Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Hello, and welcome to éducaloi.tv, Éducaloi's webcast about the legal rights and obligations
of Quebecers.
The Confidentiality of Minutes of Non-Profit Organizations
Imagine you work for a incorporated non-profit organization. While you were on parental leave,
there was a board meeting. At the meeting, directors discussed a subject that is dear
to your heart now that you are a parent: work-family balance. As an employee, you'd really like
to know what was said at that meeting.
And you know that after every board meeting, there is a document written up to summarize
what was said. This document is officially called the "minutes". You wonder whether you
have a right to see the minutes of a board meeting of the organization you work for.
For incorporated non-profit organizations, the answer is no. The information in the minutes
is confidential. Only directors -- the members of the board -- are allowed to see the minutes.
Even people invited to board meetings as guests or observers can't demand to see the minutes
of the meetings they attend.
But directors can allow someone to see all or part of the minutes if this is in the best
interests of the organization.
For example, let's say your organization is involved in a business transaction. You're
the employee responsible for the project. To prepare the transaction, you need important
information that is in the minutes. The directors could give you permission to see the minutes.
One last point: if you're a director of an organization -- so a board member - and you
missed a meeting, you're allowed to see the minutes of that meeting to catch up on decisions
made and what was discussed.
So there you go! To learn more about non-profit organizations, or your rights and obligations
in general, visit éducaloi.qc.ca.