The Hellenic Canadian Congress

The Hellenic Canadian Congress was created in the spring of 1982 as a pan-canadian, non-partisan organization for the primary purpose of:

• Uniting Canadians of Greek descent;
• Promoting Hellenism;
• Fostering inter-group relations; and
• Providing a collective voice for the Canadian Hellenic community.

Since the very beginning the Congress has acted on behalf of Greek Canadians on a multitude of issues and concerns, and has actively fulfilled its role as a vehicle for national and international advocacy on a broad range of socio-political issues.

The Congress is a democratically elected decision-making body for, and representative of, the Canadian Hellenic community on public policy issues.

The Congress is organized as a three-tier system of government consisting of national, provincial, and local units.

Membership in the Congress is through the provincial organizations in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia. In all other provinces membership is direct until such time the provincial organization is established. In the Atlantic provinces are actually going through this process while in Manitoba the process is almost complete. (Mar. 2000)

Under the Constitution of the Congress, the provincial organizations are autonomous with their own Board of Directors. In matters of policy, the provincial organizations in determining their own policy, must have regard to the general policy of the Congress.

At the national level, the continuing functions of the Congress are carried on by:

• the National Assembly;
• the National Council;
• the Executive Committee; and
• Committees.

The National Assembly is comprised of 150 delegates selected by the member organizations across Canada. The number of delegates from each province is mandated by the Constitution and the selection of delegates is up to the provincial organizations, and where there is no provincial organization, the members of the Congress meet in caucus to elect their delegates.

Every year delegates from across Canada gather at a plenary session to review the work of the National Council and to pass resolutions which shape the Congress' national and international policies.

The Congress is governed by a 40-member Board of Directors, called the National Council.

Thirty-three of the National Council members are elected every second year by the delegates and the remaining seven, are members of the National Council by virtue of office. The ex-officio members are the presidents of the provincial organizations and the appointed representatives of the Communities of Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. Members of the National Council hold office for a two-year term.

The National Council meets at least two times a year, serves as a central decision-making body for the Congress, and provides direction to the Executive Committee and the various policy and operational Committees.

The day-to-day affairs of the Congress are left to the Executive Committee which consists of the following officers:

• President;
• Executive Vice-President;
• Vice-President Administration & Secretary;
• Vice-President, Finance & Treasurer;
• Vice-President, Public Affairs;
• Vice-President, Parliamentary Relations;
• Vice-President, Social & Economic Affairs;
• Vice-President, Women's Issues;
• Vice-President, Youth Affairs;
• five regional Vice-Presidents.

The Executive Committee meets at least four times per year, and serves as the management committee for the Congress. Between meetings of the National Council, the Executive Committee provides direction to the various policy and operational committees, and develops programs and administrative procedures and policies for consideration by the National Council.

The National Council is assisted in its decision making process by two commissions and five committees.

The commissions are composed of elected representatives of their respective constituencies. The committees are composed of two officers, representatives from the provincial organizations, and of the commissions as well as the other members drawn from the community at large.