sOCIETY BY-LAWS

Societies Act

These Bylaws have been approved by Nova Scotia Joint Stocks, per the Societies Act.

Definitions

  1. In these by-laws:

(a) “Society” means (society name)

(b) “Registrar” means the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies appointed under the Nova Scotia Companies Act.

(c) “Special Resolution” means a resolution passed by not less than three-fourths of such members entitled to vote as are present in person or by proxy, where proxies are allowed, at a general meeting of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a special resolution has been duly given.

Membership Rights and Responsibilities

2. The Society is ultimately accountable to the members of the Society.

3. Every member is entitled to attend any members’ meeting of the Society.

4. Every member may vote at any members’ meeting of the Society after they have attended at least one previous members’ meeting.

5. Any member of legal age is entitled to hold any office.

6. Membership in the Society shall consist of:

a. the minimum of 5 subscribers to the Memorandum of Association,

b. those who support the objects of the Society,

c. those whose name and address is written in the Register of Members by the secretary,

d. those who pay an annual fee in an amount to be determined by the Society, and/or

e. those who reside in the geographic area of Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island)

and/or

f. other: those of legal age.

7. Membership in the Society is not transferable.

8. Membership in the Society shall cease:

a. upon death, or

b. if the member resigns by written notice to the Society, or

c. if the member ceases to qualify for membership in accordance with these by-laws, or

d. if, by a vote of the majority of the members of the society or a majority vote of the Directors of the Society at a meeting duly called and for which notice of the proposed action has been given, the Member’s membership in the Society has been terminated.

9. The members may repeal, amend or add to these by-laws by a special resolution which then must be ratified by a majority vote of the Directors of the Society at a meeting duly called and for which notice of the proposed action has been given. No by-law or amendment to by-laws shall take effect until the Registrar approves of it.

10 No funds of the society shall be paid to or be available for the personal benefit of any member.

Members’ Meetings

11. Every member, subject to by-law 4, shall have one vote and no more and there shall be proxy voting.

12. A general or special meeting of the members may be held at any time and shall be called: (a) if requested by the chair, or

a. if requested by a majority of the directors, or

b. if requested in writing by 35% of the members.

13. Notice to members is required for general or special meetings.

The notice must:

a. specify the date, place and time of the meeting,

b. be given to the members twenty (20) days prior to the meeting,

c. be given to the members by newsletters, newspapers, television, radio, e-mail, telephone, fax and/or other electronic means,

d. specify the nature of business, such as the intention to propose a special resolution, and

e. the non-receipt of notice by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings.

14. An annual general meeting shall be held within three months after every fiscal year end and notice is required which must:

a. specify the date, place and time of the meeting,

b. be given to the members thirty (30) days prior to the meeting,

c. be given to the members by newsletters, newspapers, television, radio, e-mail, telephone, fax and/or other electronic means,

d. specify the intention to propose a special resolution, and

e. the non-receipt of notice by any member shall not invalidate the proceedings.

15. At the annual general meeting of the Society the following items of business shall be dealt with and shall be deemed ordinary business and all other business transacted shall be deemed special business:

a. minutes of the previous annual general meeting,

b. consideration of the annual report of the directors,

c. consideration of the annual financial report of the Society,

d. the appointment of auditors for the ensuing year, and

e. election of directors,

16. Quorum shall consist of 12% of members. No business shall be conducted at any meeting unless a quorum is present to open the meeting and, upon request, before any vote.

17. If a meeting is convened as per by-law 12(a) or 12(b) and quorum is not present within one-half hour from the time appointed for the meeting, it shall be adjourned to such time and place as a majority of the members present shall decide. Notice of the new meeting shall be given and at the adjourned meeting the members present shall constitute quorum only for the purpose of winding up the Society.

a. If a meeting is convened at the request of the members as per by-law 12(c) and quorum is not present within one-half hour from the time appointed for the meeting, it shall be dissolved.

18. The President, or in his/her/their absence, the Vice-President, or in the absence of both of them, any member appointed from among those present, shall preside as Chair at members’ meetings.

19. Where there is an equality of votes the Chair shall have a casting vote in addition to the vote he/she/they has as a member.

20. The Chair may, with the consent of the meeting, adjourn any meeting. No business shall be transacted at the subsequent meeting other than the business left unfinished at the adjourned meeting unless notice of such new business is given to the members.

