Excerpt letter sent by B.C. SPCA president Michael Steven to branch board of directors:

"August 14, 2001

Dear Director,

On November 3, 2001 the BC SPCA is holding a General Meeting to consider new by-laws for the Society. This meeting will be held in conjunction with the Board of Directors meeting.

As you are aware, the Society commenced the process of Organizational Renewal approximately
2-1/2 years ago. The focus of this initiative has been upon establishing proper accountability, and resolving the “systemic” dysfunctionality which hampers our progress and threatens our future.

The work of the Task Force has formed the basis for the proposed new by-laws. Your Committee of Management received the Task Force’s Report and mandated the Chief Executive Officer to augment the Task Force’s efforts by providing his best professional advice. The Society’s lawyer, Ms. Jane Murdoch of Lawson Lundell, has prepared the new by-laws.

Among the substantive changes incorporated in the new by-laws are the following:

 The Society is reflected as the employer

 All legacies will be received by the Society

 Use of legacy funds will be determined by the Society

 Community Advisory Committees (vs. Boards of Directors) will be functioning at the

branch level

 Regional Councils will be established

 The Board of Directors will be smaller (from approximately 80 to no more than 16)

 Membership will be standardized.

In addition to the new by-laws, enclosed please find a series of questions and answers. Hopefully, they will assist you to understand the changes.

It is my belief that the adoption of the new by-laws will be a defining event in our Society’s history. As a “renewed” organization, we can begin to more fully realize our enormous potential to better serve the animals of the province.

In closing, I wish to thank the members of the Organizational Renewal Task Force for their tremendous contribution to this process and outcome. I look forward to seeing you on November 3.

Yours truly,
Michael Steven, President and
Chair of the Organizational Renewal Task Force"