1. The purpose of the Committee (CNC/CODATA), which will report to the Director General (DG) of the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI), is:
   1. to collect and reconcile the many views of its scientific community on relevant issues;
   2. to identify, represent and promote the capabilities and distinctive competence of its Canadian scientific community internationally;
   3. to enhance the depth and breadth of the participation of the Canadian scientific community in the activities and events of CODATA and related organizations;
   4. to establish the mechanisms for communicating to its Canadian scientific community the views of CODATA and information about the activities of CODATA;
   5. to distribute appropriate documentation, including the CODATA Newsletter;
   6. to attract and stage international events of value to its Canadian scientific community;
   7. to invite from time to time guest speakers to its meetings or to workshops or seminars it sponsors;
   8. to recommend to the DG the nomination of the Canadian Delegate and Alternate Delegate to CODATA. (The term of the Delegate/Alternate will begin in January of the year in which a General Assembly is held and terminate in December of the year immediately preceding the year in which the next General Assembly is held. The Delegate/Alternate are normally, but not necessarily, the Chair or a regular member of CNC/CODATA.) Upon approval by the DG, the names of the nominees will be forwarded to NRC International Relations Office for official appointment;
   9. to recommend to the DG one person to attend the workshop of CNC Officers which will be organized by NRC International Relations Office on a regular basis.
2. Voting Membership

   The Committee shall have a Chair and eight Regular voting members with new members appointed by the DG of CISTI upon recommendation of the existing Committee. Due regard should be taken to appropriate geographical, linguistic and gender distribution of membership as well as to adequate representation of all disciplines covered by CODATA.

   The Chair of the Committee, having a vote and representing one of the disciplines covered by CODATA, shall be appointed by the DG of CISTI on the recommendation of the Committee. Normally, the Committee will recommend the Chair-elect at their meeting immediately preceding the end of the term of the current Chair.

   Travel expenses of the Chair and Regular members to attend official meetings of the Committee shall be reimbursed by CISTI according to normal Canadian Government regulations.

   The Executive Secretary of the Committee shall be appointed by the DG of CISTI and shall be an ex-officio voting member of the Committee.

   Canadian members of the CODATA Executive Committee shall be ex-officio voting members of the Committee during their terms of office. If not the Chair or a Regular member of the Committee, the Delegate/Alternate shall be ex-officio voting members during their term.

   Regular members are required to submit to the Executive Secretary, by the 30^th November of each year of their term, a document summarizing their activities during the calendar year which relate to and support CNC/CODATA's objectives and which generally promote the issues on which CNC/CODATA is focussed.

3. Honorary Membership

   Individuals, whether or not former Regular members but who have made exemplary contributions to CNC/CODATA, may be invited by the Chair to become Honorary members upon approval of the Regular members. Honorary members do not have voting privileges. Travel support for attendance at CNC/CODATA meetings and other functions will be offered only at the discretion of the DG of CISTI.

4. Observers

   To broaden the level of participation in CNC/CODATA beyond that possible with the Regular members, the Chair may invite interested individuals to participate in meetings as Observers, normally at their own expense. In particular, this includes:

   • Canadian members of CODATA Task Groups and official CODATA committees,
   • representatives of Canadian National Committees of ICSU Unions to which NRC adheres,
   • a representative of NRC International Relations Office, and
   • others of whom the Chair approves.

   Observers are requested to submit to the Executive Secretary, by the 30^th November of each year of their association with CNC/CODATA, a document summarizing their activities during the calendar year which relate to and support CNC/CODATA's objectives and which generally promote the issues on which CNC/CODATA is focussed.

5. Terms

   The terms of membership for all Regular members of the Committee shall be three years, renewable once but the second term may be extended beyond three years if deemed expedient by the DG of CISTI. To facilitate continuity, the Executive Secretary shall endeavour to ensure that no more than three terms expire in December of a given year. A Regular member whose maximum term has expired, or who has resigned, may be considered for re-appointment as a Regular member three years after the date of expiration of their last term or the date of their resignation.

   The terms of membership of Honorary members of the Committee shall be three years, renewable indefinitely at the prerogative of the Chair.

   The term of the Chair will normally be three years but the term may be extended an additional three years, or more, if deemed expedient by the DG of CISTI. A Chair whose maximum term as Chair has expired may be considered for re-appointment as Chair three years after the date of expiration of their last term as Chair.

   Termination of the terms of the Chair, Regular or Honorary members shall be on the 31st of December of the last year of their appointment or until such time as a replacement has been appointed.

6. Meetings

   The Committee shall meet as necessary, normally once each year. Between meetings, the Chair and Executive Secretary may obtain decisions from the Committee by means of ballots. One-half of the voting membership participating in a duly called meeting or ballot shall constitute a quorum.

   In the year of a CODATA General Assembly, the Committee shall endeavour to schedule its annual meeting prior to the General Assembly in order to instruct the Delegate on key voting issues.

7. Voting Procedures

   For matters requiring a yes/no decision, a simple majority of the votes cast shall be required for a decision. Voting will normally be by show of hands but may be by secret ballot upon approval, by show of hands, of a motion from the voting members requesting a secret ballot.

   When voting on issues where the number of options exceeds the number that can be selected (such as voting on candidates to be recommended as regular members), a ranking system shall be used whereby options are selected in descending order according to the number of primary, secondary, tertiary, etc. votes received.

8. Secretariat

   The Secretariat of the Committee shall be located at CISTI.

Latest revision: 20 February 2012