As a member-based organization, our 15,000-strong community of members play a critical role in helping us build a trusted internet for Canadians by showing support and voting for board candidates.
If you’re a CIRA member who is reading this, you might be wondering what showing support and voting for candidates is all about. We’re here to help! Here are three questions you should consider when making your decision.
1. Does this candidate represent the skills and experience CIRA needs on the board?
This year, there is a need for board members with an entrepreneurial background, including experience in the domain name industry and a deep financial acumen as practitioner. In addition, there is a need for individuals who understand the key components of cybersecurity, law related to CIRA’s business and environmental and internal risks and opportunities implications that may impact CIRA. Candidates must also have previous board experience and a solid understanding of the duties and responsibilities of directors and board governance.
CIRA manages .CA on behalf of all Canadians, so it is critical that our board reflects the diversity of our country. In order to build a trusted internet for Canadians, it’s important that our board is balanced with gender and regional diversity.
Each year, CIRA’s governance committee submits a Board Competencies and Diversity Report that outlines the diversity of skills needed on the board, which we outlined briefly above. For more information about the skills and experience we are looking for on our board, you can check out the report.
2. How will this candidate contribute to building a trusted internet for Canadians?
CIRA’s goal is to build a trusted internet for Canadians. Our mission is to connect, protect and engage the internet community in Canada and beyond by ensuring the stewardship of the .CA domain, providing high-quality registry, DNS and cybersecurity services, as well as being an actively engaged supporter of the global internet community.
Board members have the opportunity to:
- Serve a three-year term with the objective of helping CIRA in its mandate to foster the development of .CA as a key public resource for all Canadianss
- Apply their skills and expertise to help develop the strategic direction of .CA.
- Gain valuable insight and experience developing and implementing policies that support Canada’s internet community and the .CA Registry internationally.
- Help enable a trusted internet for all Canadians by supporting the ongoing development of the internet.
- Have an impact on the day-to-day lives of Canadians by enhancing the quality of their experiences online.
3. Who is the best candidate to represent CIRA?
We want to help more Canadians get online with a .CA domain, re-invest in the development of a trusted internet for Canadians, strengthen our non-.CA product offerings and business and be a leading-edge, inclusive workplace that attracts and maintains top talent.
We’re looking for people who share this vision and can bring their expertise to drive innovation so CIRA can improve Canada’s internet.
The best candidate has the right skills to help CIRA advance its mission and take its work to the next level. They are professional, and understand, above all else, that the role of the CIRA board of directors is to represent the corporation.
Your role as a member
As a member, you can show your support for member nominees starting August 18, to get the most qualified member candidate on to the final ballot. Then, all you have to do is vote! Voting for the final candidates on the Nomination Committee and Member slates starts at CIRA’s annual general meeting on September 15.
What is the difference between the Member slate and the Nomination Committee slate? Learn more about the election process in our recent blog.
CIRA’s election process lasts throughout the summer and ends in the fall. It has many stages and several opportunities for you to get involved. At every stage of the election, the CIRA team will reach out to you by email so that you can take full advantage of your membership and get involved in our governance process. In addition to emails from CIRA, candidates may also reach out to you directly to ask you for your support.
CIRA and the election candidates rely on your participation. As a CIRA member, it’s your responsibility to elect a Board of Directors who will work in the best interest of the organization.
As the Manager of Membership Relations at CIRA, Julie manages the development, planning and delivery of CIRA’s membership and Member-related activities and engagement. She strives to create opportunities for Members and consumers, and partners to share, connect, and learn and get the most out of their relationship with CIRA.