21. At any meeting a declaration by the Chair that a resolution has been carried is sufficient unless a poll is demanded by at least three members. If a poll is demanded it shall be held by show of hands or by secret ballot as the Chair may decide.

Directors

22. Any member of the society shall be eligible to be elected or appointed a director of the Society and a director of the society shall be a member.

23. The number of directors shall be no less than five (5) and not more than twenty (20). The subscribers to the Memorandum of Association of the Society shall be the first directors of the Society.

24. 30% of the directors will be elected by the membership. Directors shall retire from office at the end of each annual general meeting at which their successors are elected or appointed. Retiring directors shall be eligible for re-election. Directors shall be elected to one year terms. 70% of the directors will be appointed by the board with a two-thirds vote of the directors. Appointed directors will retire from office at the end of each annual general meeting at which their successors are appointed. Retiring directors shall be eligible to be appointed or elected for consecutive terms. Directors shall be appointed to two year terms, with one-half of the appointed directors appointed each year.

25. If a director resigns his/her/their office or ceases to be a member in the Society, his/her/their office as director shall be vacated and the vacancy may be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by the board of directors from among the members of the Society. By a two-thirds vote the directors could choose to reduce the board size, provided the number of directors stays between 5 and 20.

26. The members may, by special resolution, remove any director and appoint another person to complete the term of office. Grounds for termination of a director includes but is not limited to

Acting in a way which is not compatible with the Society’s objectives,

Missing three (3) directors meetings a year without regrets,

Missing half of the directors meetings a year for any reason.

27. The management of the Society is the responsibility of the directors. In particular, the directors may engage a General Manager, and determine his/her/their duties, responsibilities and remuneration.

28. The directors may appoint an executive committee and other committees as they see fit.

29. Directors who have, or could reasonably be seen to have, a conflict of interest have a duty to declare this interest. The declaration should be made to the members

(a) upon nomination, and

(b) if serving as a director, when the possibility of a conflict is realized.

30. A conflict of interest does not prevent a member from serving as a director provided that he/she/they withdraws from the decision making on matters pertaining to that interest. The withdrawal should be recorded in the minutes.

Directors’ Meetings

31. The board of directors shall meet no less than 10 times each year.

32. A meeting of directors may be held at the close of every annual general meeting without notice for the purpose of electing officers. For all other board meetings, notice is required and must:

(a) specify the date, place and time of the meeting,

(b) be given to the directors twenty (20) days prior to the meeting,

(c) be given to the directors by newsletters, radio, public bulletin boards, e-mail, telephone, fax and/or other electronic means,

(d) the non-receipt of notice by any director shall not invalidate the proceedings.

(e) Notice can be waived for board meetings with the unanimous approval of the Board.

33. Quorum shall consist of 60% of the directors. No business shall be conducted at any meeting of the board of directors unless a quorum is present to open the meeting and, upon request, before any vote.

34. The President or, in his/her/their absence, the Vice-President or, in the absence of both of them, any director appointed from among the directors shall preside as Chair of the Board.

35. At directors’ meetings, where there is an equality of votes the Chair shall have a casting vote in addition to the vote he/she/they has as a member.

Officers

36. The officers shall be elected by the directors and shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer and a Corporate Secretary. The offices of Treasurer and Corporate Secretary may be combined.

37. One of the officers shall be the President. The President shall be responsible for the effectiveness of the board and shall perform other duties as assigned by the members or the directors.

38. One of the officers shall be the Vice-President. The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the Chair during the absence, illness or incapacity of the President, or when the Chair may request him/her to do so.

39. One of the officers shall be the Corporate Secretary. The Corporate Secretary shall:

(a) have responsibility for the preparation and custody of all books and records including:

1. the minutes of members’ meetings,

2. the minutes of directors’ meetings,

3. the register of members, and

4. filing the annual requirements with the office of the Registrar, and

(b) have custody of the Seal, if any, which may be affixed to any document upon resolution of the board of directors, and

(c) file with the Registrar:

within fourteen (14) days of their election or appointment, a list of directors with their addresses, occupations, and dates of appointment or election

a copy of every special resolution within fourteen (14) days after the resolution is passed, and

(d) have other duties as assigned by the board.

40. The directors may also appoint a Recording Secretary

(a) who is responsible for taking minutes of all board and members’ meetings, and

(b) who need not be a director.

