submit a candidate statement with information about yourself and why you are interested in
serving on the district council (e.g. work experience, educational or professional designations,
Board/Committee experience, and community/volunteer involvement)
Please:
• Write in first person narrative; and
• Do not exceed 250 words.
Photograph
Candidates are required to submit a photograph to be used on the election ballot and in election
materials provided to members.
The photograph must be:
• a high-resolution head and shoulder shot taken in colour against a plain or neutral
background
• submitted electronically in JPG file format
Completed Nomination packages can be submitted through:
• email: governance@affinitycu.ca
• mail: Affinity Credit Union, Administration Office
Attention: Governance Department
902 – 7th Ave N
PO Box 1330
Saskatoon, SK S7K 3P4
• in person: At any Affinity Credit Union advice centre.
Complete nomination packages must be received by 4 pm on Tuesday, January 19,
2021.
2021 Delegate Candidate Guide | Page 13You can also read
