FOREWORD

Booklet 105 is an important component of the RCAF Association’s internal corporate governance. It offers policies, procedures, advice and guidance for the benefit of all RCAF Association members, especially those who volunteer to serve in the capacity of Membership Chairperson, to help their fellow RCAF Association members.

There are two facets to corporate governance, the other being external. Booklet 105 is one of many internal governance tools designed to strengthen our association. In terms of the external, however, this revision of Booklet 105 is made necessary by new federal privacy legislation, otherwise known as P.I.P.E.D.A., and, new Canadian Anti-spam Legislation (CASL). Perhaps most importantly, the implementation of new federal legislation that replaces Canada’s legacy Company’s Act – the Canada Not-for-Profit Act (CNCA) legislation (c.2009) comes with a number of changes making necessary the enclosed modifications to RCAF Association membership policies, processes and administration.

The help our RCAF Association volunteers offer, in terms of membership, concerns collecting RCAF Association dues and remitting those dues to the association, thus helping their fellow members avoid the need to undertake this task, on their own, with all the inconvenience and costs associated thereto. Since the headquarters staff is now reduced to only two, these centralized collection of dues by RCAF Association-chartered Wing volunteers helps the staff avoid the flood of thousands of individual payments – something that would quickly overwhelm the small staff. Instead, the central collection and mass-remittance has always proven to be much more efficient and helpful. Of interest is the fact during the calendar 2019 more than 46,000 transactions were carried out through the RCAF Association’s membership management system. Our Wing Membership Chairpersons obviously helped with so many more transactions, much to the relief of the very small staff.

The policies herein reflect the sentiments and desires of RCAF Association leaders who have involved themselves in these processes for decades. The procedures are designed to help relatively new volunteers quickly master the most effective and efficient methods and tools. The advice and guidance helps these volunteers convey to their fellow RCAF Association members the purpose and methods of their Membership Chairperson work.

Should you have any questions about these or any other policies, procedures, advice and guidance please do not hesitate to contact the Executive Director of the RCAF Association, at  director@airforce.ca or toll-free 1-866-351-2322 ext 221.

National Executive Council

SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION

1.01     Short Terms, Abbreviations and Definitions

1.02     Membership System Philosophy

1.03     Membership Organization

1.04     Membership Supplies

1.05     Membership Return Procedures

1.06     Membership Categories

1.07     Individual Membership Classification

1.08     Individual Membership Affiliation

1.09     Collection of Membership Fees

1.10     Distribution of Funds from National Membership Fees

SECTION 2 – REGULAR MEMBERSHIP

2.01     General Information

2.02     Disqualification for Membership

2.03     Membership Eligibility

2.04     Application and Enrollment

2.05     Wing Affiliation

2.06     Membership Fees Generally

2.07     Enrollment Fee

2.08     Annual Fees

2.09     Date of Joining and Computer Coding

2.10     Fees for New Application and Reinstatement

2.11     Annual Renewal Fees

2.12     Dual Membership Fees

2.13     Transfers Generally

2.14     Transfers from Members-At-Large to Wings

2.15     Transfers from Wings to Member-At-Large

2.16     Transfers Between Wings

2.17     Regular Member Kits

SECTION 3 – WING ASSOCIATE MEMBERS (superceded)

3.01     General Information

SECTION 4 – REGULAR (HONORARY LIFE) AND REGULAR (LIFE) MEMBERSHIP

4.01     General Information

4.02     Regular (Honorary Life) Membership

4.03     Initial Membership Fees For Honorary Members On An Annual Basis

4.04     Life Membership Award (LMA)

SECTION 5 – MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES AND DISCIPLINE

5.01     General Information

5.02     Membership Rights and Privileges

5.03     Withdrawal

5.04     Members In The USA

5.05     Expulsion and Suspension of Members for Cause

5.06     Suspension of Members for Fee Arrears

SECTION 6 – MEMBERSHIP CARDS AND LAPEL PINS

6.01     General Information

6.02     Issue of Non-Computerized Cards to Members

6.03     Association Lapel Pins

6.04     TEMPCard 60

SECTION 7 – WING MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL PROCEDURES

7.01     General Information

7.02     Renewals

7.03     Continuous Service Gaps

7.04     Renewal Incentives Generally

7.05     Action on Non-Renewal of An Annual Wing Member

7.06     Action on Wing Non-Renewal of a Life Member

SECTION 8 – WING MEMBERSHIP RETURN SYSTEM

8.01     General Information

8.02     Application for Membership Forms

8.03     Wing Membership Journal

8.04     Monthly Membership Return

8.05     Membership Return Drafts

8.06     Wing Membership Return Preparation

8.07     Membership Information Return

8.08     Remittance with Membership Returns

8.09     Wing Count

8.10     Membership Return Response

8.11     Membership Accounting Policy

SECTION 9 – MEMBERSHIP MONITORING AND AUDIT

9.01     General Information

9.02     Membership Monitoring

9.03     Membership Audit

ANNEXES

Annex A – Wing Membership Journal

Annex B – Membership Return

Annex C – TEMPCard 60

Annex D – Regular Membership Data

SECTION 1 – INTRODUCTION

1.01     SHORT TERMS, ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS

The following short terms, abbreviations and definitions apply to this booklet:

