2025 motions

President-elect

If the nominee is endorsed by the DNS Board of Directors on May 9, members will be asked to approve the association’s recommended President-elect for 2025–26. Details about the candidate will be shared with the membership in mid-May.

Bylaw revisions 

Clarifying language for Board elections

There are 10 elected members-at-large on the Board, five general practitioners and five licensed specialists. It is recommended that “general practitioners” be changed to “family physicians, including those with a Certificate of Added Competence” to ensure family physicians working in specialty roles are included. This will require revisions to Section 9.5(h)(i) and (ii) of the bylaws. 

Adding a new Standing Committee of the Board

The Awards Committee has been operating as a standing committee of the Board, but the bylaws haven’t been updated to reflect that. It is recommended that Section 14.6 of the bylaws be revised to add “(h) Awards Committee” to the list of standing committees.

New Sections

Section of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons

Obesity is a chronic disease with a complex interplay of genetic, environmental and behavioural factors, contributing to significant comorbidities such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and sleep apnea. The incidence of obesity has been steadily rising in Nova Scotia and nationwide, necessitating a comprehensive and unified approach to care.

Given the growing need for specialized management of obesity, the formation of the Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons Section will provide an essential platform within DNS for collaboration, education and advocacy, addressing the needs of both physicians and patients alike.

Section of Occupational Medicine

Occupational medicine plays a critical role in the prevention, treatment and management of work-related injuries and illnesses. A dedicated Section of Occupational Medicine would bring together family physicians and specialists working in various settings. These include physicians working with organizations such as the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Health Canada, the Enhanced Physician Services program, Occupational Fitness Medical assessment providers, and various private industries and employers that have their own occupational health programs.

Member Dues Decrease

The Audit Committee is recommending a reduction in dues for non-resident licensed and unlicensed members. Doctors Nova Scotia currently charges members of these groups $500 per year. A review of the other provincial and territorial medical associations shows that DNS charges the highest rate for this category of membership. 

To better align with the other provinces, it is recommended that dues for both categories be reduced from $500 to $250 per year. The setting of dues must be approved at the AGM. Dues for non-resident (that is, out-of-province) resident/fellow members will remain $50 per year.

Family medicine as a specialty

A member motion has been submitted seeking support for Doctors Nova Scotia to recognize family medicine as a specialty.

Rules of Order change

Starting in 2025, the rules of order for debating member motions at the AGM have been simplified. This is to ensure the process is easy to understand and give everyone an equal opportunity to participate to the degree possible.

These changes involve relaxing some of the rigid procedural rules to allow the group to debate and consider amendments or details without the same time constraints and strict rules of the formal assembly.

Read more in the Rules of Order.

Members' Forum

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. Questions may be emailed to Charmaine Smith by April 11, 2025. 

Implementation of motions

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

The Board is responsible for identifying implications and determining 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