AIA Members Vote for Change, New Bylaws Enacted

Members of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA) attended a special general meeting of members on June 12, 2009 at the Renaissance Toronto Airport Hotel in Toronto to vote on a new set of bylaws and letters patent. In addition more than 61 additional companies provided proxies received in advance of the meeting providing more than the 70 member companies required for a quorum.

The proposed changes to the AIA bylaws included moving from a 26 person board of two year terms to 14 positions for a three year term. The new structure will allow for an engaged, skilled-based board-focused around the association’s strategic needs. While these changes do mean no automatic seats on the Board, the need for grass roots connections will remain essential.

Chairman of the Board, John Watt stated, “The role and importance of AIA’s divisions under the new governance structure for AIA should not and cannot be overstated or over-emphasized. In fact, I believe that the new board of directors of the association needs to be comprised of directors who are prepared to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by our divisions today and tomorrow and who are prepared to be engaged with them on a direct basis”. As a result of this need, the Division Advisory Committee will be one of only three standing committees that form the governance structure.

In addition to voting on the changes to the AIA bylaws, members were also asked to vote on the approval of the application for supplementary letters patent. The current letters patent for the Association had not been changed for many years and were no longer pertinent to how the Association operates. Both motions were voted on and approved unanimously with 84 votes (member companies) in favor and 0 opposed.

For more information on the approved By-Law changes and Supplementary Letters Patent, visit www.aiacanada.com.