Branch President Roles & Responsibilities
Roles and Responsibilities of
the Branch President
Revised – 13 December 2023
The People Behind the Poppy
This training package is designed to introduce new
and existing Branch Presidents to the various
resources available to them and to ensure they are
cognizant of their roles & responsibilities.
This package must be read in conjunction with the
General By-Laws of the Royal Canadian Legion,
Alberta-Northwest NWT Command By-Laws and its
Manual of Information.
The People Behind the Poppy
As the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Branch,
you must exemplify the fundamental qualities of
leadership to the membership.
You must remember that you are not alone; you can and
should take advantage of your fellow officers, other
Branch Presidents, the District Commander and Command
Council. Look to them for ideas, discuss with them
matters of importance to your Branch and the Legion in
general. The future of your Branch is in your hands.
The People Behind the Poppy
Your role and what Command
Council expects of you
The People Behind the Poppy
As the Senior elected officer in the Branch, the President must be
responsive to the Branch members and act in the best interest of
the Branch as a whole. You must be a leader who is willing to
make difficult decisions, be willing to delegate your responsibilities
when required, and you must act responsibly.
The most irresponsible errors Branch Presidents often make are
executing arbitrary decisions without consulting with the Branch
Executive nor the General Membership. Branch Presidents do not
possess Executive authority over decision making especially when
making financial expenditures. In the vast majority of cases,
approval of the General Membership is required. You must always
keep this in mind during the decision-making process.
Your role and what Command
Council expects of you
The People Behind the Poppy
You are expected to attend District Rallies (2 per year)
and, where financially feasible, biennial Provincial (odd
numbered years) and Dominion Conventions (even
numbered years).
You should take full advantage of these opportunities to
speak with other Branch Presidents and to share ideas
and problems. In your absence, a Vice President should
attend as your representative.
Your role and what Command
Council expects of you
The President’s Role
Without a doubt, the most important role is to assist the District
Commander in ensuring that the Branch maintains its Good Standing
status with Alberta-NWT Command and, as a result, the Alberta
Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC). You can assist the District
Commander and Command Council by ensuring that:
The Branch conforms to and carries out all requirements of
Dominion Command in respect to:
Payment and deposit of per capita tax; and
The processing of membership applications and renewals.
The names and contact information of all Branch Executive
Committee members are duly provided to Alberta –NWT Command
anytime changes are made.
The People Behind the Poppy
The President’s Role
The minutes of all Executive and General Meetings (including Financial
Statements) are forwarded to the District Commander in a timely manner.
Annual Poppy Trust Fund Statements are submitted to Alberta-Northwest
Command, with an information copy to the District Commander, not later
than January 31
st
for the previous “Poppy Year”.
Year End Financial Statements including a Balance Sheet are submitted
annually to the Alberta-Northwest Command Accountant, with an
information copy to the appropriate District Commander, not later than
May 31
st
for the previous year in an accepted formatted.
The positions of
President, Vice President, Treasurer, Poppy Chair and
Service Officer are
continually filled
, whether elected or appointed, as
allowed by your Branch By-Laws. Non-compliance is to be immediately
reported to your District Commander for direction.
The People Behind the Poppy
All Branches are under the discipline of Alberta-
Northwest NWT Command (
see Article 601 of the
General By-Laws).
The command, name and the branch number, in that
order, shall be shown in the designation of every
branch.
Subject to the provisions of the General By-Laws,
branches shall adopt By-Laws to govern their affairs.
The normal channel of communication for all Branch
members, including the Executive Committee, shall
be from a member, to the Branch, from the Branch to
the District Commander, and from the District
Commander to Alberta-Northwest NWT Command
(see Article 110 of the General By-Laws).
The People Behind the Poppy
The Branch
The Do’s and Don’ts of your Branch’s Poppy
Trust Fund?
Remember that funds in the Poppy Trust Fund do not belong to the
Branch; these are funds, held in trust, on behalf of the public. It is the
Branch President’s responsibility to ensure that these funds are kept in a
separate bank account, accounted for in accordance with Command
direction and have a separate book of accounts.
Poppy Funds shall not be reflected in any other Branch Financial
Statements (i.e. counted as an asset on Income Statements).