41. One of the officers shall be the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have responsibility for the custody of all financial books and records of the Society, and carry out all other duties as assigned by the board.

42. Contracts, deeds, bills of exchange and other instruments and documents may be executed on behalf of the Society by the President or the Vice-President and the Corporate Secretary, or otherwise as prescribed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

Finance

43. The fiscal year end of the Society shall be the last day of January.

44. The directors shall annually present to the members a written report on the financial position of the Society. The report shall be in the form of:

(a) a balance sheet showing its assets, liabilities and equity, and

(b) a statement of its income and expenditure in the preceding fiscal year.

45. A copy of the financial report shall be signed by the auditor or by two directors.

46. A signed copy of the financial report shall be filed with the Registrar within fourteen (14) days after each annual meeting.

47. An auditor of the Society may be appointed by the members at the annual general meeting and, if the members fail to appoint an auditor, the directors may do so.

48. The Society may only borrow money as approved by a special resolution of the members.

49. The members may inspect the annual financial statements and minutes of membership and directors meetings at the registered office of the Society with one week’s notice. All other books and records of the Society may be inspected by any member at any reasonable time within two days prior to the annual general meeting at the registered office of the Society.

50. Directors and officers shall serve without remuneration and shall not receive any profit from their positions. However, a director or officer may be paid reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of his/her/their duties.

51. The Society shall not make loans, guarantee loans or advance funds to any director.

52. Subject to the provisions of the Nova Scotia Societies Act, every director or senior officer of his/her/their heirs, executors and administrators, and estate and effects, respectively, shall at all ties be indemnified and saved harmless out of the funds of the Society, from and against:

all costs, charges and expenses whatever that such director or officer sustains or occurs in or out of any action, suit or proceeding that is brought, commended or prosecuted against the director or officer, for or in respect to any act, deed, matter or thing whatever, made, done or permitted by the director or officer in or about the execution of the duties of his/her/their office, and

all costs, charges and expenses that the director or officer sustains or incurs in or about or in relation to the affairs thereof.

Internal Policies

53. In addition to the Societies Act and the Nova Scotia Psychedelic Society governing documents (by-laws, memorandum of association), the Nova Scotia Psychedelic Society’s internal policies govern the operation of the society.

The Nova Scotia Psychedelic Society (NSPS) is governed by the rules in the Societies Act and the Bylaws of NSPS. The Internal Policies are to be considered additional guidelines, intended to outline its protocols. Nothing stated in the Internal Policies can contradict the Societies Act or Bylaws.

Definitions

‘NSPS’ - Nova Scotia Psychedelic Society

‘NSPS Representative’ - NSPS staff and board members

‘Member’ - Official member under the Societies Act

‘Community Member’ - Informal member, still follows ‘Membership Policy’

‘Committee’ - An official, Chaired group with specific goals and tasks to accomplish (eg: plan events, write grants, etc).

‘Council’ - An official, Chaired group meant to guide and support NSPS with knowledge, experience, wisdom and connections (eg: keep the ethics of NSPS intact through advising and reviewing on all areas health and medicine)

‘COI’ - An abbreviation for Conflict of Interest

‘AGM’ - An abbreviation for Annual General Meeting, as outlined in the bylaws.

“Send regrets” - For an individual to notify NSPS that they cannot fulfill their commitments in a timely manner, with an explanation and steps to rectify the absence.

Membership Policy

Members agree that at NSPS events and on NSPS online platforms they will treat other members in a respectful manner. Disagreement and compassionate discourse are welcome, Ad hominem tactics are not.

Members agree to not break the law or encourage others to break the law at NSPS events or through NSPS’s online platforms. Members also agree that should they break the law at NSPS events or through NSPS’s online platforms the member will accept all responsibility and liability associated with those actions.

Members will not advertise or sell illegal substances at NSPS events or on NSPS’s online platform. Acting in a legal manner is what allows NSPS to exist, provide needed services and create cultural change.

If approached by another person to buy or sell illegal substances at a NSPS event or on NSPS’s online platform, the member will remind them of this policy.

Members agree to never claim publicly that they or their opinions represent NSPS.

Members agree to never use copyrighted material at NSPS events. Members also agree that should they perform, display or otherwise use copyrighted material at NSPS events or on NSPS’s online platforms the member will accept all liability associated with those actions.

