by Rachel Corbett Over the years I have worked with many National Sport Organizations (NSOs) on governance projects. These have ranged from small reviews and bylaw tinkering to massive organizational changes. Equine Canada, Swimming Natation Canada and Golf Canada are some larger NSOs that have made big changes in recent years, with my help. I [...]
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Some Thoughts on Governance Reform
by Rachel Corbett. It’s a new year! And many sport organizations are considering making changes to their governance structure. These are the ingredients for success as we see them (based on our experience doing this type of change work with many NSOs, most recently RCGA/Golf Canada, Canadian PGA and Gymnastics Canada, and more distantly, Swimming Natation [...]
Why and When You Are Required to Re-Incorporate Your Organization
By Steve Indig. A lot of sport organizations are hearing buzz about a major government law that will affect their operations and possibly their bylaws. Organizations are coming to us, concerned, and wondering if the new “corporations law” affects them, when they have act, and what they have to do. We have written about these [...]
Hallmarks of Good Governance
by Rachel Corbett. An organization I have worked with for many years recently asked me if I could identify the hallmarks of good governance – the indicators of a sound organization if you will. After spending over 15 years of helping sport organizations to understand and practice good governance, the list of indicators came easily. [...]
NPCA is on the Way
In 2009, the federal Not-For-Profit Corporations Act (NPCA) received Royal Assent. We wrote about the NPCA in a previous newsletter and there is now more information about the nature of the Act and the timing of its implementation. With perhaps one or two exceptions, national sport organizations in Canada are incorporated under Part II of [...]
The Seven Sins of Board Dysfunction
Practicing a Trade Without a License This describes the board director who has done no preparation to become better informed about his/her role as a director. The most common manifestations are the director who wears so many ‘hats’ that he has lost sight of his ‘duty of loyalty’. This sin is related to John Carver’s [...]
Do You Know Who Your Members Are?
During the last several months, the Centre for Sport and Law has been asked by sport organizations to help in the implementation of their discipline and appeal policies, specifically as they relate to member behaviour that is in violation of the organization’s code of conduct or code of ethics. Adding to the challenge and complexity [...]
What to Do When 1% of Your Members Cause 99% of Your Problems?
Sound familiar? Although this topic has very little to do with the law, we are nonetheless often called upon by client organizations for help. Over the years we have encountered scenarios such as: A parent, volunteer or member having issue with a staff person and continually harassing them or complaining about them to others, to [...]
Form Follows Function – A Governance Discussion Paper for National and Provincial Sport Organization
It has been my observation that the business of amateur sport in Canada has become increasingly complex and sophisticated in recent years, yet the governance structures in place to lead amateur sport bodies have lagged behind. Over the past several years, I have been invited by many national and provincial sport organizations in Canada to [...]
Latest Writings
- Snapshot of Voting Structures of National Sport Organizations
- Off-Side: Additional Penalties for Doping Infractions Struck Down
- Olympic Team Selection – What Your NSO Needs to Know to Be Dispute-Ready!
- Flying High… What Sport Leaders Can Learn from a Canadian Success Story
- Strategic Management + Good Governance = High Performing Sport Organization