Legal Aid Award Protocol
Purpose
The Association has created an Award to recognize significant contributions to the ongoing development and improvement of legal aid anywhere in Canada. This is not necessarily an annual Award, but will be awarded when a suitable recipient has been identified. A suitable recipient may come from within or outside the Association.
Process
At each Annual Meeting of the Association, or at a special meeting of the Association called for this purpose, the granting of a Legal Aid Award may be an Agenda item. Any Provincial or Territorial Legal Aid Plan may nominate an appropriate recipient for the Legal Aid Award and shall provide to the Meeting sufficient background information as to why that Legal Aid Plan has made their nomination. After discussion, a vote shall be taken and each Provincial/Territorial Legal Aid Plan shall be entitled to one vote. In order for the granting of such Legal Aid Award to be approved by the Meeting, the resolution will be by simple majority.
Notification to Recipient
The Chair of the Association, following an Annual Meeting at which a recipient has been chosen, shall notify such recipient that the Association wishes to recognize their contributions to Legal Aid in Canada by inviting the recipient to attend a dinner at the next Annual Meeting of the Association for the purpose of their receiving the Legal Aid Award.
Legal Aid Award Expenses
The Chair of the Association, holding office at the time of the Annual Meeting at which a Legal Aid Award recipient is to be honoured, shall purchase an appropriate gift for the recipient out of such funds as are in the general funds of the Association. The cost of the gift shall not exceed three hundred dollars ($300.00).
June 19, 2012