Members will not wear or display any symbols of hate or oppression at NSPS events or on NSPS’s online platform. Example include but are not limited to:

  • Swastika

  • Confederate Flag

  • Hammer and Sickle

  • MAGA

Members understand these policies are subject to change. It is the responsibility of the member to be aware of and follow the most recent version of these policies, found on our website. Members will respect confidentiality in spaces like Integration Circles or on our online platforms. Violations of Membership Policy will lead to the following actions, depending on the severity: Notified formally in writing or in person by an official representative of NSPS, outlining the problem, why it needs to be changed and providing resources to support the change. Membership suspended with time period determined by the board of NSPSand/or restorative justice actions engaged. Membership revoked indefinitely. This is determined by a vote with a two-thirds majority of the Directors.

Community Member

Community Members is a designation for people who want to be part of our community, but do not want to be or are not a formal Member. Anyone on our email list, has been to an event or has seen our online content and wishes to self identify as a “Community Member” can, provided they follow our Membership policy.

Volunteer Agreement

NSPS's Commitment to Volunteers

It is NSPS's responsibility to respect the time of volunteers and to prevent volunteer burnout. To achieve this efforts like capping meeting length, wellbeing check-ins with NSPS staff and/or board members and avoiding assigning responsibilities for concurrent projects to the same person. NSPS will offer responsibilities with time limits and end periods so when the volunteer feels like they need to take a step back there will be natural stopping points. Volunteers will never be compelled to do something they are uncomfortable with. If a volunteer is asked to do something they are uncomfortable with, a ‘no’ will always be respected.

Volunteer’s Commitment to NSPS

Volunteers agree to maintain open and clear communication with NSPS and its representatives in NSPS related matters. This includes information about the event/task they are volunteering for, the volunteer’s wellbeing in regards to their willingness to continue volunteering, their comfort level with what is being asked of them, etc.

Before committing to a task, the volunteer agrees to check in with themselves about their mental, emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing to determine if they truly have the space to commit to the responsibility at this time.

If a volunteer believes they will soon be no longer capable of fulfilling their commitment, they will notify NSPS staff and/or board members in a timely manner. Volunteers will not speak on behalf of the organization in a formal capacity unless explicitly instructed to by NSPS staff and/or board members. Volunteers will not commit or discuss committing illegal activity while they are volunteering for NSPS. Volunteers personally accept all liability responsible for violating this rule.

Volunteers will not provide medical or legal advice to attendees. Volunteers personally accept all liability responsible for violating this rule. Volunteers will respect confidentiality in spaces like Integration Circles, as well as other times in which personal information is shared or accessible because of their position. Members understand these policies are subject to change. It is the responsibility of the member to be aware of and follow the most recent version of these policies, found on our website.

Violations of the Volunteer Agreement will lead to the following actions, depending on the severity:

  • Notified formally in writing or in person by an official representative of NSPS, outlining the problem, why it needs to be changed and providing resources to support the change.

  • Membership suspended with time period determined by the board of NSPS and/or restorative justice actions engaged.

  • Membership revoked indefinitely. This is determined by a vote with a two-thirds majority.

Board Policy

Expectations and Requirements of Board Members

Including Board meetings, Board members will commit between 5 and 10 hours a month on NSPS projects, fundraising and/or networking. If any board members have committed to attending a meeting but are unable to attend, it is required to send regrets as soon as possible. This will appear in the minutes of said meeting. A board member not sending regrets for three meetings in one year's time will be subject to formal review during the next board meeting, in which removal from the board seat will be discussed.

A Board member missing more than five Board meetings in one year's time will be subject to formal review during the next board meeting, in which removal from the board seat will be discussed. If the board member has indicated they are available to attend a board meeting on a certain day and has been sent email or text stating the date with minimum seven days notice, it is considered a formal commitment to attend that meeting. It is the Board’s responsibility for the hiring, firing and oversight of staff. It is the Board’s responsibility for upholding NSPS’s policy of the organization only taking actions and engaging in activities that are legal.

NSPS believes Anti-oppression is an ongoing learning process, and is committed to continue this learning process with sincerity and dedication. All board members must participate in yearly Anti-Oppression training. They are not permitted to serve their second term or the second year of their term without completing this training. The member must participate to the satisfaction of the facilitator.If a member is unable to attend any of the Anti-Oppression training sponsored by NSPS before the year is over, they are allowed to hire an NSPS approved Anti-Oppression facilitator at their own expense.

