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YWCA Canada says the repeated postponing of the YWCA N.W.T.’s annual general meeting (AGM) violates the northern chapter’s bylaws and risks eroding public trust.
YWCA N.W.T.’s bylaws state that the organization must hold an AGM no later than six months after the end of its fiscal year. The organization’s fiscal year closed on March 31.
In a statement released Friday, the national charity said that it has spent the past several weeks engaging with the territorial organization to better understand “governance decisions and offer support, interim leadership options, guidance, and recommendations.”
The statement comes after YWCA N.W.T. postponed its annual general meeting for a second time on Wednesday, saying it needs time for an independent review of the organization.
The meeting was first postponed in September, shortly after the dismissal of former executive director Hawa Dumbuya-Sesay. At the time, Dumbuya-Sesay said she was dismissed without being given a reason.
In a statement earlier this week, the territorial organization said the delay was needed to allow for a “comprehensive independent third-party organizational audit and review” that would look at things like governance, leadership, workplace culture and accountability.
The national board said that although it supports “continuous improvements,” it is “concerned” about the resources and time required for the independent review the YWCA N.W.T. has announced.
Not informed in advance about delay
YWCA Canada said it did not receive advanced notice of the delays.
The national board sent representatives to attend the planned AGMs before learning of the postponements.
“It is unusual that we were not engaged prior to important governance decisions,” the statement reads.
YWCA Canada also said that it offered advice to the territorial office “based on established protocols,” but that “those recommendations have not been fully adopted.”
The letter adds that the national organization has not received the information and documentation requested.
It also raises concerns about board membership status and whether all members were included in recent decisions.
“As a membership-driven organization, postponing the AGM delays members’ ability to exercise their membership rights — rights that are fundamental to accountability, good governance, and public trust,” the statement said.
Since financial statements must be approved by membership, the delayed AGM also risks impacting YWCA N.W.T.’s ability “to meet reporting and disclosure obligations to YWCA Canada.”
The statement also noted that YWCA Canada has no authority under its bylaws to intervene directly in an independent member association. It is urging the YWCA N.W.T. board to schedule its AGM as soon as possible, and temporarily stop all staffing changes.
“If this matter is not resolved in a timely manner, we are concerned that ongoing uncertainty and governance challenges risk diverting attention, time, and resources away from the vital services YWCA N.W.T. has been providing for more than 60 years.”
YWCA N.W.T. says client services will not be impacted
In an interview with CBC on Thursday, Lynn Napier, a board member of YWCA N.W.T. said the decision to delay the AGM was made unanimously by the board after “careful consideration.”
“Between the first postponement and the second postponement there was some feedback that raised some issues for the board about … due diligence,” she said.
“We took some independent counsel and made a unanimous decision to postpone the AGM until January to allow for an independent review,” she added.
Napier said neither the delay nor the independent review will impact client services.
“Those services are going to continue. There’s no risk to any of those services,” she said.
YWCA N.W.T. told CBC News that it will respond to particular questions about its bylaws early next week.