Membership

Membership, as clearly stated in article 3 of the MECA Edmonton Constitution reads as follow:

Section 1: MECA Edmonton shall be a membership association opened to the public and to sons and daughters of Manyu origin, and those affiliated to Manyu by other social and legal attachment(s).


Section 2: Membership Eligibility shall respect the following criteria:
2.1: Shall be by virtue of birth in Manyu division.
2.2: Shall be by social or legal affiliation, marriage or adoption.
2.3: Shall be by virtue of interest in the objectives of the Association.
2.4: Shall be opened to persons 18 years and above.
2.5: Shall be resident in Edmonton, except otherwise stated.


Section 3: The following criteria are eligible to an individual to become an active member.
3.1: Membership by virtue of birth, social or legal affiliation: Any one under this category who fulfills all registration requirements shall become a provisional member thereafter.
3.2: All other persons interested in the objectives of the Association. It could either be self-declared or identified by The Association. This membership shall be effective if voted for by at least 2/3 of members present at the General Assembly when the application is made. Thereafter, the said person shall be expected to fulfill all registration requirements in other to activate his/her provisionary membership.
3.3: In both cases, registration is an annual one-time-payment, and a 90-day probationary period beginning from the date of registration, is required to gain full/active membership (additional provisions could be found in the by-laws).
3.4: Membership application forms are open in every meeting.


Section 4: Out-of-Edmonton membership.
Existing members who relocate out of Edmonton shall retain their membership as out-of-Edmonton members. The following conditions shall apply:
4.1: Shall be required to inform the general assembly and to declare his or her desire to acquire such a status.
4.2: Shall contribute towards all activities except otherwise stated.
4.3 Shall contribute towards all activities of MECA with the exemption of monthly meeting entertainment levy.
4.4 Shall contribute towards monthly meeting entertainment only if physically present.


Section 5: Rights of members
Every member shall possess the following rights:
5.1: Shall have freedom of expression and participation in MECA Edmonton events.
5.2: Shall have rights to vote and be voted for.
5.3: Shall have rights to possess a copy of the constitution and by-laws of The Association.
5.4: Shall have rights to enquire on the operation (policies and procedures) of The Association.
5.5: Shall have rights to equal benefits, participation and consideration in the execution of MECA Edmonton activities and projects.


Section 6: Membership obligations.
6.1: Abide by the provisions of the constitution, by-laws and any other decision(s) arrived at by the General Assembly.
6.2: Fulfill all financial obligations as defined in the by-laws.
6.3: Pay an annual development fee and any other levy as stated in the by-laws. The deadline for full payment is April meeting. All new members are exempted from paying development fee for the year they register as member.
6.4: Newly registered members shall accept to abide by the rules and to respect the 90-day probationary period as defined in the by-laws


Section 7: Suspension and lost of membership.
7.1: There shall be no suspension of membership. Members who become inactive and lose their membership shall have to abide by the regulations in force to become members again. They would be required to pay all outstanding debts, if any.
Section 8: Lose of membership.
This shall be any of the following: natural process (dead), withdrawer (termination of membership), Expulsion (dismissal).


8.1: Natural process.
8.1.1: Shall automatically cancel, membership of a deceased member.
8.1.2: Shall be made known as soon as possible, to all MECA Edmonton, information concerning a deceased member, so that appropriate action shall be taken.
8.2: Withdrawer.
8.2.1: Shall submit a letter (or email) to the assembly through the president.
8.2.2: Shall not be in keeping of any document or funds (debt) belonging to the association.
8.2.3: Shall be allowed to reapply as a new member, in which case all conditions for new membership application apply.


8.3: Expulsion.
A member shall be expelled from the association if:
8.3.1: He or she shall misappropriate the association’s funds.
8.3.2: He or she shall misrepresent the association.
8.3.3: He or she shall falsify any association document.
8.3.4: Aggressive comportment (physical or moral abuse) during any of the association gathering.
8.3.5: The decision for expulsion shall be voted for by a simple majority vote of the General Assembly after careful scrutiny by a disciplinary committee.
8.3.6: Upon expulsion the association shall use all legal means at her disposition to collect any outstanding debts, properties or documents from such an individual.
8.3.7: Dismissed members shall not be eligible for readmission within three years, after which they may reapply as a new member, in which case all conditions for new application applies.