Treasurer

The Treasurer is considered an Officer of the Board with legal responsibilities to the Society and the Province, as laid out in the Bylaws. The Treasurer must review all budgets. Approval by the Treasurer is required for all spending.

Secretary

The Secretary is considered an Officer of the Board with legal responsibilities to the Society and the Province, as laid out in the Bylaws. The Secretary is tasked with determining availability and to pick the date for the next board meeting. The criteria for best date is when the most directors are available, with the ability to occasionally prioritize when a particular member is needed at a particular meeting, provided quorum is met. The Secretary must notify the Board of this date no less than seven days before the meeting. The agenda for a Board meeting should be sent by the Secretary to Board Members at least forty-eight hours before meeting. The evening before a board meeting the secretary must send out a reminder email. After the Board Meeting the Secretary must make the minutes of the meeting available to Board Members within forty-eight hours. Amendments or alterations to the minutes are due the following meeting. If no changes are suggested then the minutes are considered accurate. The Secretary is required to keep the minutes from all Board, General and Members Meetings. The Secretary may record audio in meetings for the sole purpose of note taking, provided they have the express consent of all parties involved. The recording must be deleted, without being copied before the next meeting. The Secretary may record audio at Members and General Meetings for the sole purpose of note taking, provided notice be given to those attending that recording will take place. The recording must be deleted, without being copied after the minutes are publicly posted.

All special resolutions will be sent to Joint Stocks Registry within ten (10) days of passing. The Secretary is chosen by majority vote at an official board meeting. Their term is the length of their Board seat term. The Board votes for the next Secretary after the term lapse. The incumbent may be reelected, provided they still hold their Board seat. The board may end a term prematurely by a two-thirds vote.

Procedure

Changes to this document require a two-thirds majority vote at an official Board Meeting. Unless specifically stated otherwise, all decisions by the board require a 51% vote provided quorum is met. Board members may go on sabbatical for up to one year. This removes them from internal responsibilities like attending meetings, but does not remove their legal responsibilities. Sabbaticals are decided by a majority vote of the board and recorded in the minutes.

Appointing and Elections Policy

The position will transfer at the end of term, not after election/appointment.

Elected Directors

  • Elections occur at the AGM.

  • Membership for one year is required to be eligible for a board seat.

  • Nominations may occur from the floor at the AGM.

  • Nominations may be submitted in writing to the Board before the AGM.

  • A member may nominate themselves.

  • Members may nominate another member, provided they are eligible for election and consent.

  • The only campaigning allowed is a speech at the AGM for a maximum of five minutes. Posting on social media promoting themselves for a board seat is considered an instant disqualification.

  • If the member running for a Board seat is unable to attend the AGM a statement may be read on their behalf for no more than five (5) minutes.

Appointed Directors

  • 70% of the Board is appointed by the existing Board for a two (2) or three (3) year term.

  • Terms should be staggered so no more than half of the Board is appointed each year.

  • Of the appointed Directors, up to 30% of those seats may go to other organizations with complimentary missions at the discretion of the Board..

  • Appointed Board members serve a two (2) or three (3) year term. Within three (3) months of the end date of the term the board must vote to either extend the term or fill the position with a new board member.

Members Meetings and the AGM

  • The General Meetings are formal gatherings of the organization, as outlined in the Societies Act and NSPS’s bylaws.

  • In order for general meetings to occur at least two board members must be present.

  • To become a full member with voting rights it is required to attend one of these meetings first.Voting membership can be applied for at the next meeting.

Services and Events

Directories

Placement in NSPS’s directories does not constitute an endorsement by NSPS. This directory is of accredited clinicians who have expressed an interest in providing care to those in the Psychedelic community. NSPS is dedicated to maintaining a high standard of care provided by those in this directory, but cannot guarantee the experience of anyone who uses this directory. For those who have used the directory with comments on the quality of specific medical professionals can contact NSPS through its website.

All events must be related to psychedelics, substances or must benefit those who take part in substances.

All events must have two NSPS representatives present.

The Board may approve a Volunteer Coordinator.

If there is not an active Volunteer Coordinator, a Board Member chosen by a majority vote by the Board may fill the role.

The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for:

  • Screening potential volunteers.

