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Professional conduct during elections

Board members are required to administer the provisions of the Health Professions Act and Bylaws. These functions are regulatory and quasi-judicial, not political. Therefore, the Board has always disapproved of political-style campaigning, while at the same time recognizing that it would be undesirable and impractical to legislate against it. The ultimate sanction against canvassing that gives offense lies in the hands of the electors. However, it is also understandable that registrants want to know more about the candidates.

Accordingly, a brief, relevant professional profile of candidates along with a statement of the candidates’ intent for standing will be published on this website once all submissions have been received.

For elections, the Board has added the following guidelines:

1. Any promotion of a candidate should be by the registrants who nominate or second the nomination.
2. Candidates can inform their electorate that they are standing and give their reasons, either orally or by other means.
3. Communications should always conform with the CMA Code of Ethics and Professionalism by:
   • upholding the honour and dignity of the profession
   • not impugning the reputation of a colleague for personal motives
4. An organized meeting, virtual or otherwise, for presentations and discussion by all candidates in the electoral district would be acceptable, subject to prior consultation with the ºÚÁÏÉç regarding form of notice and conduct of meeting.
5. As per section 1-8 of the Bylaws under the Health Professions Act, candidates must not hold a director or officer position of the Doctors of BC (British Columbia Medical Association), the Canadian Medical Protective Association, the Canadian Medical Association, the Society of General Practitioners of BC, or the Society of Specialist Physicians and Surgeons of BC, that would have an obvious competing fiduciary obligation to the ºÚÁÏÉç and another organization.