10 things to know about CMPA Council

Purpose and role of CMPA Council and Councillors:

Council is the governing body (board of directors) of the Association and oversees the management of its affairs.

It is essential that Councillors understand CMPA and the work we do. It is also crucial for Councillors to understand their fiduciary duties and obligations as board members.

While Councillors have oversight of extent of assistance principles, they are not involved in the day-to-day support and guidance provided to members experiencing medico-legal challenges.

Councillors serve as board members with distinct responsibilities. These include approval of the strategic plan, financial oversight, risk identification and mitigation, and CEO oversight.

Fiduciary duty

Councillors support CMPA’s work at a national level and owe a fiduciary duty to the entirety of CMPA and all CMPA members. They do not represent their province or territory, or the specific members from their election area.

As part of their fiduciary duty, Councillors must:

• abide by the duty of confidentiality to CMPA
• act honestly and in good faith
• act in the best interests of CMPA and with skill and care
• avoid conflicts of interest
• judiciously use Council’s powers and CMPA resources

Diversity on Council

We greatly value diversity among Council members. A wide range of perspectives and opinions promotes effective governance and is vital to our ability to respond to the complex, multi-stakeholder environment in which we operate.

We aim for our Council to reflect diversity across characteristics including:

• gender
• age
• sexual orientation and gender identity
• ethnicity and race
• persons with disabilities

Additionally, we seek diversity across medical professionals and representation from the entire country.

Useful experience and attributes

Councillors are physicians in practice who possess one or more of the following:

Ongoing coaching, mentoring, and learning

• New Councillors are partnered with senior Councillor mentors who provide guidance and help them understand their role on Council.
• New Councillors undergo a robust orientation process, in which they learn about CMPA finances, extent of assistance principles, and our decision-making processes. This includes an in-person orientation at CMPA offices in Ottawa, in June and July, and virtual meetings with all senior leaders.
• Councillors have access to multi-modal on-demand learning and in-person educational opportunities. They also have access to CMPA staff who answer questions and provide support.

Time commitment and term length

Councillors commit at least 20 days per year to Council business including:

• 1 day at Annual Meeting (in person)
• 11 days at Council meetings (in person)
• Approx 8 committee days (mix of in-person and virtual)

Additional time is needed for meeting preparation and travel time.

Councillors hold office for a 3-year term, with the term beginning at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting in August. Following the 3-year term, Councillors are eligible for re-election.

Committee work

All Councillors sit on committees, according to their areas of interest, expertise, and needs of the Association.

• Councillors are expected to participate on committees and become knowledgeable about each committee’s purpose and responsibilities.
• On average, Councillors sit on 2 committees each year.

Meeting preparation and attendance

Each Councillor is asked to:

• Prepare for Council and Committee meetings by reading the briefing materials ahead of time. (Meeting packages can range from 30 to several hundred pages, depending on the committee).
• Maintain an excellent Council and Committee meeting attendance record.
• Most committee meetings are hybrid with a combination of virtual and in-person attendance. Council meetings are typically held in-person.

Compensation

• Council members receive honoraria for Association business and travel.
• CMPA reimburses Councillors for all reasonable out-of-pocket travel, accommodation, meal expenses, and childcare costs incurred while on CMPA business.

Regular evaluations to support continuous improvement

• New and returning Councillors receive anonymous feedback from their peers annually. This supports personal development, helps Councillors enhance their strengths, and identifies areas for improvement.
• Incumbent Councillors seeking re-election to Council are evaluated by their committee peers and senior governors. This evaluation assists the Nominating Committee in its work.