  • Assessing people’s strengths and weaknesses, recommending them for volunteer work with our organization (or similar organizations) that would suit them best. In cooperation with other Coordinators/Councils/Committees, they decide where volunteers are assigned. Once the volunteers are connected to a Coordinator/Councils/Committees, the volunteer then answers to that Coordinator/Councils/Committees for the specific project.

  • Communication with other coordinators in the organization and the Board.

  • Maintaining clear communication with volunteers.

  • Having wellbeing check-ins with active volunteers to avoid volunteer burnout.

  • Ensuring the volunteers support our mandate and while volunteering for the organization, act in a manner that maintains NSPS's public image.

  • Ensuring all volunteers sign the Volunteer Agreement. They are also responsible for keeping the records of these agreements and passing them to the next Volunteer Coordinator when they leave the position.

  • Propose and engage in skill development for long time volunteers

  • The Volunteer Coordinator’ term lasts until they resign or the Board appoints a new Coordinator.

Committees and Councils

Committees and Councils must have one person appointed by majority vote of the board to be the Chair. The Chair will be responsible for communicating with the board and making sure their direction for the group is followed. The Chair will be directing those in the committee/council and is responsible for reaching the goals of the group.

To remove a Chair the Board needs a majority vote at a regularly scheduled Board Meeting.

Each group may have its own degree of autonomy on their procedure, but ultimately all groups must follow the Board's wishes and all Internal Policies.

Fundraising Committee

The Fundraising Committee’s goal is to continually raise money for NSPS in a manner suiting our mission, vision and values.

All budgets must be approved by the Treasurer.

The Fundraising Committee will oversee the Event Committee and Grant Writing Committee.

The Chair may delegate to a team that the Chair is ultimately responsible for.

Event Sub-Committee

If there is not an active Events Sub-Committee Chair, a Board Member chosen by a majority vote by the Board may fill the role.

The Event Sub-Committee is a subsidiary of the Fundraising Committee and must follow the Fundraising Committee Chair’s direction.

The Event Committee Chair is responsible for preparing proposals for events (workshops, integration circles, etc) for the Medical Council, Fundraising Chair and Treasurer's approval. They then are responsible for carrying out these events and reporting the results to the Board.

The Events Sub-Committee Chair is responsible for creating and hosting events that support our mandate, in a manner that maintains NSPS's public image.

The Chair may delegate to a team that the Chair is ultimately responsible for.

The Event Sub-Committee Chair’s term lasts until they resign or the Board votes to replace them by a majority vote at an official Board Meeting.

The Events Sub-Coordinator is responsible for following the PR Rules and making sure those involved in the events follow them as well.

Grant Writing Sub-Committee

The Grant Writing Sub-Committee is a subsidiary of the Fundraising Committee and must follow the Fundraising Committee Chair’s direction.

If there is not an active Grant Writing Sub-Committee Chair, a Board Member chosen by a majority vote by the Board may fill the role.

The Grant Writing Sub-Committee Chair is responsible for searching for grants, presenting applicable grants to the Fundraising Chair and preparing grants applications that the Fundraising Chair has approved.

The Chair may delegate to a team that the Chair is ultimately responsible for.

The Grant Writing Sub-Committee Chair’s term lasts until they resign or the Board votes to replace them by a majority vote at an official Board Meeting.

Clinician Council

This will be a council dedicated to setting standards of quality and safety in health related issues. They will be required to review material meant for public consumption and determine if it is approved to be released.

The Council is responsible for the promotion of psychedelics amongst medical professionals and networking amongst those currently doing the work legally. They may ask for assistance from the rest of NSPS but it is their job to set goals and take initiative.

The Clinician Council is required to follow Board directives but will never be required to violate their morals. It is these very morals that NSPS needs to fulfill its mission. It is their responsibility to voice their concerns to the board, which they may do at any regularly scheduled board meeting. All concerns brought up at a board meeting must be recorded in the minutes.

The Clinician Council may select one person to speak at the AGM to speak on how NSPS has performed in health related and ethics issues. This is not mandatory.

The Chair may delegate to a team that the Chair is ultimately responsible for.

Advisory Council

This council is for those who are qualified and wish to assist NSPS, but do not wish the legal responsibility or time commitment required of official board members.

Membership on council is decided by majority vote by the board.

Resignation requires a written statement that will be kept in NSPS records.

