Membership

Want voting rights at the Annual General Meetings, Special Meetings and in online elections? Become an Amnesty member!

Become a Member

Membership Benefits

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Urgent Updates

Timely emails with how you can take action to protect human rights.

Witness your impact

Inspiring stories and photos showing how your support is changing lives.

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Have your say

Help shape the future of Amnesty by contributing your ideas and views.

Become a member

Want voting rights at the Annual General Meetings, Special Meetings and in online elections?

Become an Amnesty member

You must formally notify us of your choice to become a member and make a financial contribution of any amount at least 30 days before the Annual General Meeting. You will then have the right to vote in elections for board members and on resolutions.

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All Amnesty Canada supporters can become members.

What’s the difference?

Supporters

Supporters are the backbone of Amnesty’s activism and campaigns. By donating or taking action, they help drive the movement forward and can engage in many opportunities to organize and lead. However, their role does not extend to voting in formal governance decisions.

  • Contribute financially or through action (e.g., monthly donors, petition signers).
  • Can join committees or take on leadership roles.
  • Can attend regional, annual, and special member meetings in a non-voting capacity.
  • Cannot run for elected positions
  • Cannot vote on resolutions of the Branch
  • Cannot vote in elections for Directors or international representatives

Members

Members hold the organization’s decision-making power. They not only participate in meetings and elections but also shape the leadership and governance of Amnesty International Canada. Membership carries both rights and responsibilities under the Not-for-Profit Act.

  • Must be in good standing to access governance rights.
  • Receive official notification of Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Special Meetings.
  • Can vote at AGMs and Special Meetings.
  • Eligible to run for positions on the Board of Directors.
  • Eligible to run for the delegation to the Global Assembly Meeting.
  • Can vote in elections for Directors and international representatives.
  • Required by Canada’s Not-for-Profit Act to allow their contact information to be shared with other members for certain governance purposes.

If you have questions, please email Member Services directly: members@amnesty.ca.

Global Assembly

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About the Global Assembly (GA)

Every year, a GA is convened, where representatives of each section come together to discuss strategies, policies, vote on International Board members, and share ideas and knowledge to guide the international movement. Previously, this gathering was held every two years and was known as the International Council Meeting (ICM).

AICS(ES) will participate with a delegation made up of the Board President, the Secretary General, and an elected member Delegate. Every third year a Youth Delegate will be added as a fourth member of the delegation.

For more information about

Only members in good standing are eligible to participate in Amnesty governance activities. In order to nominate, run for and vote for a delegate to the GA, you must be a member. To learn more about our membership requirements and to get involved, go to our Membership page.

Nominations

Our definition of membership has changed. Only members are eligible to run for election, nominate candidates and vote. To learn more about Amnesty membership and how to update your status to allow for participation in governance activities, go to amnesty.ca/membership.

The Global Assembly (GA), formerly International Council Meeting (ICM), is our movement’s highest decision-making body and is made up of representatives from the membership entities. The President attends the GA as the Standing Representative along with the Secretary General, or Executive Director, as the second delegate. The third delegate to the GA is elected by the members in accordance with our current Standing Orders and By-Laws.

We are seeking nominations for one delegate to the 2019 Global Assembly. This is a volunteer position and the delegate is expected to commit time for meetings and preparations for attending the GA.

As the GA is now an annual event, and we are committed to this being an elected position, it is necessary to call an election early so that the delegate elected is able to participate fully and be prepared for the GA in 2019. Timelines and activities are outlined below:

  • The 2019 GA will be held the first two weeks of August 2019 (exact dates have not been released)
  • The meeting will run for 3 days and requires the delegate to travel. Recent ICM/GA meetings have been held in Dublin, Rome and Poland.
  • Advance preparation by all members of the delegation can include conference calls and a face-to-face meeting in Ottawa at the AICSES National Office.
  • Preparation will begin in January 2019

Branch members are invited to submit nominations for delegates to the 2019 Global Assembly. To be eligible for selection as a GA delegate, the individual must meet all of the following requirements:

  1. By the time of the forthcoming GA, a candidate must have been an active Amnesty member, in good standing, for not less than four years.
  2. Candidates must expressly affirm, prior to voting (a) their willingness to serve as a delegate and (b) their eligibility, in terms of the requirements outlined above.
  3. Candidates must have demonstrated a familiarity with Amnesty policies, practices and procedures and have fulfilled a leadership role within the Branch for a minimum of two years in one of the following capacities:
    • Member of the Board;
    • Theme, network, country or RAN coordinator;
    • Coordinator of any other major Branch activity;
    • Permanent employee of the Branch;
    • Leadership in youth structure;
    • Fieldworker;
    • Executive member of an Area Support Team;
    • Chair or coordinator of a regional or national working group or committee;
    • Group Chair; or
    • Engagement in relevant human rights issues at the international level.

In addition to completing this online form, candidates must have a nominator willing to be contacted by phone or email to confirm their support.

If you would like your name to appear on the online ballot, this application form and the nominator’s declaration must be received by 4:00pm EST on Nov 23, 2018.

In order to have your candidate statement and video appear on the Amnesty Canada website you must submit your application AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Candidate profiles will be posted starting November 12, 2018.

Nomination Form

For more information please contact the Nominations Committee at nominations@amnesty.ca.

Elections

The online election for the Global Assembly 2019 Member Delegate is open from November 28 to December 5, 2018. All members will receive an email with all instructions and a link to an online election portal – to learn all about membership, go to www.amnesty.ca/membership.

Online Voting System

The online election tool is called OpaVote. This system is user-friendly for both voters and those managing the election. A working group manages the voting process in accordance with Amnesty’s By-laws and Standing Orders. This group is made up of Board Members, staff, Amnesty members and a volunteer who acts as the Chief Returning Officer during the election.

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