1. “Association” shall mean the Royal Canadian Air Force Association;
2. With respect to the term “RCAF Association” this is the individual-member-funded organization of like-minded persons who pledge themselves to support Canada’s air force, thereby contributing to the association’s multi-faceted mission;
3. “Association Meeting” shall mean a General Meeting of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association;
4. Use of a masculine or feminine term shall be interpreted as interchangeable with the appropriate terms of the opposite gender in the same context;
5. “NEC” where used shall mean the National Executive Council, being the board of directors duly elected by RCAF Association members and which may also include a number of other directors and officers themselves appointed by the elected directors on the board;
6. “Regular” member or membership shall mean an individual member or membership in the RCAF Association;
7. “Members” is the term referring to individuals who in exchange for a fee choose to affiliate with the RCAF Association to avail themselves of a specific set of desired products, programs and services and to actively participate in shaping the future affairs of the association in support of the RCAF Association’s mission;
8. “Group” is a term referring to two or more RCAF Association “Wings” from the same regional area whose chartered members agree to join under a centralized administrative body, mindful of the efficiencies to be realized from doing so. Being constituted for administrative purposes, “Groups” and their elected leaders have no executive powers or authorities independent of the authorities vested in the NEC as a whole;
9. “Company” member or membership shall mean a company as a member in the Association without rights and privileges for any company individual;
10. “Social” membership shall mean the non-voting membership of a regular member in a “Club” other than his “Club” of affiliation;
11. “Dual Membership” shall be the single payment membership of two adults in a family unit relationship, both qualified to be regular members;
12. “Date of joining” shall be the date on which a member commenced his last unbroken period of membership; and
13. “Membership Chair” shall mean the Membership Administration Chairperson.
14. “Wing” is a term referring only to the RCAF Association-chartered group of RCAF Association members, and is not to be construed with the provincially-incorporated, small-business-licensed, hospitality-service focused entity which by virtue of integrating the wordmarks and titles that may appear on their RCAF Association-issued charter, has also tended to be referred to as the “Wing.” In this and other booklets, this entity shall be referred to and described as the “Club” or the “Society,” these being two formal terms used in the provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and others. It may seem unnecessary to make these distinctions between “Wing” and the “Club;” however, the RCAF Association constitution and by-laws which are issued by the government of Canada mandate this distinction and prohibit the RCAF Association from having any acclaimed interests or rights in, claims to, or liabilities for the assets of the “Wing,” meaning the business entity of the “Wing,” which we refer to here as the “Club.”
15. “Club” is a term referring only to the provincially-incorporated, small-business-licensed, hospitality-service-focused for-profit entity the management and operations of which fall outside of or beyond the legal scope of the federally-mandated RCAF Association constitution and by-laws. The term “Club” may be interchanged with the term “Society,” in this regard.

1.02      MEMBERSHIP SYSTEM PHILOSOPHY

• The system for handling membership campaigns, renewals, returns and monitoring is established on the basis that Wings will at all times keep on hand the items required to process Regular members, and that prompt reports of action taken will be relayed to, RCAF Association Headquarters in order that all information regarding membership will be readily available at that level.
• There is little doubt that the main requirements of running an adequate membership system for the RCAF Association are promptness and attention to detail. Accordingly, Headquarters commits itself to providing as much information and assistance to Wings in as timely a manner as is possible and looks forward to receiving similar assistance from RCAF Association volunteers at the Wing and Group levels.
• With the advent of Association Management System (AMS) and Customer/Client Relationship Management (CRM) technology, all of the tools, techniques and information required to perform this function is now readily available and accessible on-line, meaning response times and reporting times are now instantaneous. All Regular members in-good-standing have access to the RCAF Association AMS simply by logging in to their personal portal.

l.03      MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION

• The organization for the membership function comprises:
  • The RCAF Association Membership Sub-Committee of the NEC, which develops membership policy and monitors membership activity at the strategic level, alongside and with the Headquarters staff which is responsible for administration of membership records and other supporting activities;
  • RCAF Association Group Executive Councils and Group Membership Committees responsible to Group Chairs for promoting dynamic RCAF Association membership campaigns and programs within their Groups; and
  • Wing-level RCAF Association Membership Committees.
• At the Wing level, the Wing Membership Chairperson is responsible for leading the Wing’s Board of Directors’ efforts to retain and recruit members to the RCAF Association. The Wing Chairperson and his or her fellow Membership sub-committee assisting directors accepts the responsibility to ensure that membership policies and procedures are followed in accordance with this booklet and that the Wing identifies, recruits and retains only those RCAF Association members actively supporting the RCAF Association’s mission.
• New privacy legislation (PIPEDA) and the new Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act prohibit anyone who is not a Regular member of the RCAF Association from having access to such personal information as that which is contained in membership records.

1.04     MEMBERSHIP SUPPLIES

• It is the responsibility of the Membership Chair to keep on hand sufficient membership supplies to enable the Wing to conduct campaigns and to initiate RCAF Regular members as outlined in Section 2.

1.05     MEMBERSHIP RETURN PROCEDURES

• The membership return procedures outlined in Section 8 are based on criteria established in the incorporation of the RCAF Association and to meet the requirements of RCAF Association auditors.  Because of the legal implications involved it is imperative that returns be handled as prescribed. Notwithstanding these constraints, it should be comforting to know that the RCAF Association staff exist to provide full support to RCAF Association Wing Membership Chairpersons and their assisting directors.

1.06     MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

• Please refer to the RCAF Association constitution and by-laws.

1.07     INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP CLASSIFICATION

• Individual memberships shall be classified as Regular, Regular (Life) and Regular (Honorary Life).

1.08     INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP AFFILIATION

• Regular, Regular (Life) and Regular (Honorary Life) members of the RCAF Association may also subsequently affiliate with an RCAF Association-chartered Wing, upon applying to the RCAF Association member cadré affiliated thereto. In the event the specific community is not served by an RCAF Association-chartered Wing, such Regular, Regular (Life) and Regular (Honorary Life) members automatically fall under the RCAF Association and its headquarters for the purpose of (direct) administrative support.
• RCAF Association Regular, Regular (Life) and Regular (Honorary Life) members who successfully apply to be affiliated with an RCAF Association Wing must understand doing so may require payment of an additional fee or fees separate, distinct and unrelated to RCAF Association membership dues, for the sole purpose of joining or affiliating with the relevant “Club” the name of which reflects a connection to the RCAF Association-chartered Wing.
• The RCAF Association members who choose to also affiliate with an RCAF Association-chartered Wing will benefit from administrative support provided by the chartered-Wing, and, if they choose to join the related “Club” will benefit from all the privileges and affinities that may come from that additional affiliation.

