Provincial Executive Council sets timelines for 2025 general election

Highlights of the Provincial Executive Council meeting held June 13–14, 2024, Barnett House, Edmonton

1. Set March 14, 2025, as the date for the announcement of the voting results of the 2025 Provincial Executive Council general election. The deadline for nominations for the general election is January 4, 2025, and voting, which will be conducted by electronic vote, will take place March 10–13, 2025.
2. Approved the 2025 School Board Elections Plan, which focuses on a provincial website and a targeted online advertising campaign for local activities, general promotion of school board elections using existing communication channels, candidate recruitment efforts, training for prospective trustee candidates and follow-up work with new trustees.
3. Declared in effect amendments to the General Bylaws, as set out in Electoral Ballots 8 and 11 of 2023 and approved by the 2024 Annual Representative Assembly. Electoral Ballot 8 amended general bylaw 39 to reflect changes in the structure of the secretariat and more explicitly include in general bylaws the existing power of Council to designate an acting executive secretary, given that there are presently two associate executive secretaries. Electoral Ballot 11 amended general bylaw 4 by creating a new subcategory of membership, which will attract and facilitate a higher level of participation for otherwise ineligible members while allowing the Association to charge additional fees to cover associated costs.
4.  Authorized the Association to recommend to the Government of Alberta the reappointment of Greg Francis to the board of the Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund for an additional term.
5. Dissolved the Alberta School Learning Commons Council (ASLC) and rescinded its constitution; authorized that the $15,000 recovered from the ASLC be used to purchase inclusive book bins for the ATA library and expand the current inclusive text workshop offerings; approved that other possible activities to continue support to members that are listed in the trustee’s report be referred to staff for consideration and possible inclusion in future emphases and prognoses; and dismissed the trustee with thanks.
6. Set the timelines for recruitment of three executive staff officer positions and appointed members to each selection committee.
7. Authorized the transfer of $400,000 cash from the general operating fund to the capital fund prior to the end of the 2023/24 fiscal year. 
8. Authorized an overexpenditure of up to $6,250 to produce new Association convention booth backdrops.
9. Authorized an overexpenditure of $5,000 in seed money to support the 2025 UNESCO student conference hosted by Ecole Olds High School.
10. Authorized that an overpayment of $6,000 made to the Canadian Teachers’ Federation for the 2025 Project Overseas program be returned to the Association.
11. Amended the Standard Constitution for Convention Associations, and all active convention association constitutions, to include that the assigned district representative and/or assigned staff officer must be in attendance in order for convention associations to have quorum.
12. Amended the administrative guidelines to update the standard provincial convention guest registration fees.
13. Approved amendments to the Standard Local and Sublocal Constitution to remove the clause requiring a two-thirds majority vote of Provincial Executive Council to appoint an official trustee.
14. Approved the draft Association calendar for 2024/25, and provisionally approved the draft Association calendars for 2025/26 and 2026/27, for finalization by staff and posting.
15. Approved field member committee and representation assignments for 2024/25; extended the terms of two field members to the Diversity, Equity and Human Rights Committee; and amended the Council member assignments to two specialist councils.
16. Amended the frame of reference of the Indigenous Education Committee.