RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Providing Advice to the District Manager of Ministry of Natural Resources and Helping in the Management of our Natural Resources for the Northshore Forest

TERMS OF REFERENCE

 1.   GENERAL:

The Northshore Forest Resource Management Advisory Committee (RMAC) is established to assist the MNR during the preparation and implementation of resource management plans for the Northshore Forest.  It will aid in improving communication and awareness among the public, interest groups and the Ministry regarding identified or anticipated issues, and proposed actions to be taken to resolve these issues.  The committee will provide advice to the District Manager who will consider this in the context of resource management objectives, guidelines and pre-existing obligations as decisions are made.

Committee members representing a broad spectrum of resource interests will assist in ensuring that resource management proceeds in a manner that integrates the interests of all users.

2.   COMPOSITION AND FORMATION:

The RMAC shall be a standing committee. Since part of the Northshore Forest is located in the Sudbury District, the lead district will be Sault Ste. Marie. Membership shall be by appointment from the District Manager. The majority of appointments shall be drawn from nominations and applications from interest groups.  The main interests represented on this committee should include but not limited to:

a)   tourism industry;

b)   anglers and hunters;

c)   native communities;

d)   forest industry;

e)   naturalists;

f)     municipalities;

g)   cottage associations;

h)   trappers;

i)     baitfish harvesters;

j)     First Nations;

k)   Crown land recreationalists;

l)     trade unions;

m) independent loggers;

n)   chamber of commerce member or economic development officer;

o)   mining sector;

p)   general public;  

q)   educators;

r)     water resources.

3.   PURPOSE:

The purpose of the RMAC is to participate as an integral part of the forest management planning process and provide advice on other landscape planning issues:

a)   ensuring that all local interests are effectively communicated to all others involved in forest management planning / land use planning;

b)   communicating information to the respective organizations they represent on the committee and other interested publics;

c)   increasing the effectiveness of the four-stage public consultation process by participating in its implementation, and in the consideration of any additional formal public consultation opportunities that would be useful, in the context of local circumstances and needs;

d)   participating in the public consultation program from design through implementation i.e. attending public information centres, public meetings, meetings with interest groups, etc.;

e)   reviewing and evaluating public comments received during the planning process and providing advice on how they should be addressed;

f)     participating in the development, identification and description of objectives, strategies, problems and issues;

g)   participating in the development of the values map(s);

h)   promoting integration of all interests by participating in the evaluation of trade-offs to be made during the planning process and the resolution of problems, differences and conflicts as early as possible in the planning process;

i)     assisting in monitoring the performance of Forest Management Plan implementation;

j)     providing advice to the District Manager when discretionary decisions must be made (e.g. the categorization of amendments and responses to bump-up requests);

k)   participating in the review of appeals at the request of the District Manager;

l)     provide comment to any audit report on forest management planning.

 4.   RMAC INPUT TO THE PLANNING TEAM:

a)   The RMAC is required to nominate a representative of the Committee to serve as    a member of the Forest Management Planning Team.

b)   Other members of the RMAC may attend Planning Team meetings as observers.

c)   Appropriate MNR staff (i.e. Planning Team Chairperson) shall regularly attend committee meetings as resource persons and observers.  Other Planning Team members and plan advisors may be invited to attend RMAC meetings.

d)   Joint meetings of the Resource Management Advisory Committee and the Planning Team shall be held at agreed upon stages of the planning process.

e)   The Planning Team and representatives of the RMAC shall attend public information centers.

f)     The RMAC will be required to meet to review the annual program (i.e. Annual Work Schedule) prior to approval.

5.  PROCEDURAL MATTERS:

a)   The RMAC shall develop its own rules with respect to any procedural matters required to meet its responsibilities during Forest management planning and plan implementation.  These matters include such things as frequency of and attendance at meetings and information centres, and circulation of information among members of the Resource Management Advisory Committee.

b)   A chairperson of the RMAC shall be elected by the members of the committee for a term to be determined by the committee.  A secret ballot will be used to select a chair if there is more than one candidate.  The Area Supervisor may chair the meetings until a chairperson is elected.

c)   The RMAC shall prepare a summary report concerning their activities during forest management planning; the problems and issues addressed by them; and their assessment of the effectiveness of the Committee structure and recommendations for change, it any.

d)   Members of the RMAC may submit Agenda items for consideration.  This may include request for attendance of MNR resource management specialists.

e)   MNR shall provide such training and education as may be required to enable the Committee to perform its duties.

f)      “Minutes” taken at a meeting shall be regarded as Draft until adopted at the next meeting.  Minutes will be mailed to each member and alternate.  A tape recorder may be used to supplement written notes.  All committee decisions shall be recorded.  Any member may request a recorded vote.

g)   The terms of reference shall be review once a year by RMAC.