1.09     COLLECTION OF RCAF ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP FEES

• The RCAF Association charter applied to their RCAF Association Wing, entrusts the Wing’s Board of Directors to provide a centralized collection of RCAF Association membership dues from each and every individual RCAF Association member also affiliated with their Wing, and to convey such dues to the RCAF Association headquarters in keeping with the chartered Wing’s decision to volunteer such a service.
• The RCAF Association federal-government-mandated constitution prohibits the RCAF Association Wing Board of Directors and the operations management of the affiliated “Club” from using these dues for any other purpose than the one specifically stipulated herein. Upon collection by the chartered-Wing these dues do not in any way become assets of the Wing nor the “Club;” because these assets belong to the individual members who pay them, in exchange for the specific set of products, programs and services to which they have subscribed and which are provided by the RCAF Association.
• The RCAF Association is prohibited from any form of governance, oversight or policy implication efforts concerning the collection of any dues or fees beyond RCAF Association annual membership dues. The collection of “Club” fees or dues is strictly the business of the operational managers involved, and cannot be the subject of deliberations, decision-making nor governance activities of any person or body of directors under the guise of the RCAF Association, owing to the association’s constitutional restrictions. Such matters are more properly considered business decisions entirely the purview of those persons overseeing the affairs of the provincially-incorporated, small-business-licensed, hospitality-venue-focused entities which have to our confusion also been referred to as “Wings” but are more legislatively and correctly referred to as “Clubs.”

1.10     DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS FROM RCAF MEMBERSHIP FEES

• Fees paid by individuals in exchange for Regular membership in the RCAF Association shall be retained by the RCAF Association as part of its general operating funds.
• The operating funds are on or about 1 July each year immediately applied and invested in programs, products and services to which the members subscribe, and which are reflected in the annual budget proposal and reports, along with recurring reports throughout the year that delineate by budget-line items how the funds are assigned.
• These and all budget-related decisions and actions are subjected to consideration and approval processes by the NEC and the various levels of governance throughout the association, assisted by those delegates whom have been assigned responsibility for conveying the wishes and desires of the Regular members of the RCAF Association from time-to-time.
• The manifest function – the primary purpose – of the RCAF Association is advocacy for the country’s air force and the men and women (aviators) in uniform. Secondary or latent functions include: strengthening Canada’s democratic nature; commemoration; promoting (heritage) the traditions of the RCAF; contributing to the social well-being of members, friends, family and other disadvantaged or vulnerable community members; and supporting Canada’s various youth programs, especially the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, in an effort to encourage strong citizenry amongst the country’s population. It is to these manifest and latent functions that the RCAF Association’s members assign the balance of membership dues, in keeping with the association’s mission, each year.

SECTION 2 – REGULAR MEMBERSHIP

2.01     GENERAL INFORMATION

• This section outlines the general policies for regular Wing membership eligibility and disqualification, the fee structure and general rules for affiliation, transfers to and from membership-at-large, and transfers between Wings.

2.02     DISQUALIFICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

• Please refer to the RCAF Association constitution and by-laws. Also note, recruitment and enrollment of individuals aspiring to become Regular members of the RCAF Association is delegated to the various Wing Board of Directors; however, disqualification and/or dismissal is not, since these functions are retained by the NEC in keeping with the RCAF Constitution.

2.03     MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY

• Regular membership in the RCAF Association shall be open to any person of good character upon payment of the membership fees from time to time determined by an RCAF Association meeting.
• Please note that such membership is not restricted to just Canadian citizens; any person of good character is eligible to join the RCAF Association.
• Personnel actively serving in the Canadian Armed Forces may understandably be concerned about joining an organization the manifest function of which is advocating for the air element of the Canadian Armed Forces. They need not be concerned at all, since the activities of all our members rarely involves people dedicating themselves fully and equally to all three of our primary areas of interest (Heritage – Youth – Advocacy). Instead, within our various mission mandates there is something there for everyone to get involved in, in a manner reflecting each and every individual’s preferences. With specific regard to the function of advocacy, it is also worth mentioning that yes, there are political aspects of any advocacy mission that understandably serve as boundaries over which serving personnel would be advised not to cross, but because the RCAF Association is mandated to remain apolitical, lest we forfeit our legal status altogether, like all other similar organizations we involve ourselves only in the apolitical aspects of advocacy activities, which are reflected in the following chart:

• It should be clear from the above chart, that advocacy can involve a wide-ranging sub-set of activities most of which are ‘under the surface’ or far from the coal-face of high-level education and information tasks undertaken by the RCAF Association’s advocacy committee for the benefit of both the public and our elected officials. The foregoing should serve not as a discouraging source but one of encouragement, helping members from all walks of life choose a path, make a contribution to the extent of their interests, knowledge and capabilities. For example, the simple act of recruiting a municipally-elected Town Council member to an Honorary (life) membership in your RCAF Association-chartered Wing is one small but significant way of securing social capital, thus contributing to our advocacy role. Similarly, as a retired veteran of the air force, your decision to speak to a classroom of children in your community is one of those things that builds trust and promotes civic engagement, yet more ways to perform the advocacy role.

2.04     APPLICATION AND ENROLLMENT

Canadian federal legislation concerning privacy matters (PIPEDA) and computer communications or spam (CSL) makes it necessary for interested individuals to apply for membership in writing, to include information they consider personal, but sharable only with their fellow members, or otherwise, and a signature, electronic or otherwise, that signifies as a member they “opt-in” to accept, or otherwise, the association’s needs and desires to communicate important information with all members.

Upon receipt of the foregoing form, the RCAF Association will advise if the individual pursuing membership in the RCAF Association also desires to affiliate with a specific RCAF Association Wing. Thereafter, the RCAF Association Wing Board of Directors will be encouraged to arrange for the installation of each Regular member, including presentation of the new member’s “Membership Kit” at a general meeting of the Wing, as soon as is convenient for the Wing.

The membership campaign year for RCAF Association Wings shall be 1 July to 30 June, with a renewal target date of 30 June; however, every effort shall be made to renew members prior to the due date. RCAF Association members affiliated with the Wing who are unable to renew their annual membership by the 30 June due date, may be assessed a late-payment fee of $5. However, this late-payment fee should only be collected if the member still expects any or all magazines they may have missed to be mailed to them. Since on-time payments mean the member’s magazine is mailed to them direct from the printer at a significantly lower cost, but late-payment of fees means the member’s magazine may have to be mailed to them from the headquarters staff, well after publication date(s) the shipping fees from the headquarters are considerably higher than from the printers, and the $5 late-payment fee is needed to cover these higher shipping costs. Again, the late-payment fee should only be collected if the member still expects and demands to receive any or all of the magazines they may have missed as a consequence of their late-payment.