While it is the Poppy Trust Chair’s responsibility to ensure all
recommendations for expenditures are compliant with the Poppy Manual,
the President must have the knowledge to verify this information before
the request is presented to the General Membership and sent to the
District Commander. The President must ensure that the Poppy Trust Fund
Chair uses only the forms provided by AB-NWT Command website (the
form in the Poppy Manual is merely an example and is not to be used by
the Branches).
The People Behind the Poppy
Your Branch By-Laws
As the President, you must be totally familiar with your
Branch By-Laws and the financial limitations they may place on
your spending authority?
All Branch By-Laws shall be reviewed or amended within
the past three years. Prior to the three year expiration date,
review them, make any necessary changes, have them approved at
a General Meeting and pass them to the Command Office (through
your District Commander) for the Constitution & Laws Committee’s
perusal and the President’s approval.
Command Council recommends all Branches use the
Standard Branch By-Laws, contained as Appendix “B” to the AB-
NWT Command By-Laws, as a template. They contain sufficient
information for the vast majority of AB-NWT Branches.
The People Behind the Poppy
Council & You
As Red Green always said: “We’re all in this
together”.
When you need assistance or have questions, your
Deputy/District Commander, Command Council SEOs
and the Command Office staff are all readily available
to assist you to ensure you are successful. Please do
not hesitate to contact us.
The People Behind the Poppy
The People Behind the Poppy
REFERENCES:
Alberta-NWT Command
2020 – 15 Street NW Calgary, AB T2M 3N8
P: 403-284-1161 / F:403-284-9899
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Monday through Friday
https://abnwtlegion.com/members/publications/
Dominion Command
86 Aird Place Ottawa, ON K2L 0A1
TF: 1-888-556-6222 / 1‑613‑591‑3335 / Fax: 1‑613‑591‑9335
Membership: 1-855-330-3344 / Branches Supply: 1-888-301-2257
Members Supply: 1-888-301-2268
www.legion.ca
http://portal.legion.ca/branch-and-command-resources
http://www.legion.ca/who-we-are/how-we-operate/by-laws-and-publications
Legion Magazine: 1-613-591-0116
Alberta Gaming & Liquor Control Board
50 Corriveau Avenue St. Albert, AB T8N 3T5
TF:
1-800-272-8876
http://aglc.ca
This training package outlines the essential duties of a Branch President within the Royal Canadian Legion, emphasizing leadership qualities, decision-making processes, and compliance with organizational regulations. The President's pivotal role in maintaining the Branch's standing and fostering collaboration with Command Council is highlighted.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
You are allowed to download the files provided on this website for personal or commercial use, subject to the condition that they are used lawfully. All files are the property of their respective owners.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Roles and Responsibilities of the Branch President Revised 13 December 2023 The People Behind the Poppy
This training package is designed to introduce new and existing Branch Presidents to the various resources available to them and to ensure they are cognizant of their roles & responsibilities. This package must be read in conjunction with the General By-Laws of the Royal Canadian Legion, Alberta-Northwest NWT Command By-Laws and its Manual of Information. The People Behind the Poppy
Your role and what Command Council expects of you As the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Branch, you must exemplify the fundamental qualities of leadership to the membership. You must remember that you are not alone; you can and should take advantage of your fellow officers, other Branch Presidents, the District Commander and Command Council. Look to them for ideas, discuss with them matters of importance to your Branch and the Legion in general. The future of your Branch is in your hands. The People Behind the Poppy
Your role and what Command Council expects of you As the Senior elected officer in the Branch, the President must be responsive to the Branch members and act in the best interest of the Branch as a whole. You must be a leader who is willing to make difficult decisions, be willing to delegate your responsibilities when required, and you must act responsibly. The most irresponsible errors Branch Presidents often make are executing arbitrary decisions without consulting with the Branch Executive nor the General Membership. Branch Presidents do not possess Executive authority over decision making especially when making financial expenditures. In the vast majority of cases, approval of the General Membership is required. You must always keep this in mind during the decision-making process. The People Behind the Poppy
Your role and what Command Council expects of you You are expected to attend District Rallies (2 per year) and, where financially feasible, biennial Provincial (odd numbered years) and Dominion Conventions (even numbered years). You should take full advantage of these opportunities to speak with other Branch Presidents and to share ideas and problems. In your absence, a Vice President should attend as your representative. The People Behind the Poppy