Although this is not an official position that legally requires Conflict of Interest statements, any COI should be declared as soon as the conflict becomes apparent. COI does not prohibit membership, but for the sake of transparency it must be declared.

Although formal minutes are not required, a simple written report summarizing the council’s findings and suggestions should be submitted to the board within one week's time.

Being on the council means you are open to the board and staff reaching out to them for advice or connections in the manner they choose.

The council meets four times a year to assess the organization, its progress, direction and address anything the board wants advice on. Board members and invited staff may attend this meeting.

Media Policy

Those who provide digital assets (music, original artwork, etc) may be given public credit (including a social media handle or website) in exchange for use of their work. Use of their work and subsequent public credit does not constitute an endorsement.

Every account owned by NSPS must either be subject to Two Step Verification or have its password changed every 3 months. It is the Secretary’s job to hold records of these passwords and facilitate their changings. The Secretary may delegate this task to staff but is still responsible for oversight.

Public statements, custom created content, messages to mailing list, video and other modes of communication put publicly must be approved by two NSPS Representatives, at least one being a board member.

Any board member may schedule a post for any social media platform provided they follow these policies.

Posts must be factual and apolitical

When a post is found not to be factual, it must immediately be removed. A post must be made explaining the original post, the intent behind its original posting and its correction.

Posts must adhere to our values

Posts about substance related political issues are allowed provided they are factually based and promote NSPS's values rather than party/candidate//person in office.

When a post is found to be political (promoting a party/candidate/person in office) it must be removed immediately. Discretion is left to staff and/or the Board on further action

Public Relations Policy

When those who are representing NSPS are asked publicly about current personal use, the response will be “It is NSPS policy not to answer questions about personal use.”

The Representative may volunteer information about substance use, provided they are not currently breaking the law.

When doing a printed interview NSPS representatives must ask to see all quotes in context to ensure accuracy, that nuances are respected and the way our positions are presented are consistent with NSPS values.

NSPS is not allowed to endorse political parties, or to be directly or indirectly partisan. Fair, evidence based information may be given about candidates, parties or policies.

Only board members and staff may speak on behalf of the organization, provided they follow NSPS’s official positions. NSPS’s official positions are found in writing on our website.

Conflict of Interest Policy

NSPS acknowledges that there will be conflicts of interest with those working in the field of psychedelics. COI is not inherently a problem provided it is disclosed, procedures are followed and no favoritism is given. Violation of procedures is dealt with by the board.

All COI declarations, violations and restorative justice actions will be noted in the minutes.

NSPS considers the following to be considered a conflict:

Any income, investment or financial benefit from the field of Psychedelics, drugs and/or harm reduction, or relating to Psychedelics, drugs and/or harm reduction.

Any positions on boards (non-profit or for-profit) in the field of Psychedelics, or relating to Psychedelics, drugs and/or harm reduction, or relating to Psychedelics, drugs and/or harm reduction.

Any spouse/partner or dependent who in the last 12 months financially or professionally benefited from the field of psychedelics or relating to psychedelics.

Board members with a conflict must abstain from decision making in the areas regarding that conflict. They must verbally declare why they are abstaining at the time of the vote and it must be recorded in the minutes.

Once a year Board members and staff will review the conflict of interest policy, declare anything they have yet to declare and sign a document attesting their understanding of the policy.

Board and staff may be listed in directories, provided they follow the same protocols as everyone else to be listed.

No board member/conflicted individual may be listed in the top third of any directory, and then after must be evenly spread out.

Their ad/listing must be of similar design to those in the list.

NSPS board or staff may not consist of more than 50% of any directory.

When the individual is acting as a Board member (at NSPS events, using NSPS email/media accounts, etc) they must direct individuals and groups to NSPS resources rather than their own (or businesses they have a vested interest in). For example, if asked to recommend therapists or clinics after speaking to a group on the behalf of NSPS, they must be directed to our directory.

No person with an unresolved COI may be re-appointed or elected to the board.

Board members have the same rights and access to services as other NSPS Members. They are not allowed to use their position for preferential treatment like early access, skipping wait lines, etc. They are allowed to access subsidized services provided regular membership has the same access.

Board members can list their association with NSPS in relation to promotion for their business.

Other groups may use these founding documents as a template for their organization. We ask that if you do, please in some way attribute the Nova Scotia Psychedelic Society.