YGC Council Elections — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements to be a contestant for a YGC Council position?

To be eligible for a position, you must:

  • be a YGC member on the date of your nomination

  • be under the age of 29 at the close of the voting period (July 20th)

  • submit a completed, legible nomination package by the close of the nomination window (April 30th)

If you are applying for a Provincial or Territorial Representative position, you must reside in the province or territories that you are seeking to represent for at least eight months per year.
 

What is the deadline to apply to be a contestant?

11:59pm PST on April 30th, 2018.
 

Which positions are up for election this year?

All Council positions are up for election this year! However, keep in mind that the new bylaws require each province and the territories to have a minimum of ten YGC members within their borders by the end of the nomination period (April 30th) in order to be eligible to elect a representative. Provinces that do not currently meet the minimum threshold are:

  • Nova Scotia (9)

  • New Brunswick (8)

  • Saskatchewan (6)

  • Prince Edward Island (1)

  • Newfoundland and Labrador (1)

  • the Territories (1)

The current YGC Council will be working with the National Youth Coordinator throughout the nomination window to encourage youth in these provinces and territories to sign up as Young Greens members, with the goal of bringing each up to the minimum threshold of ten members. If you see your province on this list and aren’t signed up yet — click here to register!
 

How long are the terms for YGC Council positions?

This year, the YGC membership voted to accept a new set of proposed bylaws that have made significant changes to how the YGC Council operates. One of the biggest changes was a move to two year terms for all positions, with a staggered election cycle that sees half of the positions elected in even numbered years, and the other half in odd numbered years.

However, in order to move into this new system, all positions that make up the Council are up for election this year. This means that some positions will, for this election cycle only, serve one year terms instead of two years and be eligible for reelection in Spring 2019. This applies to the Representative positions for Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Territories, along with one of the two Co-Chair positions. All other positions will serve two year terms and be eligible for reelection in Spring 2020.
 

How many people do I need to get nominations from in order to become a contestant?

This depends on the position you are applying for. To apply for a Co-Chair position, you must receive nominations from ten YGC members, representing at least two provinces and/or territories.

Provincial and Territories Representative positions have different requirements depending on the number of YGC members in the province or territories. The requirements for 2018 are:

  • 5 nominators: Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario

  • 3 nominators: Manitoba

  • 2 nominators: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Territories, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan
     

Where can I learn more about the responsibilities of a Council position?

Read job descriptions for each position here.
 

Who can be a Co-Chair, and what do you mean by “self-identifying cis man”?

YGC Council has two Co-Chair positions, and in the interest of supporting gender parity and diversity, it is required that at least one of the two positions is not held by a self-identifying cisgender man. Being cisgender means that your gender identity matches the sex you were assigned at birth, so a cisgender man identifies as a man and was assigned male at birth. We do not make assumptions regarding an individual’s gender identity and ask that applicants indicate whether they identify as a cis man on their nomination forms if they are comfortable doing so.
 

Can I run for Provincial or Territories Representative and Co-Chair at the same time?

No. Contestants may run for only one position per election cycle.
 

Okay, I’m ready to apply! What’s next?

Awesome! Fill out the nomination form here.
 

You haven’t answered my question! What do I do?

Sorry about that! You might find the answer to your question in the full set of rules governing the 2018 YGC Council elections. If you still need assistance, email us at governance@greenparty.ca and we’ll be happy to help!