| Organizational structure: |
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is a national organization that unites the medical profession in Canada to improve the health of Canadians and strengthen the health care system, though we are also deeply engaged in activities and initiatives related to international health. The CMA’s Act of Incorporation and Bylaws (amended August 2020) set out the objects of the association and governance parameters. See: https://www.cma.ca/sites/default/files/pdf/Secure/Bylaws%20as%20amended%20Aug%202020_EN.pdf
In addition, the Board of Directors may prescribe and amend from time to time operating rules and procedures consistent with the bylaws relating to the management and operation of the Association and other matters provided for in the bylaws. See: https://www.cma.ca/sites/default/files/pdf/Secure/ORPs-October-2020_E.pdf
The CMA is governed by a Board of Directors made up of the president, president-elect, immediate past president, chair, a member from each province and territory with at least 50 CMA members, a medical student, a medical resident and a non-physician. Pursuant to chapter 11 of the CMA Bylaws, the board is responsible for the management of the affairs of the Association, and it:
• shall appoint a Chair of the Board, who may but need not be an elected director, but must be a
physician and an Association member;
• shall appoint the Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee from its members;
• shall appoint a non-physician Director, and when doing so shall seek a candidate willing to
serve 2 consecutive 3-year terms;
• shall appoint the Chief Executive Officer and designate the duties of the office;
• shall approve the budget and establish membership fees for the ensuing calendar year after considering the recommendation of the Audit and Finance Committee;
• unless otherwise stated in these bylaws, shall establish committees and task forces as
necessary to carry out the work of the Association, set their terms of reference, appoint the members of such bodies, and receive their reports;
• shall name the signing officers of the Association and indicate limits to their authority;
• may authorize the payment of honoraria and travel and maintenance expenses to directors,
officers, officials, chairs and members of committees and others engaged in Association
business;
• may appoint representatives of the Association to outside bodies;
• shall elect a vice-chair from its members, who will chair meetings of the Board in the absence or
at the direction of the Chair; and
• shall create and amend the Operating Rules and Procedures of the Association and have
authority for enactment, amendment or repeal of the bylaws for referral to the members at the
AGM.
Pursuant to chapter 9 of the CMA Bylaws, at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), CMA members vote on bylaw amendments and the appointment of an auditor.
Pursuant to chapter 10 of the CMA Bylaws, General Council delegates are responsible for providing policy guidance and direction to the CMA and ratifying the following elected positions: the President-Elect, the directors of the CMA board, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of General Council, the Chair of the Committee on Ethics, members of the committees on Ethics and Nominations, and elected members of the Governance, Audit and Finance, and Appointments committees. |
| Number and type of members: |
Number of members: 77477 physicians
The membership categories of the Association shall be: full, student, resident, retired, at-large, associate and honorary, designated as follows. |
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