2.05     RCAF Association WING AFFILIATION

• As outlined in Section 1, for administrative purposes Regular members of the RCAF Association affiliate either with the Headquarters or with an RCAF Association-chartered Wing.
• The purpose of this article is to describe the processes by which each and every Regular member’s vote (on any matter of import to the RCAF Association) is to be recorded.
• Those RCAF Association Regular members who affiliate with an RCAF Association-chartered Wing are encouraged to convey their vote for onward presentation to the RCAF Association via the elected RCAF Association member assigned responsibility to serve as the member’s delegate.
• Delegates are not authorized to vote according to their own conscience; rather, they are mandated to vote in a manner that reflects the majority opinion and desire of their fellow Regular members in their RCAF Association Wing.
• It is important to note, since the RCAF Association is prohibited from any formal participation in the operations and business management of “Clubs” any and all issues pertaining only to the business affairs of the “Club” are exactly that, the business (or responsibility) of the members to that “Club.” Since “Club” membership may include some or all of the RCAF Association Regular members affiliated to the relevant RCAF Association-chartered Wing which may reside at the core of the “Club”, the “Club’s” membership may also include many other individuals who are members to the “Club” but not necessarily members to the RCAF Association-chartered Wing. All of the “Club’s” members should have an equal say (vote) to the extent they all pay the same (equal) membership fee to be in the “Club.”
• Regular members of the RCAF Association are permitted to formally affiliate with only one Wing, for the administrative purposes set out here. RCAF Association-chartered Wings are not permitted to accept as members any other member already affiliated with another RCAF Association Wing. Should an RCAF Association Wing member want to affiliate with another “Club” for the purpose of accessing the social and hospitality amenities of that “Club” the terms of such “Club” affiliation are entirely the purview of that “Club,” and lay outside the bounds of the RCAF Association constitution. The extent to which that RCAF Association member may want to participate in shaping the affairs of yet another “Club” in which he or she has sought membership, is entirely up to the RCAF Association member and the “Club” involved, but such activities again exist outside the purview of the RCAF Association proper.

2.06     MEMBERSHIP FEES GENERALLY

• RCAF Association membership fees are confirmed by the RCAF Association board of directors on an annual basis, and from time-to-time may be adjusted as determined by the delegates to an Association Meeting. Such fees may include an enrollment fee for initial membership. Unless advised otherwise, however, the fee will reflect the cost of a specific set of programs, products and services offered to all RCAF Association members in exchange for the annual dues. Adjustment to these annual dues may be pursued in one of two ways: elimination or refinancing of one or more programs, products and services specific details of which are the subject of deliberation and majority approval of delegates to a meeting of the RCAF Association, or adjustment by the NEC upon recommendation of the staff, owing to the cumulative effects of inflation on the cost of the specific set of products, programs and services members have come to expect.
• RCAF Association-chartered Wings are prohibited from levying any additional fees against RCAF Association members to be a member of the RCAF Association-chartered Wing. In respect of paying a fee for becoming a member of the RCAF Association, only one fee applies at the time of enrollment and thereafter on a recurring annual (or otherwise) basis. The RCAF Association constitution and by-laws strictly prohibit levying any additional fee at the Wing and Group levels.
• However, in respect of any and all “Clubs,” should there be a fee to become a member of that “Club” such activities are solely the business of the operations management of the relevant “Club.” These activities are outside the bounds of the RCAF Association, and any RCAF Association members who wish to affiliate with such clubs are encouraged to review these and other relevant advisories.

2.07     ENROLLMENT FEE

• An additional fee may be levied at the time of enrollment to cover the cost of the new membership kit, or any other extra costs that are incurred as a consequence of enrolling in the RCAF Association. The enrollment fee is a one-time fee levied according to the circumstances of the day. No part of this fee shall be retained by the relevant RCAF Association Wing for any purposes.

2.08     ANNUAL FEES

• See section 2.06 above.

2.09     DATE OF JOINING AND COMPUTER CODING

• The date of joining shall be the date shown on the prospective member’s application form, and that date shall determine the RCAF Association membership fees to be paid.

2.10     FEES FOR NEW APPLICATIONS AND REINSTATEMENT

• The amount to be remitted is determined by the prospective member’s date of application, and not the date of submission to RCAF Association Headquarters. Nevertheless, the RCAF Association-chartered Wing’s board of directors is expected to forward any and all enrollment forms promptly.
• While fees should be assessed in respect of a full-year’s membership, regardless of the time of enrollment or reinstatement, membership chairpersons are encouraged to note that pro-rating of the membership fees is permissible. For example, someone who enrolls in August should be assessed a full-year’s fee; however, someone who joins in January has the option of being assessed one-half year’s fee. A minimum fee applies, however, meaning that regardless of the time of year of enrollment or reinstatement there is a minimum fee that is applied. The pro-rating schedule is produced each year, at the time of membership campaigning, and issued to participating RCAF Association Wings by the headquarters staff in the form of an Annual Membership Renewal Circular or Information Sheet.

2.11     ANNUAL RENEWAL FEES

• The renewal fee amount to be submitted to RCAF Association Headquarters annually by each RCAF Association-chartered Wing Regular member, will be detailed on the Annual Membership Renewal Circular shared with Wing membership Chairpersons each year, during the renewal campaign.
• There is no RCAF Association fee assessed Regular (Life) members nor Regular (Honorary Life) members.
• The renewal fee for Regular Members-at-Large is the same for all other Regular members who may be affiliated with the local RCAF Association Wing, and comes due in the anniversary month of the (MAL) Regular member’s original enrollment in the RCAF Association.

2.12     DUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES

• In the event that a spouse/partner or any other family member or tenant living in the same dwelling also aspires to be a Regular member of the RCAF Association, but without the need to receive a personal copy of the RCAF Association magazine, Revue Airforce Magazine, only one individual in the household should pay the full Regular member fee, while the second individual can pay the significantly discounted (no magazine) fee which when combined is called the “dual-membership” fee. In 2020, the Dual Membership fee equals $54 + $34 = $88.
• Any Regular member of the RCAF Association who wishes to avail themselves of a no-magazine option membership may do so simply by paying the lower fee. This process requires contacting the RCAF Association headquarters directly at  accounts@airforce.ca .