The Presidents Role Without a doubt, the most important role is to assist the District Commander in ensuring that the Branch maintains its Good Standing status with Alberta-NWT Command and, as a result, the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC). You can assist the District Commander and Command Council by ensuring that: The Branch conforms to and carries out all requirements of Dominion Command in respect to: Payment and deposit of per capita tax; and The processing of membership applications and renewals. The names and contact information of all Branch Executive Committee members are duly provided to Alberta NWT Command anytime changes are made. The People Behind the Poppy
The Presidents Role The minutes of all Executive and General Meetings (including Financial Statements) are forwarded to the District Commander in a timely manner. Annual Poppy Trust Fund Statements are submitted to Alberta-Northwest Command, with an information copy to the District Commander, not later than January 31stfor the previous Poppy Year . Year End Financial Statements including a Balance Sheet are submitted annually to the Alberta-Northwest Command Accountant, with an information copy to the appropriate District Commander, not later than May 31st for the previous year in an accepted formatted. The positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Poppy Chair and Service Officer are continually filled, whether elected or appointed, as allowed by your Branch By-Laws. Non-compliance is to be immediately reported to your District Commander for direction. The People Behind the Poppy
The Branch All Branches are under the discipline of Alberta- Northwest NWT Command (see Article 601 of the General By-Laws). The command, name and the branch number, in that order, shall be shown in the designation of every branch. Subject to the provisions of the General By-Laws, branches shall adopt By-Laws to govern their affairs. The normal channel of communication for all Branch members, including the Executive Committee, shall be from a member, to the Branch, from the Branch to the District Commander, and from the District Commander to Alberta-Northwest NWT Command (see Article 110 of the General By-Laws). The People Behind the Poppy
The Dos and Donts of your Branchs Poppy Trust Fund? Remember that funds in the Poppy Trust Fund do not belong to the Branch; these are funds, held in trust, on behalf of the public. It is the Branch President s responsibility to ensure that these funds are kept in a separate bank account, accounted for in accordance with Command direction and have a separate book of accounts. Poppy Funds shall not be reflected in any other Branch Financial Statements (i.e. counted as an asset on Income Statements). While it is the Poppy Trust Chair s responsibility to ensure all recommendations for expenditures are compliant with the Poppy Manual, the President must have the knowledge to verify this information before the request is presented to the General Membership and sent to the District Commander. The President must ensure that the Poppy Trust Fund Chair uses only the forms provided by AB-NWT Command website (the form in the Poppy Manual is merely an example and is not to be used by the Branches). The People Behind the Poppy
Your Branch By-Laws Branch By-Laws and the financial limitations they may place on your spending authority? As the President, you must be totally familiar with your the past three years. Prior to the three year expiration date, review them, make any necessary changes, have them approved at a General Meeting and pass them to the Command Office (through your District Commander) for the Constitution & Laws Committee s perusal and the President s approval. All Branch By-Laws shall be reviewed or amended within Standard Branch By-Laws, contained as Appendix B to the AB- NWT Command By-Laws, as a template. They contain sufficient information for the vast majority of AB-NWT Branches. Command Council recommends all Branches use the The People Behind the Poppy
Council & You As Red Green always said: We re all in this together . When you need assistance or have questions, your Deputy/District Commander, Command Council SEOs and the Command Office staff are all readily available to assist you to ensure you are successful. Please do not hesitate to contact us. The People Behind the Poppy
REFERENCES: Alberta-NWT Command 2020 15 Street NW Calgary, AB T2M 3N8 P: 403-284-1161 / F:403-284-9899 Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Monday through Friday https://abnwtlegion.com/members/publications/ Dominion Command 86 Aird Place Ottawa, ON K2L 0A1 TF: 1-888-556-6222 / 1-613-591-3335 / Fax: 1-613-591-9335 Membership: 1-855-330-3344 / Branches Supply: 1-888-301-2257 Members Supply: 1-888-301-2268 www.legion.ca http://portal.legion.ca/branch-and-command-resources http://www.legion.ca/who-we-are/how-we-operate/by-laws-and-publications Legion Magazine: 1-613-591-0116 Alberta Gaming & Liquor Control Board 50 Corriveau Avenue St. Albert, AB T8N 3T5 TF: 1-800-272-8876 http://aglc.ca The People Behind the Poppy
