Policy on Membership

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Version 1.4, July 7, 2011

1. GENERAL

1.1 Application. This Policy on Membership applies to all Members of the Corporation and shall set out the requirements for authenticating the identity and existence of Members.

1.2 Definitions. Unless otherwise specified, the words and expressions used in this Policy shall have the same meaning as in By-law No. 1 of the Corporation.

1.3 Complement to By-laws, etc. The provisions of this Policy are intended to complement and enhance in a consistent manner, the requirements that arise at law and in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

1.4 Interpretation. This Policy shall be, unless the context otherwise requires, construed and interpreted in accordance with the interpretation provisions of the Corporation’s Bylaws.

2. AUTHENTICATION OF MEMBERSHIP

2.1 Eligibility. The Corporation’s By-law No. 1 provides that Membership in the Corporation shall be limited to those Registrants who have been authenticated and admitted in accordance with this Policy and who hold and maintain the registration of one or more Domain Names in accordance with the Registry PRP in effect from time to time. A Member who ceases to be a Registrant with a Domain Name shall automatically cease to be a Member of the Corporation forthwith.

2.2 Authentication of Individual Registrants. Any Registrant who is an individual and who wishes to be a Member of the Corporation shall submit to the Corporation such documents and information as the Corporation in its discretion may request in order to authenticate the existence and identity of the Registrant.

2.3 Authentication of Non-individual Registrants and appointment of Membership Representative. “Membership Representative” means, in the case of a Registrant who is not an individual but is a Member of CIRA, the authorized representative of the Registrant. Any Registrant which is not an individual and wishes to be a Member of the Corporation shall submit to the Corporation such documents and information as the Corporation in its discretion may request in order to authenticate the identity and existence of the Registrant and that the Membership Representative has been duly appointed.

2.4 Verification.

1. The Corporation shall be entitled to conduct such reviews and inquiries as the Corporation in its discretion deems necessary to verify the validity of the documents and information submitted to the Corporation pursuant to subsections 2.2 and 2.3.
2. In order to confirm the validity of the information and documents submitted to the Corporation in accordance with subsections 2.2 and 2.3 to its satisfaction, the Corporation may take such steps as it deems necessary to verify a Registrant’s identity and/or existence, including requesting additional documents and information from the Registrant. If the Corporation is not able to confirm to its satisfaction the validity of the information and documents submitted or the Registrant fails to respond or provide documents requested by the Corporation, the Registrant shall not be entitled to be admitted as a Member of the Corporation or to continue as a Member of the Corporation, as the case may be.
3. Upon confirmation to the Corporation’s satisfaction, of the validity of the documents and information submitted to the Corporation in accordance with subsections 2.2 and 2.3, and provided the Registrant has at least one Domain Name Registration that has been Activated (as defined in the Registrant Agreement), the Registrant who submitted such documents shall be informed by the Corporation within a reasonable amount of time of that Registrant’s admission as a Member.
4. The Corporation may, at any time, (i) re-verify the validity of documents and information submitted pursuant to subsections 2.2 and 2.3 and/or (ii) verify the Registrant’s existence, to verify or reconfirm a Member’s identity and/or existence, or a Membership Representative’s authority to bind a non-individual Registrant, notwithstanding that that Member’s identity and/or existence has previously been authenticated or a Membership Representative’s authority has previously been verified in accordance with this Policy.
5. Members may be required from time to time to authenticate their identity or existence pursuant to other rules and policies of the Corporation for purposes not related to membership in the Corporation. Where a Member’s identity or existence has been previously authenticated for purposes not related to membership in the Corporation, the Corporation may rely on the information and/or documents so collected for the purpose of establishing membership.

2.5 Withdrawal and Readmission as a Member.

1. Any Member may withdraw her membership in the Corporation at any time by accessing the CIRA Member website from the Corporation’s website and changing her membership status.
2. Any former Member may be readmitted as a Member at any time, provided that the membership eligibility requirements set out in the By-laws and this Policy are met at the time of readmission.

2.6 Privacy. Personal information related to Membership will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Corporation’s Privacy Policy

3. MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION

1. any Registrant who is an individual and who is, or becomes, a Member of CIRA will provide to CIRA an email address, phone number(s) and/or other contact information for Membership purposes.
2. any Registrant who is not an individual and who is, or becomes, a Member of CIRA shall in the manner prescribed by CIRA, appoint a Membership Representative and shall provide to CIRA an email address, phone number(s) and other contact information for the Membership Representative.
3. the Registrant or the Membership Representative will be CIRA’s only contact for all matters related to the Registrant’s Membership in CIRA, to receive notices sent to Members on behalf of the Registrant and to attend and vote at Meetings.
4. all notices sent to the Registrant by CIRA in relation to Membership in CIRA, will be sent by email to the Registrant’s Member email address (for Registrants who are individuals) or to the Registrant’s Membership Representative email address (for Registrants who are not individuals). All Members will receive such notices, and Members will not be able to opt-out of such notices. It is the responsibility of the Registrant to ensure that the Member email address or Membership Representative’s email address, as the case may be, is at all times functional and accurate, and that all Membership Information, is up to date, complete and accurate and to provide updates of such information to CIRA.

4. MEMBERSHIP; MEMBER’S VOTING RIGHTS

1. A person can only have one Membership with CIRA.
2. A Registrant who is an individual can be a Member. In this case, such a Member cannot also be the Membership Representative for a Registrant who is not an individual.
3. Members who are not individuals appoint a Membership Representative. The Membership Representative cannot also be an individual Member herself.
4. In exercising their right to vote, Members and Membership Representatives are required to comply with all Registry PRP, including without limitation this Policy on Membership.
5. The principle of “one individual – one vote” will apply to all occasions where Members are entitled to vote, including: nominations, shows of support, elections, Members’ meetings, and Members’ consultations (collectively “Vote”). This is the case regardless of the number of Domain Name Registrations held by an individual who is a Member of CIRA or her ability to represent one or more other Members as a Membership Representative (Registrants who are not individuals).
6. If the Member is a Registrant who is an individual, the Member cannot appoint someone else to Vote on her behalf.
7. If the Member is a Registrant who is not an individual, the Member appoints a Membership Representative to Vote on their behalf. The Membership Representative may Vote on behalf of only one Member (Registrant who is not an individual).
8. Members or Membership Representatives may be required to submit declarations confirming their right to Vote, prior to being entitled to Vote.
9. Members shall not:1. accept or agree to accept a bribe to influence them to vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate.2. directly or indirectly, offer a bribe to influence another Member to vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate.3. by intimidation or duress, compel another Member to vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate.Members found to have engaged in any of the above activities will have any votes cast by them declared null and void, and may be asked to withdraw their Membership.