2.13     TRANSFERS GENERALLY

• RCAF Association Regular members affiliated with an RCAF Association Wing may transfer to any other Wing they desire, by informing either their current Wing membership chairperson or directly informing the RCAF Association headquarters at accounts@airforce.ca
• Should the RCAF Association headquarters receive such a request, directly, the relevant RCAF Association Wing will be advised of the transfer and the Wing membership chairperson will be encouraged to include the transfer details on their next membership report.
• Should an RCAF Association Regular member-at-large wish to transfer into a Wing, the same procedure will apply, with the relevant Wing being informed of the impending transfer, and the relevant Wing membership Chairperson being encouraged to ensure their next report includes the updated information

2.14      TRANSFERS FROM MEMBER-AT-LARGE TO WINGS

• Members-at-large wishing to transfer their affiliation to a local Wing may, depending on their enrollment anniversary date, be eligible for a credit, or may be required to “top-up” their dues so as to align with the 30 June target date Wings are encouraged to use. For example, an MAL whose membership expires in January and who chooses to affiliate with the local Wing will be encouraged to submit five months’ of dues to extend their RCAF Association membership to 30 June in line with his or her fellow Regular members at the Wing;
• Any amount owing to become a member of the “Club” will be determined by the operations management personnel at the “Club,” as these additional fees are beyond the purview of the RCAF Association’s constitution and by-laws;

2.15     TRANSFERS FROM WING TO MEMBER-AT-LARGE

• When a Regular member changes his affiliation from the local Wing to Member-at-Large (MAL) status, he or she shall be credited proportionally for unexpired fees depending on the date the transfer takes place;
• Should a pro-rated portion of “Club” fees be reimbursable as a consequence of the transfer, the decision to do so rests entirely with the operations management of the “Club” and the individual who relinquishes his or her “Club” membership to effect the transfer to MAL status.

2.16     TRANSFERS BETWEEN WINGS

• A transfer between Wings may be initiated by either Wing or by RCAF Association headquarters at the behest of the member; however, the initiating source shall inform RCAF Association Headquarters and the other Wings involved so that everyone is aware of the transfer. Where Headquarters initiates a transfer, then both RCAF Association Wings implicated should be advised.

2.17     REGULAR MEMBER KITS

• RCAF Association Regular member “Membership Kits” are issued to each new member on enrollment. The cost of the kit is borne by the member’s payment of annual dues, and include:
  • One official RCAF Association lapel pin;
  • RCAF decal;
  • Membership card;
  • Membership certificate;
  • Letter of Welcome; and
  • Car window decal.
• The control of these kits is outlined in Section 8;
• Membership certificates bear the signature of the current National President/Chairperson NEC and the Executive Director RCAF Association.

 SECTION 3 – WING ASSOCIATE MEMBERS (superceded)

3.01     GENERAL INFORMATION

• The RCAF Association Associate Member Category was created in 1968-69 and implemented in 1970, as an experiential opportunity for members who did not immediately qualify for Regular member status, but after two years of experience would normally considered eligible to be elevated to Regular member status.
• These Associate members were restricted from holding certain offices, and another condition was imposed that disallowed some, not all, from voting on matters related to their membership in the RCAF Association. These conditions were untenable under the new CNCA legislation which was implemented in 2014. Since no one amongst the delegates to the RCAF Association General Meeting had any proposals or solutions that might alleviate the conditions and the compliance issue with the CNCA, the category was abolished in 2014, until such time as a new effort to establish such a new category is rekindled.
• “Clubs” may continue to recruit and retain any number of different membership classifications and categories to suit their business needs, in keeping with federal and provincial legislation, and any municipal or local restrictions relevant to their operations.

SECTION 4 – HONORARY AND LIFE MEMBERSHIP

4.01     GENERAL INFORMATION

• This section outlines the policies and procedures for Regular (Honorary Life) and Regular (Life) Membership.
• Regular (Honorary Life) membership in the RCAF Association may be extended to individuals from time to time as determined by the NEC.
• Alternatively, Regular (Life) membership may be purchased by any Regular member who may be interested in the cost-savings and amenities that come with such package deals, from time-to-time.
• There is no real distinction between the two categories of membership except that one member purchases the membership while the other attains the honour free of charge.

4.02     HONORARY MEMBERSHIP

• Regular (Honorary Life) membership in the RCAF Association may be extended to any person of good character who supports the principles, aims and objects of the RCAF Association and who has contributed substantially to the welfare of the RCAF Association and the advancement of its aims and objects. It is possible for someone to be enrolled as an Regular (Honorary Life) member of the RCAF Association, owing to a significant contribution made to the community, or Canada. Nominations for such an honour shall be forwarded to RCAF Association Headquarters in the form of a letter, stating the basis for the nomination, for approval of the NEC. Upon receipt of NEC approval, such Regular (Honorary Life) members may be issued a new RCAF Association membership card annotated “Honorary” and included as a paid up member on the periodic membership return reports submitted by the Wing to the RCAF Association headquarters.

4.03     INITIAL MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR HONORARY MEMBERS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS

• Regular (Honorary Life) members are exempt from the requirement to pay membership dues, from the moment the honour is bestowed.
• No other member or members shall be made responsible for paying any other members’ dues, including for Honorary Life members.
• RCAF Association Wings are not required to cover membership dues for any member; RCAF Association Wings are prohibited by law from assuming responsibility for the payment of dues for any and all RCAF Association members affiliated with their Wing.
• The RCAF Association is an individual-member-funded non-profit organization, subject to legislation reflected in the Income Tax Act and other and various guidance provided by the Canada Revenue Agency. Of particular importance is the requirement to abide by the “non-distribution constraint” which strictly prohibits any member from personally benefiting from the proceeds and profits of the organization. It is for this reason that any RCAF Association-chartered Wing in the habit of assuming responsibility for paying dues for members affiliated to or with their Wing risks compromising the RCAF Association’s non-profit status, and itself risks losing its chartered status in the RCAF Association.
• Finally, in respect of all the work the association undertakes to project a “value proposition” to help convince people to join, it is unfortunate that past practices permitted or encouraged chartered-Wings to pick up the costs for some or all of their members, unfortunate because when a member pays nothing to the association, the member values nothing about the association.
• Honoring a fellow member with a Life membership is exactly that – an honour. Making such an honour into a burden for other members and Wings is simply unacceptable.