 6.   DISBURSEMENTS AND SUPPORT: 

a)   Members of the RMAC shall be reimbursed by MNR for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with their participation.

b)   The RMAC member serving on the Forest Management Planning Team shall be provided a reasonable per diem fee for attendance at Planning Team meetings.

c)   MNR shall provide the necessary office support, e.g. secretarial support and typing of report for supplementary documentation, for the affairs of the committee to be conducted efficiently and effectively.

d)   Each MNR District Manager shall provide to the RMAC any information required by the committee.  This information will be provided as it becomes available, in order to ensure achievement of the RMAC purposes.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, during the preparation of Forest management plans, each RMAC will be provided with the following materials for the relevant Management Unit, in summary form and at a time no later than the invitation to participate:

i)     background information;

ii)    data describing non-Forest resources; and

iii)  data describing the Forest resource

7.   REPORTS AND RECORDS:

a)   ll documentation produced by the Resource Management Advisory Committee (RMAC) shall be available for review by interested persons.  In particular, the RMAC shall prepare a report concerning their activities during Forest Management Plan preparation; the problems and issues addressed by them; and their assessment of the effectiveness of the committee structure and recommendations for change, if any and an assessment of the cooperation provided to the committee by the Ministry.  This report shall be summarized by the RMAC and provided as follows: 

i)     in an early version for inclusion in the Preliminary Plan Summary to be distributed at the First Information Centre (Condition 10(a) and Appendix 4, part A, section 2(a));

ii)    in final form for inclusion in the Draft Plan Summary (Conditions 11(a) and 58; Appendix 4, part A, section 3(a)(iv); Appendix 11) and revised, if necessary for the final Plan;

iii)  as part of the Forest Management Plan Summary (Conditions 12 and 58; Appendix 11, section 1(d);

iv)   the full report of the RMAC shall form part of the supplementary documentation of the Forest Management Plan (Condition 56, Appendix 9, section 1(f).

b)   Forest Management Plans shall contain a brief statement on the first page reporting generally the RMAC’s agreement or disagreement with the Plan and indicating that the RMAC’s report is available in the Supplementary Documentation to the Plan.

 8.  COMMITTEE TENURE: 

a)   Subject to further recommendations from the RMAC appointments shall normally be for a minimum period of three (3) years.

b)   The District Manager and/or Chairperson will monitor the membership and address any need for changes.

c)   Committee members may be reappointed at the discretion of the District Manager, in consultation with participating organizations. 

It is the responsibility of the District Manager to fill RMAC vacancies in a timely manner. 

If any sector misses three consecutive meetings without regrets a letter will be sent to the sector and/or individual to provide an explanation to the committee. 

9.  REGULAR MEETINGS OF COMMITTEE 

The Committee shall hold its regular meeting on the fourth Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m.  The location of each meeting will be included in the previous minutes. 

Each RMAC member shall contact the secretary (via telephone, email or fax) to confirm attendance or absence of the next meeting at least 1 week prior to that meeting. 

10.  IN CAMERA MEETINGS 

Committee may not meet “in camera” except under special circumstances outlined below.   

If a member feels that a matter should be debated “in camera” they may “move a motion” to defer the matter “in camera”.

The following matters shall be debated “in camera”

a)      member performance

b)      personnel matters 

11.  SPECIAL MEETINGS OF COMMITTEE 

The Chair at any time may summon a special meeting of the Committee on four business days notice in writing or telephone with circulation of all materials as soon as possible.  (Via fax, e-mail, personal delivery). 

12.  QUORUM 

The quorum requirement for all regular or special meetings will be not less than 50% plus 1 of active sectors. 

If there is no quorum within thirty minutes after the time appointed for the meeting, the chair shall call the roll and record the names of the members present and the meeting shall stand adjourned until the next regular meeting or until a special meeting is called. 

Members can elect to continue the meeting as a discussion forum only if quorum is not achieved.  

13.  CANCELLATION OF MEETINGS 

Where it is necessary for any reason to cancel a meeting, it shall only do so upon approval by the Chair and the MNR Area Supervisor. 

