A group of seniors is vowing to press forward with legal challenges against the way the local senior citizens’ club is being run after its first attempt was rebuffed this week.
Seniors for Seniors brought a private information against the St. Albert Senior Citizens’ Club in provincial court this week, alleging it had breached the Societies Act.
The Societies Act is provincial legislation governing not for profit groups. A private information is a document brought to the court spelling out apparent breaches of the law and asking the court for action.
In this case the group, led by Bob Russell, is arguing the club has inappropriately changed its bylaws and that the club’s finances have been used inappropriately.
Two bylaw changes were made over the last year — one allowing the club’s board of directors to set membership dues and another setting up a nominating committee for board elections. The nominating committee screens potential candidates before an election.
This year that committee disqualified one potential candidate.
After reviewing Russell’s documentation, Judge Bruce Garriock said he was unsure he could provide what Russell and the group was seeking.
He pointed out technical problems in the paperwork and added the maximum fine in the act is $100.
Russell was asking the court to remove the current board of directors and restore the club’s bylaws.
Garriock said he simply wasn’t empowered to do that.
Russell said he is not surprised the judge didn’t rule in his group’s favour because the legislation is weak and unclear.
“He was sympathetic to us but he really felt that wasn’t going to be in his court.”
Russell said the group is undeterred however and will now likely press on through civil courts.
“They want to proceed. They don’t think we can let this stand. They don’t think we can let some small group decide who can run in an election.”
He said they would also probably take their financial concerns to the RCMP.
Club president Jim Laing said he only learned of the legal proceeding on Tuesday, but he believes the board has acted appropriately and with member support.
“I think we have pretty clear direction from the club and that is what we are looking at.”
He said he has no concerns about the finances of the club and is confident it is being well managed.
The nomination committee appears to have made a mistake in rejecting a candidate and the decisions to have the board set membership fees reflects a practical reality about the club’s finances.
“It is like property taxes — council has to set the mill rate. They can’t say ‘what is the mill rate that you want?’”