4.05     LIFE MEMBERSHIP AWARD (LMA) (redundant)

SECTION 5 – MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES AND DISCIPLINE

5.01     GENERAL INFORMATION

This section outlines the rights, privileges and disciplinary measures for members,            including forfeiture of membership for non-renewal.

5.02     MEMBERSHIP RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES

The rights and privileges to be accorded members other than those rights and privileges    determined by Wings for local application, shall be from time to time determined by an                Association meeting.

5.03     WITHDRAWAL

Any member of the Association may withdraw therefrom by submitting his resignation in            writing.

5.04     MEMBERS IN THE USA

Members of the Association who are citizens of or resident in the United States of             America shall maintain and up-hold the principles, aims and objects of the Association        insofar as the same are consistent with the allegiance they owe to that country.

5.05     EXPULSION AND SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS FOR CAUSE

Any member may be expelled or suspended from the Association for breach of his obligation, or for profane or disorderly conduct in a meeting of any body of the Association, or for conduct unworthy of a member, or which in any way brings the Association into discredit, or for nonpayment of membership dues.

The Secretary of the Wing Executive Council which expels or suspends a member, or       rejects an application for membership, shall report such expulsion, suspension or       rejection to the National Executive Council and to the Group Executive Council.

The expulsion or suspension of a member shall be confirmed by the National Executive    Committee.

5.06     SUSPENSION OF MEMBERS FOR FEE ARREARS

Members in arrears in payment of fees after June 30^th shall automatically be suspended from all rights and privileges in the Association.  Any member so suspended may again become a member in good standing by paying fees for the current year in full plus a $5.00 administration fee.

Members who are not reported as renewed by Wings on or before June 30th will be          cancelled by National Headquarters.

Members in arrears one year shall automatically forfeit membership in the Association.    Any member whose membership has been forfeited for non-payment of fees may be     reinstated upon re-applying for membership and paying the appropriate fee as for new   applicants.

SECTION 6 – MEMBERSHIP CARDS AND LAPEL PINS

6.01     GENERAL INFORMATION

This section outlines the method of handling Association membership cards and lapel pins.

Each Wing will:

1. a) submit the monthly Membership Return form listing each member by name,                                  initials and address including Postal Code.  However, in each case where a                                    member’s Computer Locator Code is known, list the member’s name, initials and                         Locator Code only.  Do not list the address;
2. b) develop the habit of using the member’s Locator Code while ensuring that the                               National HQ is alerted whenever an address change is made; and
3. c) forward the proper amount of funds with each report in accordance with the                                   membership fee schedule.

3          On receipt of each Wing’s Report, the National HQ will:

1. a) process each report in the usual manner and prepare a discrepancy report as may                           be necessary for return to the Wing Membership Chair;
2. b) print and mail to the Wing, the new card for each Regular Member listed on the                            report received.  Each card will also be accompanied by an envelope in which the                         Wing may in turn mail or hand-deliver the new card to the member and;
3. c) endeavour to meet a target turn-around time of two weeks from the date of receipt                         of a Wing’s report to the date of mailing the returns to the Wing.

6.02       ISSUE OF NON-COMPUTERIZED CARDS TO MEMBERS

• The National HQ will continue to make available to Wings, an ordinary blank membership card, similar to that previously used for Regular memberships and which will be distributed to Wings at no cost and in reasonable quantities, but only on request from Wings.
• However, it will be the responsibility of the Wing Executive Council to ensure that the cards received are utilized in a manner consistent with the regulations of the Wing and that the name of each card-holder is submitted by the Wing Membership Chair, at the time of issue, on the Wing’s monthly Membership Return Form.
• The information submitted will include:

1. a) the card number;
2. b) name and address of individual to whom issued; and
3. c) purpose of issue.

• Cards for Social memberships — cards may be issued for Social memberships, provided the member produces a current Regular membership card from his/her Wing of affiliation. No charge is made for these cards but they must be marked “Social” in the type of membership block and included on the Membership Return.  Social members do not count in the Wing count.
• Cards for Life members (LMA) — each Life member has a Life Member card issued by National Headquarters. If a Life member has Wing affiliation, a Wing annual card must be issued to enable the Life member to be included in the Wing count.  No charge is made for cards issued for this purpose, but they may be issued only if the member produces a Life Membership card issued by National Headquarters.  These cards must be shown on the Membership Return.
• Replacement cards — upon production of satisfactory evidence that a membership card has been lost, the Wing Membership Chair shall request a replacement card from National Headquarters by listing it on the Wing Membership Return.

6.03         ASSOCIATION LAPEL PINS

The standard Royal Canadian Air Force Association Lapel Pin is the same for all categories of members: Regular, Regular Member-at-Large, Honorary, Ladies Auxiliary, etc.  Lapel Pins modified to show years of service (in five year increments) are available at cost from National Headquarters.  Entitlement can be determined by the “date of joining” coding on the nominal roll and Wings are encouraged to recognize their long service members in this manner.

6.04       TEMPCard 60

In 1996 TEMPCard 60 was introduced for use at the discretion of Membership Chairs. The TEMPCard 60 may be issued to a newly-enrolled regular member, for use by the member awaiting receipt of the official membership card from National HQ.  TEMPCard 60 cards are available at no cost, upon request from National HQ.

SECTION 7   WING MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL PROCEDURES

7.01     GENERAL INFORMATION

This section outlines Wing membership record-keeping at both National Headquarters and the Wing with regard to the action/reaction procedures for the Wing membership renewal program involving:

1. a) renewal incentives;
2. b) membership statements for individual members;
3. c) nominal rolls of Wing members; and
4. d)

7.02     RENEWALS

• Wing membership renewals must be handled as a major program with the objective of acquiring all paid membership renewals in advance of the due date, June 30th, annually. Each Wing should have an objective of 100% renewal by June 30th.  Wing executives should ensure the maximum use of telephone, email and mail reminders to obtain renewals where necessary.
• In order to assist Wings in this regard National Headquarters will forward to the Membership Chair during April each year, an initial nominal roll of members in good standing. If requested by the Membership Chair, the nominal roll will be accompanied by a Wing “statement” that can be mailed to each member listed.
• The Membership Chair should ensure that the list is utilized to enable the renewal campaign to be conducted expeditiously. The nominal roll is a record document and it should be retained with the Wing Membership Journal to facilitate preparation of Membership Returns.
• The Membership Chair should thoroughly check the nominal roll and inform National Headquarters of any errors. Concurrently, the pre-printed membership invoice statements (available upon request from National Headquarters), if utilized, should be distributed to individual members after inserting the amount of money the member must remit to the Wing. Extreme care should be taken that statements are not sent to members who have already paid for the new year.
• Final mailed subscriptions for the membership year must be post marked no later than midnight on June 20^th.
• Members who are not reported as renewals by Wings will be cancelled by National Headquarters effective the first day of the new membership year (July 1st). The change in membership status will be posted no later than July 15^th to allow for delay of documents due to processing or delay in transit through the mails.