Due to inclement weather or other emergencies an attempt must be made to notify all committee members. 

May be cancelled on the day of the meeting due to lack of quorum. 

14.  PREPARATION OF THE AGENDA 

It shall be the duty of the MNR and Chair to prepare the agendas of all meetings. 

Agenda items will be accepted from members of the committee.

The Chair or MNR should receive agenda items not later one week prior to the meeting (4^th Thursday of the month) in which the meeting will occur.  Any agenda items received the night of the meeting shall be dealt with according to time constraints. 

An addendum to the Agenda will be made, in the case of an emergency or urgency, as the Chair and MNR may determine from time to time and shall include provision for declaration of conflict. 

15.  AGENDA FORMAT 

The MNR shall have prepared and printed for the use of the members at the regular meetings and special meetings of the Committee, an agenda under the following headings: 

i)                    Call to Order

ii)                   Approval of Agenda

iii)                 Introductions

iv)                 Minutes of previous meetings.  Business arising from minutes

v)                  Correspondence

vi)                 Regular Agenda Items

vii)               New Business

viii)              Adjournment 

16.  ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE 

As soon after the appointment time for the meeting as that quorum present, the Chair shall call the members to order. 

In the event the Chair does not attend within fifteen minutes after the time appointed, the MNR shall call the members to order if a quorum is present.  A presiding Officer shall be chosen by a vote of the Members who shall preside during the meeting until the arrival of the Chair. 

The presiding Officer shall have all the power of the Chair and shall be entitled to vote as a member. 

17.  ROLE OF THE CHAIR 

i)                    Receive and submit all motions presented by the members

ii)                   Put to vote all motions, which are properly moved and seconded

iii)                 Gets agreement on desired outcomes and agenda

iv)                 Proposes ways to proceed and checks for agreement

v)                  Makes sure everyone has a chance to participate

vi)                 Keeps discussion orderly and on track

vii)               Ensures that time is monitored and information recorded

viii)              Act as public spokesperson for RMAC and authenticate, by his/her signature when necessary, all resolutions and minutes of the committee 

18.  ROLE OF MEMBERS 

i)                    Contribute ideas

ii)                   Listen to other’s ideas

iii)                 State concerns openly

iv)                 Make commitments (states agreement, carries out steps when agreed upon)

v)                  Communicate with their constituents and convey messages to committee 

19.  DECORUM 

No member shall: 

i)                    Disturb another, or the Committee itself, by any disorderly department disconcerting to any Member speaking;

ii)                   Resist the rules of committee or disobey the decision of the presiding Officer or the Committee on questions of order of practice or upon the interpretations of the rules of order;

iii)                 Primary and alternate members shall enjoy the same rights and privileges and both members may attend RMAC meetings, but only one may vote on motions. 

iv)                 Because each interest may have a Primary and Alternate Member, and motions are based on discussions during meetings, proxy votes will not be accepted. 

20.  CONFLICT OF INTEREST 

Committee members must declare a conflict of interest with respect to their role at the earliest opportunity.  Conflict of Interest is the use of a member’s position and knowledge gained to secure privileges for the member or others or a role which a member occupies within a local interest group which conflicts with the role as a member of RMAC.  

21.  RULES OF DEBATE 

i)                    Every member when speaking to any motion shall respectively address the presiding Officer

ii)                   When a Member is speaking, no other member shall interrupt the speaker except to raise a point of order

iii)                 Any member may require the question or motion under discussion to be read at any time during the debate, but not so as to interrupt a member while speaking 

22.  MOTIONS AND ORDER OF PUTTING QUESTIONS IN COMMITTEE 

i)                    Main motion – No main motions shall be debated upon unless the same be moved and seconded;

ii)                   Every motion when duly moved and seconded, shall be received by the presiding Officer, and shall then be open for discussion prior to the vote being taken

iii)                 The manner of determining the decision of the Committee on a motion shall be a show of hands

iv)                 Any resolution shall require a majority in order to be valid and binding on committee 

23.  MINUTES 

The minutes shall record: 

i)                    the place, date and time of meeting;

ii)                   the name of presiding Officer and members in attendance

iii)                 the adoption of the minutes of the prior meeting;

iv)                 all other proceedings of the meeting without note or comment;

v)                  minutes shall be “draft” until adopted by Committee and shall be distributed to members 

24.  TIME LIMIT OF MEETING 

The meeting will last a maximum of three hours, unless a motion is passed to extend.

(above terms of reference approved May 26, 2011)

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