Squamish Nation People's Assembly
October 13 & 14, 2023

Notice of People's Assembly Annual General Meeting – October 13 & 14

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Friday, October 13, and Saturday October 14, 2023

Time
October 13 | 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
October 14 | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Location – In-person
North Vancouver
Chief Joe Mathias Centre – 100 Capilano Rd, North Vancouver, BC

Squamish Valley
Totem Hall – 1380 Stawamus Rd, Squamish, BC

Location – Online
Register below by October 10, to receive video streaming link.

Quorum
Quorum for each day of the AGM is 12% of eligible voters (380 Members).

Door Prizes

Four $500 gift cards will be raffled to attendees! Members must pre-register to be eligible to win, and must be in attendance at the time of the raffle. Elected officials and People’s Assembly support staff are not eligible to win.

Childcare & Cultural Wellness

To ensure that Members with young children are able to attend the assembly, childcare will be available. Please indicate on the registration form if you require these services. Cultural wellness services will be also available during the event, for those who need them.

Transportation

Transportation for in-person locations will be available. View pick-up schedule.

To download the People’s Assembly Information Package, including proposed resolutions, please log in.

Proposed Agenda

  1. Meeting Call to Order
  2. Opening - Chairperson/Spokesperson
  3. Final Quorum Count at 6:45 pm (380 Members – 12% of eligible voters)
  4. Approval of Agenda
  5. Guest Keynote Speech (TBA)
  6. Special Business
    • Squamish Nation Audited Financial Statements 2022/23
    • Financial Statements Question & Answer
  7. Meeting Adjournment

Proposed Agenda

  1. Meeting Call to Order
  2. Opening - Chairperson/Spokespersons
  3. Final Quorum Count at 10:45 am (380 Members – 12% of eligible voters)
  4. Approval of Agenda
    • Consent Agenda: Approval July 28, 2023 Minutes
  5. Special Business
    • Member Resolutions
  6. Meeting Adjournment

How is a Members Resolution passed?

Step one: Members are able to propose a resolution at any of the three People’s Assemblies. Council staff are available to assist with preparation of the resolution for presentation at the Assembly.

Step two: If there are no objections to the proposed resolutions, they will be approved when the agenda is voted on by Membership. Consent agenda items would then be approved to move forward to the next stage at the AGM. (Quorum must be met for voting to occur at any assembly.)

Step three: All approved resolutions from the first and second People’s Assemblies will be included in the agenda for the Annual General Meeting (third People’s Assembly of the year).

Step four: As per the Election and Referendum Law, all resolutions must be voted on and ratified at the AGM. If the resolution is approved by a majority of eligible Members present and voting, then staff will be instructed to begin preparing work on the resolution.

A People’s Assembly resolution is also subject to Council’s fiduciary duty to all Squamish Nation Members. In other words, Council is legally obligated to act in the best interests of the Membership as a whole – resolutions will be reviewed to ensure that they align with this responsibility.


The deadline to submit proposed resolutions for the October Annual General Meeting is August 21. If you would like to submit a resolution please email resolutions@squamish.net.

Members who have submitted draft resolutions for the People’s Assembly will be contacted by staff to assist with finalizing and preparing their resolution for presentation at the Assembly.

Register Here

Pre-registration allows staff to verify voter information for Members attending online. Staff will make all attempts to assist Members who do not pre-register before the deadline, but please be advised that there may be some time delays in access.

Frequently Asked Questions

The People’s Assembly is a formal meeting of Membership held according to Chapter 6 of the Squamish Nation Election & Referendum Law. It is held three times a year, presents pre-determined topics (e.g. the annual budget), and a certain number of Members must attend to meet quorum.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is the third People’s Assembly of the year. Any resolutions that were approved at one of the first two People’s Assemblies of the year need to return for final Membership approval at the Annual General Meeting. This year’s Annual General Meeting will be held over two days (October 13 & 14, 2023). On Friday, October 13, there will be a presentation of the audited financial statements, and on Saturday, October 14, Member-submitted resolutions will be brought forward for voting.

Quorum is the minimum number of eligible voting members that must be in attendance for voting to occur. The numbers required for quorum are established in the Election and Referendum Law: the first two assemblies of the year require 5 percent of eligible voters to achieve quorum, and the third assembly of the year (AGM) requires 12 percent of eligible voters to achieve quorum.

Member-submitted resolutions are brought forward for final approval at the AGM – a higher quorum number ensures that the resolutions that proceed are aligned with will of the people. As of right now, there are 3169 Squamish Nation Members of eligible voting age, so the October Annual General Meeting will require 380 Members (12 per cent of eligible voters) to attend to reach quorum.

Show up early! The meeting starts exactly at 6:00 pm on Friday, October 13 and 10:00 am on Saturday, October 14. Quorum must be established within 45 minutes of these start times, otherwise the meeting will adjourn and no voting will occur. It is important to arrive early to sign in and receive voting instructions.

The Assemblies provide an opportunity for Members to present resolutions on important items. Do you have an idea that would benefit the community? Have you identified something that needs to be changed? Submit a People’s Assembly resolution! It is important that as many Members attend the Assemblies as possible – your vote matters! Attending a People’s Assembly is a great way to get involved and stay updated on important information.
A resolution is a formal decision of the Membership, voted on by a quorum of Members at an assembly. A resolution can bring an idea forward, call for a change in process, or request work to be done on a certain item. Resolutions provide leadership a clear understanding of the will of the people as it relates to a certain topic.

If you are interested in submitting a resolution, email resolutions@squamish.net by August 21, 2023.

Staff will send you a resolution template and assist you in preparing your resolution. Make sure to submit your resolution as early as possible so that staff have time to help you develop a strong resolution.

First, a resolution must be passed at a People’s Assembly, either by a majority of Members voting in favour, or through the approval of a consent agenda. If there is no opposition at the time of voting on the agenda, consent agenda items would be approved to move forward to the next stage. Then, the resolution is included in the agenda for the Annual General Meeting (third People’s Assembly of the year) and must be approved by a majority of eligible voters present and voting.

A People’s Assembly resolution is also subject to Council’s fiduciary duty to all Squamish Nation Members. In other words, Council is legally obligated to act in the best interests of the Membership as a whole– resolutions will be reviewed to ensure that they align with this responsibility.

Yes! The October Annual General Meeting will be held in person at Totem Hall and Chief Joe Mathias Centre, and online via Zoom. Online attendees must register in advance to receive the meeting link. All eligible Members attending online will be able to vote.

Everyone is welcome to speak at a People’s Assembly. To keep discussion on track and make sure everyone has a chance to share, each eligible voter is allowed to speak for a maximum of two minutes when asking a question or making a statement. This is outlined in the Election & Referendum Law.

Contact Chair & Council Office staff at cco@squamish.net or 604-980-4553.

Main Office

320 Seymour Blvd
North Vancouver, BC, V7L 4J5
604-980-4553

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