7.03     CONTINUOUS SERVICE GAPS

• In instances where a member has a gap in continuous service and desires to re-establish continuous service for the long period, payment may be made for the gap in service at a reduced National fee, computed in years and months by National Headquarters. Such payments are to be reported on Membership Returns as follows:  “Payment for gap in service from (date) to (date)”.  National Headquarters will amend membership records accordingly and inform the Wing of the new/revised “date of joining”.
• Wings are required to provide evidence of service from their files or, if such evidence is not available, affidavits of at least 2 regular members attesting to the service claim.

7.04     RENEWAL INCENTIVES GENERALLY

The Association membership renewal incentive program comprises long service lapel       badges, and the opportunity to establish membership for periods where there are gaps   in service

Life-time membership may be purchased to save money; a “Life-time Member” fee          schedule is found on the RCAFA website.

7.05     ACTION ON NON-RENEWAL OF AN ANNUAL WING MEMBER

If a member has not renewed before June 30th, NHQ will include his name on a final nominal roll of non-renewals as soon as practicable following the end of the membership year.  The Wing is required to check the nominal roll and return it to NHQ.  National Headquarters will then approach the member directly to get him to renew as a Member-at-Large.  This latter step will be taken only as a last resort to keep in contact with the member, and Wings will be able to continue their attempts to transfer the member back to the Wing.

7.06     ACTION ON WING NON-RENEWAL OF A LIFE MEMBER

• The bestowment of a Life Membership in the Association gives the member National membership privileges for his lifetime as a Member-at-Large. Additionally, he may be affiliated with a Wing as a Wing member.  It is a Wing decision whether the life member pays Wing annual fees or is given Wing membership annually on a complimentary basis.  Regardless, the life member, if a regular member, must be claimed by the Wing through the issue of a Wing membership card as outlined in article 6.02(5), otherwise he cannot be credited to the Wing for count purposes.
• At the end of each membership year, all Life Members who had Wing affiliation during the previous year are transferred at National Headquarters to a Life Member year suspense record. They are listed under the Wing for the new year only upon receipt of notification on a Wing Membership Return that they have been issued a Wing membership card.
• If at the end of a membership year, a Life Member has not been claimed by a Wing, National Headquarters will transfer him from the Life Member Wing suspense record to Membership-at-Large and will notify the Wing and the member accordingly.

SECTION 8 – WING MEMBERSHIP RETURN SYSTEM

8.01     GENERAL INFORMATION

• This section outlines the Wing membership record requirements and the action/reaction system for Membership Returns involving:

1. a)         maintenance of the Wing Membership Journal;
2. b) submission to NHQ of a monthly Membership Return; and
3. c) response on a copy of the return showing corrections and observations by NHQ to                         enable records to be brought to a mutually similar condition.

• To ensure that the Wing has satisfactory local records the procedures outlined in this section should be supplemented by local procedures and further local records. Ideally, the Membership Chair should keep duplicate records of any membership material which is sent to NHQ so that it will be available for use when required.

8.02     APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP FORMS

Application for membership as a Regular Member may be made on any type of     application form issued by the Association; and must be filed with Wing membership       records.  They are not sent to NHQ.  An application form should also be made for each   reinstatement if the applicant has been delinquent for more than two full membership   years.

8.03     WING MEMBERSHIP JOURNAL

• The Membership Chair shall maintain a journal of all membership applications received. This journal should be a chronological record of every membership transaction that occurs: applications, acceptances, initiations, changes of address, renewals, deaths, transfers, expulsions, etc..  In other words every membership transaction should be recorded for future review, if required.
• This journal may form the entire Wing record of membership for small Wings, or be the original book of entry for a more sophisticated system as required by larger Wings.

8.04     MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP RETURN

• All new members accepted by the Wing shall be forwarded monthly by the Membership Chair to National Headquarters in an official Wing Membership Return Form, accompanied by the first year’s membership dues, less the enrolment fee which shall be retained by the Wing.
• All renewals shall also be included in the monthly return.

8.05     MEMBERSHIP RETURN DRAFTS

• The Membership Chair should draft the monthly return in anticipation of the Return due date.
• Notwithstanding the order in which entries appear in the Wing journal, names should be grouped on the draft in the following order:

1. a) new annual followed by new life;
2. b) annual renewal followed by life renewal;
3. c) transfers;
4. d) address changes;
5. e) requests for replacement cards.

• Returns should be prepared and forwarded in sufficient time to reach NHQ prior to the l5th of each month. This is especially important for the June 30^th

8.06     WING MEMBERSHIP RETURN PREPARATION

• Wing Membership Returns are prepared on Form 1306, Wing Membership Return. A sample completed return is attached as Annex B.  It includes most of the possible transactions and their method of entry.
• It is important that the person completing the return is familiar with the procedures outlined in this Booklet. Many membership returns are submitted with either incorrect information or incorrect values.
• The form should be completed as follows:

