Doing more with your .CA: the role of a CIRA member

Whether you’re currently a CIRA member looking to understand your role or you’re a .CA domain holder wondering what being a part of our member community means, understanding the basics of CIRA membership and what you’re committing to is important. As a member, being an active participant in CIRA’s operations and governance is where you’ll have the most impact towards our mission to build a trusted Canadian internet.

Fundamental role of CIRA members:

The fundamental role of a CIRA member is to participate in the organization’s operations and governance and act as a stakeholder in CIRA’s accountability to the organization. This includes:

Participating in the board of director elections.

Actively participating in the election process is one of the ultimate ways to activate your role as a member. Members can:

• Run as a candidate for election
• Show support for candidates looking to get on the final ballot
• Ask questions to candidates during the campaign forum
• Vote to elect board members

No matter what your level of involvement in the election process is, your actions contribute to CIRA’s strategic direction and the development our programs, products and services that leverage all that the internet has to offer. Learn more about our election process and key dates.

Participating in Canadians Connected: CIRA symposium and annual general meeting.

The role of a member in CIRA’s annual meeting is critical to CIRA’s corporate operations and governance. A quorum of members must be present for the AGM to proceed. CIRA’s By-Law No. 1 requires a quorum of at least 100 members. During the AGM, members can:

• Move and second motions
• Ask questions and/or provide comments related to motions
• Vote on motions related to the operation of the organization, such as:
  • appointing CIRA’s auditors for the next fiscal year
  • confirming approved changes to CIRA’s bylaws when presented
  • addressing member proposals when presented
• Ask questions to CIRA’s leadership related to CIRA’s business and operations

Exclusively for members, CIRA’s annual meeting is where you’ll hear about the progress and development of CIRA’s work, its financial state and future direction. This meeting is your opportunity to use your voice and your vote to directly contribute to CIRA’s operations and governance.  Learn more about Canadians Connected.

Learning, connecting and sharing

Beyond members’ fundamental role in CIRA’s governance, there are other opportunities to deepen your connection with CIRA, activate your membership and make your voice heard as a part of a community of .CA holders who are interested in the future of the internet in Canada. You can make the most of your membership by:

• Learning about CIRA’s history, latest initiatives, board work and industry trends
• Championing CIRA’s work, uniquely Canadian products, brand and membership
• Leveraging business, technical and practical resources available to members
• Connecting with other members and CIRA’s leadership through CIRA meetups
• Providing feedback through surveys and consultations
• Sharing your knowledge with others

Check out the useful resources below to learn more:

Board and governance information
CIRA History
Historical background information
Corporate reports
Policy on Membership
Bylaw No. 1
Blogs
CIRA’s leadership team
Our commitment to the environment
Community Investment Program
Member website

About CIRA membership

Membership is free and only open to .CA holders. It remains active so long as your domain(s) remains registered—there’s no additional renewal process beyond renewing your .CA domain name!

If you’re not a member and have a .CA domain name—become one! Don’t have a .CA domain name? What are you waiting for—register yours today.

CIRA is a member-based organization that values the input of its members and their contributions to enabling a trusted internet. Having a .CA and being a CIRA member supports the great work we do for Canada’s internet.