Women's Institute Act

c t WOMEN’S INSTITUTE ACT PLEASE NOTE This document, prepared by the Legislative Counsel Office, is an office consolidation of this Act, current to November 29, 2023. It is intended for information and reference purposes only. This document is not the official version of the Act. The Act and the amendments as printed under the authority of the King’s Printer for the province should be consulted to determine the authoritative statement of the law. For more information concerning the history of this Act, please see the Table of Public Acts on the Prince Edward Island Government web site (www.princeedwardisland.ca). If you find any errors or omissions in this consolidation, please contact: Legislative Counsel Office Tel: (902) 368-4292 Email: legislation@gov.pe.ca Women’s Institute Act Section 1 c WOMEN’S INSTITUTE ACT CHAPTER W-6 1. Definitions In this Act (a) “department” means the Department of Agriculture; (b) “Director” means such employee of the department as may be designated by the Minister; (c) “district institute” means all institutes within a geographical area defined by the Federated Women’s Institute of Prince Edward Island; (d) “executive” means the officers of the institute; (e) “institute” means a women’s institute organized and incorporated under this Act; (f) “institute year” means the twelve month period ending on August 31 in each year; (g) “Minister” means the Minister of Agriculture; (h) “provincial board” means the board of Directors of the Federated Women’s Institute of Prince Edward Island established under section 7. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9, s.1; 1983, c.1, s.6; 1993, c.29, s.4; 1997,c.20,s.3; 2004,c.36,s.3; 2009,c.73,s.2; 2012,c.17,s.2; 2023,c.20,s.2. 2. Objects of institutes The objects of the institutes are (a) to raise the standard of and develop a greater appreciation of homemaking; (b) to stimulate and develop leadership; (c) to establish institutes as social and educational centres in their communities; (d) to promote a greater understanding and appreciation of the social and economic problems, influence and importance of farmers and the agricultural industry in the province; (e) to promote national and international understanding, tolerance and goodwill. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9, s.2. 3. Fundamental principles of the institutes The institutes shall be non-sectarian, non-partisan, non-racial and shall have as their motto “For Home and Country”. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9, s.3. c t Current to: November 29, 2023 Page 3 Section 4 Women’s Institute Act 4. Formation of an institute An institute shall be formed in the following manner: (a) an application in a form prescribed by regulation shall be signed by not less than eight women all of whom shall be at least sixteen years of age, and residents of the geographical area for which the institute is proposed; (b) an application shall contain such particulars as may be prescribed by regulation, but without limiting the generality thereof, shall propose geographical boundaries for the proposed institute; (c) every woman signing an application shall at the time of signing the application pay her first annual membership fee to the proposed institute, and such fees shall be paid to and held by one of the applicants in trust for the institute; (d) the application shall be forwarded to the Director who shall deliver it to the Minister for his approval; (e) as soon after the receipt of the application as is practicable and upon approval by the Minister, the president of the Federated Women’s Institute of Prince Edward Island or her designate, shall call an organizational meeting of the proposed institute, and it shall be organized under her direction at the meeting; (f) immediately after the organizational meeting the Minister may declare the applicants and others who may thereafter become members to be a women’s institute under the name of “The …………………… Women’s Institute”, and shall prescribe for the institute the geographical boundaries within which its members can be recruited, and he may thereupon establish the institute as a corporation and issue a certificate of incorporation thereof in the form prescribed in the regulations; (g) officers of an institute shall be elected at the organizational meeting referred to in clause (e) in the manner prescribed by the constitution and bylaws of the Federated Women’s Institute of Prince Edward Island. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9, s.4. 5. Powers of an institute (1) Upon incorporation of the institute by the Minister under section 4, an institute may hold such real and personal property as it may acquire by purchase, grant, gift, or devise, and may sell, exchange, mortgage, let or dispose of the same, or any part thereof, and invest the same or the proceeds thereof, and use the same or any part thereof in the furtherance of the objects of the institute, subject to this Act. Corporate seal (2) An institute, before selling, letting, exchanging or mortgaging any real or personal property shall adopt a corporate seal approved by the Minister. Restriction on disposal of assets (3) The Directors of an institute shall not sell, let, exchange, mortgage or dispose of any real or personal property of the institute unless authorized to do so by a special general meeting called for that purpose. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9,s.5. 6. Federated Women’s Institute of P.E.I. There shall be a provincial organization to be known as the “Federated Women’s Institute of Prince Edward Island” consisting of all institutes in Prince Edward Island and which, subject to the approval of the Minister, shall have the power to make a constitution and provide bylaws for its own government and for the government of district institutes and for the government of institutes. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9,s.6. Page 4 Current to: November 29, 2023 t c Women’s Institute Act Section 7 7. Provincial board (1) The Federated Women’s Institute of Prince Edward Island shall have a board of directors which shall consist of a president, one or more vice-presidents, a secretary and a treasurer or a secretary-treasurer, and not less than six additional Directors. Body corporate (2) The provincial board is hereby constituted a corporation. Election of officers (3) All officers and directors shall be elected at an annual convention and shall hold office for a term of two years unless they cease to hold office as set forth in the constitution and bylaws; where one or more directors cease to hold office, the provincial board may appoint a person to act for the balance of the term of office. Members (4) The following shall be members of the board of directors by virtue of their office: (a) the Director; and (b) the honorary president if one is appointed by the provincial board. Duties of provincial board (5) The provincial board is responsible for implementing the policies and programs and shall attend to such matters as may be directed or authorized by the constitution and bylaws of the Federated Women’s Institute of Prince Edward Island or by resolution thereof. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9,s.7. 8. Yearly grant The department may pay to the provincial board a yearly grant in an amount fixed by the department. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9,s.8. 9. Annual budget The provincial board shall annually, on or before July 31, present to the department a statement of expenses and a proposed budget that includes proposed grants from the department. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9,s.9. 10. Annual convention (1) The Federated women’s Institute of Prince Edward Island shall hold an annual convention during either the month of June or July; the location, date and program of which shall be decided by the provincial board. Official delegates (2) Every institute shall designate two official delegates to attend the annual convention. Powers of official delegates (3) Only official delegates to the annual convention and members of the provincial board shall have power to make motions, serve on committees and vote at an annual convention. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9,s.10. c t Current to: November 29, 2023 Page 5 Section 11 Women’s Institute Act 11. Dissolution and winding up of institutes (1) Where it is made to appear to the Minister upon the recommendation of the provincial board that an institute should be dissolved, he may appoint a liquidator to adjust and settle the assets and liabilities of the institute; the liquidator with the approval of the Minister shall have the power to sell, dispose of, transfer and convert into money all the assets and property of the institute and to apply the money in payment, first, of his remuneration to be fixed by the Minister, second, of the liabilities of the institute, and third, the surplus, if any, shall be held in trust by the Minister for institute work in the locality in which the money was raised and at the end of ten years, any amount not used for these purposes shall be paid into the funds of the provincial board. Cancellation of certificate of incorporation (2) After the assets and liabilities of the institute have been settled the Minister may order that on and after a day to be named by him, the certificate of incorporation of that institute shall be cancelled, and the institute shall thereupon cease to exist, subject however to any liabilities. Idem (3) An institute by special resolution passed at a meeting of the institute of which one month’s notice has been given by the secretary of the institute, may surrender its certificate of incorporation and the Minister after being satisfied (a) that sufficient notice of the institute’s intention has been given; (b) that no debts or liabilities of the institute are outstanding; and (c) that all assets have been disposed of, may accept the surrender of the certificate, cancel it and fix the day on which the institute is dissolved. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9,s.11. 12. Amalgamation of institutes When two or more institutes wish to combine to form one institute, the certificates of incorporation of the original institutes shall be cancelled by the Minister and a new certificate of incorporation issued by him to the institute formed by combining the original institutes; the groups forming the new institute shall organize according to the terms set forth in section 4. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9,s.12. 13. Regulations The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make such regulations as are necessary or advisable for the effective carrying out of the provisions and purposes of this Act and dealing with any matters for which no express provisions have been made or in respect of which only partial or imperfect provisions have been made, and without limiting the generality thereof, may make regulations (a) prescribing forms and respecting their use; (b) prescribing certificates of incorporation and respecting their use; (c) respecting the constitution and bylaws of the Federated Women’s Institute of Prince Edward Island, the district institutes and the institutes; (d) respecting the composition, objects, and powers of district institutes. R.S.P.E.I. 1974, Cap. W-9,s.13. Page 6 Current to: November 29, 2023 t c