1. a) submitted by – this should be the name of the person to whom the National                                    Headquarters responds regardless of who actually sends out the Membership                                   This is important because of variance between Wings – some to the Wing                         Chair, some to the Wing Secretary, others to the Membership Chair or the                                      Membership Secretary.  They would go to the person in the Wing who is                                       currently responsible for membership administration and the full mailing address                          must be used in this block;
2. b) Return identification – in this area show the Wing number, a serial number                                     (beginning with 1 and running chronologically regardless of the year), and the                               date the return was forwarded to NHQ;
3. c) Member entries – list names in the order outlined in para 8.05(2) with Wing                                   Journal cross references, and NHQ nominal roll coding wherever applicable.                                 Coding and names only are sufficient for renewals unless the address is changed;                          however, for any name which does not have a coding, a full address and postal                              code is necessary before the return can be actioned.  All information such as                               deaths, address changes, etc., should be included as it is the only way we have of                            finding out in many instances and of the Wing Journal, but do not have to be in                          order in the return.  Ensure on renewals that the name is shown exactly as on the                            nominal roll, or if that is in error, provide an explanation;
4. d) the year or years to which a fee applies is recorded by placing an X in the                                      appropriate column or columns;
5. e) in particular please double check the pricing you show in the return.  It will save a                         lot of correspondence and if you run out of space on the return form use Form                               1320 Continuation Sheet to finish your return;
6. f) Estimate of Wing Count – please include your estimate of the Wing count based                            on the last NHQ Count received plus members included in returns since that date.                         This line entry will enable a running total to be kept so that National Headquarters                    figures can be kept in agreement with those of the Wing.  Social members may                                     not be counted in part of the Wing Count portion;
7. g) the current non-count membership (Wing associate members) is to be reported in                          the space provided; and
8. h) upon completion of the totalling of the return, the amount remitted should be                                 inserted at the top of the first page.

4          Please ensure you use the latest format of the Wing Membership Return form and discard all previous issues because they will not satisfy current procedures.

8.07     MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION RETURN

1          Monthly membership information exchange is included on the back of the membership     return by the Membership Chair as follows:

1. a) Non computerized membership cards – reconciliation of membership cards on hand is required for audit purposes and to enable National Headquarters personnel             to know when more are required;
2. b) Membership kits – completion of this section will enable membership kits to be kept available in stock at the Wing and let National headquarters know when to             send more.  If miscellaneous kit items have been sold to Wing members they        cannot be claimed, only those issued in kits to new or reinstated members may be claimed for rebate;
3. c) Claim for kits (names) – this is an audit requirement to justify credits for kits issued;
4. d) Campaign items – completion of this section will enable National Headquarters to keep Wings supplied with all the campaign items and forms that may be required; and
5. e) Space is provided for inclusion of the name of an incoming Membership Chair if the one to whom the form is addressed is not the current Chair.  This will enable        National Headquarters to provide full briefing material to the incoming Chair early in his chairmanship thus helping to reduce any problems which might     otherwise arise.

8.08     REMITTANCE WITH MEMBERSHIP RETURNS

• Each Wing must establish a Wing bank account which is described as such on the cheque form used, if it does not, the Wing must inform National Headquarters the number and description of the bank account being used and the names of the authorized signatories.
• Each Wing Membership Return shall be accompanied by a Wing cheque for the amount of the Return. Individual member’s cheques will not be accepted because of the problem of tracing in the event of “non-sufficient funds”.

8.09     WING COUNT

• The Wing count can contain only Wing regular members affiliated with the Wing. Social members cannot be counted, on the basis previously described that a member may be counted only once in National Headquarters records.
• The Wing count is of paramount importance on two occasions during the year – at March 3lst to determine the number of accredited delegates to which the Wing is entitled at the Group Annual Meeting, and June 30th, to determine the number of accredited delegates to which the Wing is entitled at an Association Meeting. As these counts are finalized from the last Wing Membership Return received at the National Headquarters up to 12:01 p.m. immediately after the respective dates, it is very important that returns be forwarded well in advance of those two dates in order to ensure inclusion.
• Recognizing that a continuing dialogue has been established in the return/response system and the Wing count, there should not be a dispute at those dates. The count issued by National Headquarters will not be open to negotiation for any reason.

8.10     MEMBERSHIP RETURN RESPONSE

• Upon arrival at National Headquarters, the Wing Membership Return shall be thoroughly checked. If necessary, correspondence shall be conducted with the Wing to resolve any inconsistencies.  Upon satisfaction of all aspects, the return shall be processed and forwarded to the Office Services clerk for updating of the membership database and address label file.
• Upon completion of these actions the National Headquarters response is recorded on the original copy of the Membership Return along with the membership accounting action resulting from the return. A copy of this is returned as the NHQ response.  This Response confirms Wing count estimate given or outlines corrections to it.  If corrections are outlined and the Wing agrees with them, the revised figures are to be used as the official count.  This is the only way Wing counts can be kept correct.
• The sample membership form at Annex B details the response action.

8.11        MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNTING POLICY

• Separate Wing accounts for membership are maintained at NHQ. Any debit or credit is shown on the NHQ response along with the membership account balance.
• Balances shown in the Membership accounts cannot be used to offset balances in other accounts.

SECTION 9 – MEMBERSHIP MONITORING AND AUDIT

9.01     GENERAL INFORMATION

This section outlines the methods and procedures for monitoring the Wing membership    function and performing the Wing membership audit.

9.02     MEMBERSHIP MONITORING

• Generally the monitoring of the membership function is achieved through the use of the Membership Return by NHQ, however, follow-up is required to ensure effective performance both at NHQ and at Wings.
• Partly because of lateness of Membership Returns the NEC has re-organized the National Membership Sub-Committee and its relationship with Membership Committees right down to Wing level. This has been done to enable Membership Committees at the National, Regional and Group levels to monitor the membership function more effectively.
• At least quarterly, NHQ issues a report in which the comparative monthly membership totals for the previous month are compared to the same month of the previous year. This report also shows which Wings are up-to-date with their membership returns and those that are not.  This report goes to all members of the NEC, to all executives, and to all Wing Chairs.
• Upon receipt of the report, the Group executive member who is closest to a delinquent Wing is required to investigate the matter with the Wing Chair and report results which shall eventually reach the Group Chair. In cases where recovery action is slow, NHQ is required to submit a report to the National Chair.

9.03     MEMBERSHIP AUDIT

• As the executive primarily responsible for the effective operation of the Wing membership administration, the Wing Chair annually in February shall appoint two independent regular members of the Wing to review the administration of membership for the previous year.
• The report, based on review similar to that conducted on Wing financial records, shall be made to the Wing Chair who shall take any corrective action necessary including requests for assistance from the Group level.

ANNEX A      BOOKLET 105

WING MEMBERSHIP JOURNAL

INSERT PAGES

ANNEX B – MEMBERSHIP RETURN

ANNEX C – TEMPCARD 60

ANNEX D – REGULAR MEMBERSHIP DATA