President-elect

Members will be asked to endorse the association’s President-elect for 2023–24. The Board of Directors endorsed the Nominating Committee’s recommendation of Dr. Gehad Gobran. Dr. Gobran, a family physician in Bedford, is well-respected among his colleagues in the medical community.  He meets all the criteria and identifies as BIPOC, which is an underrepresented voice on the Board. He will bring a valuable perspective to the Board and the association’s leadership. Dr. Gobran has previously served on the DNS Board of Directors (2019 –2022) and as the Board representative on the e-Health Committee. He is also Chair of the Long-Term Care Section. Members will be asked to endorse the association’s President-elect for 2023–24. The Board of Directors will be asked to endorse the Nominating Committee’s recommended candidate at the May 12 board meeting. If the nominee is endorsed by the Board of Directors, details about the candidate will be shared with the membership in mid-May. Learn more

Bylaw revisions

The Governance Committee conducted its annual review of the association’s bylaws and is recommending revisions. The proposed changes would be considered housekeeping items related to special meetings. The committee also recommends changing the term “regional representatives” to “Board appointments.” Learn more

Obesity as a chronic disease

A DNS member has submitted a motion asking the Board of Directors to recognize that obesity is a chronic medical disease requiring enhanced research, treatment and prevention efforts. The rationale for the motion states that several prominent health organizations have declared obesity as a chronic disease. The member believes that a declaration of obesity as a chronic disease by Doctors Nova Scotia will support a unified voice across the country’s medical associations and help change the way Nova Scotia’s medical community cares for the 37% of Nova Scotians living with obesity. Learn more

Motions review

The Resolutions Committee reviews all motions for clarity and content. The committee's role is to ensure the proper wording of the motion, not to determine whether the motion goes to the AGM.

Motions that require an amendment to the bylaws will also be reviewed by the Governance Committee and the Board of Directors. The mover will receive feedback from the Board regarding the content and implications of the motion.

Members' Forum replaces motions from the floor

As motions are not accepted from the floor at the AGM, the Board hosts a Members' Forum as part of the business meeting. This session is an open, informal forum for members to discuss with the DNS Board Executive and senior staff any key activities and issues the member finds interesting and relevant. Guidelines for the Members' Forum include objectives and an outline of the process.

Implementation of motions

If a motion to change the bylaws is approved at the AGM, the change comes into effect immediately. All other resolutions approved at the AGM will be reviewed by the Board of Directors in the year following the AGM.

It’s the responsibility of the Board to identify implications and determine the association's ability to carry out the resolution. The Board will take the following factors into consideration:

• Alignment with the strategic plan and direction
• Financial resources required
• Staff resources required
• Best interests of the association
• Legal implications
• Alignment with best practices in business and governance