March 5, 2007 (for immediate release)
Waterloo, Ontario - A new organization dedicated to the study and practice of parliamentary procedure has been established in Waterloo Region. The Grand River Unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians will help local residents learn and effectively employ the standard system of rules and procedures used by clubs, churches, non-profits, and other democratic voluntary societies to govern their meetings and officers, and to amicably resolve disagreements.
"I'm excited by the founding of this unit," said Dan Lynch of Waterloo, newly elected president of the Grand River Unit. "I've been interested in parliamentary procedure for several years, but only now is there an effective way to meet with and learn from others in the local area. Anyone who serves as president or chairman of an organization, or is simply an active member, would benefit greatly from our unit's educational program."
The unit will meet the second Wednesday of each month on campus at the University of Waterloo. At each meeting, members will enjoy educational presentations, discuss topics of interest, and practice parliamentary procedure. They will then apply their new skills to the challenges they face as members and officers of other organizations. Everyone is invited to attend these meetings, the details of which can be found on the unit's website at http://gru-nap.dglynch.com.
"The Ontario Association of Parliamentarians is very pleased to welcome the Grand River Unit as the first NAP unit in Ontario," said Janis Hedrich of Kitchener, a Professional Registered Parliamentarian and president of OAP. "Hopefully, this unit will be the first of many in Ontario, as people's awareness of the importance of their democratic rights and freedoms continues to grow."
The rules of parliamentary procedure provide exactly what is needed by typical membership organizations today. Many groups are mired in problems that are caused or worsened by ineffective parliamentary procedure. A small amount of study can provide significant benefit, as the basic principles are easy to grasp and can be broadly applied.
"The recent establishment of this unit...will help to promote studying, teaching, promoting, and disseminating the philosophy and principles underlying the rules of deliberative assemblies," said Patricia Dolan, PRP, of Portage, Michigan, director for District Four of NAP, which consists of the province of Ontario and several northern states.
The Grand River Unit, organized in 2007, is a unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians, and is affiliated with the Ontario Association of Parliamentarians. The object of the unit is to promote the study of parliamentary procedure and the educational programs of NAP in the Region of Waterloo and surrounding areas. This object is realized through educational programming at monthly meetings. For more information, please visit http://gru-nap.dglynch.com or contact Dan Lynch at +1 519-883-7164.
The Ontario Association of Parliamentarians, chartered in 2003, is the provincial association of the National Association of Parliamentarians in Ontario. The objects of the association are to promote the study and use of parliamentary procedure and the educational programs of NAP at the provincial level, to assist in the organization of units within Ontario, and to assist in arranging district conferences. For more information, please contact Janis Hedrich at +1 519-578-5534.
The National Association of Parliamentarians, founded in 1930, is the largest non-profit organization of professional parliamentarians in the world. Headquartered in Independence, Missouri, the association helps organizations of all sizes conduct business efficiently through education and advocacy of effective meeting procedures and the accreditation of meeting professionals. For more information, please visit http://parliamentarians.org or contact NAP headquarters at +1 888-627-2929.