Marginal note:Corporate seal

• 34. (1) A cooperative may but need not adopt a corporate seal and may change a corporate seal that is adopted.

• Marginal note:Validity of unsealed documents

  (2) A document executed or, in Quebec, signed on behalf of a cooperative is not invalid merely because a corporate seal is not affixed to it.

Marginal note:By-laws govern

35. Subject to this Act and any provision in the articles, membership in a cooperative is governed by its by-laws.

Marginal note:Application for membership

• 36. (1) No person may be admitted to membership in a cooperative until

  • (a) the person has applied for membership in writing;

  • (b) the application has been approved by the directors; and

  • (c) the person has complied with the membership provisions required by the by-laws, including subscribing for any minimum number of membership shares, paying any minimum amount on account of the subscription price of the shares or paying any minimum amount on account of a member loan.

• Marginal note:Effective date of membership

  (2) If all the conditions set out in subsection (1) have been met within six months after the date on which the cooperative receives the application for membership, the directors may make the admission of the member into membership effective as of the date of the application or as of any date after that date but before the end of the six months.

Marginal note:Right to vote

• 37. (1) Subject to subsection (2) and subsection 7(3), a member has one vote on all matters to be decided by the members.

• Marginal note:Delegates

  (2) If the by-laws provide that the voting rights of a member are vested in one or more delegates to be elected or appointed by the members, the delegates so elected or appointed may exercise all or any of those rights.

• Marginal note:When delegation permitted by by-laws

  (3) When in this Act reference is made to a meeting of members and the cooperative has a by-law providing for the appointment of delegates, a reference in this Act to a meeting of members is to be construed as a reference to a meeting of delegates.

Marginal note:Members under eighteen years of age

• 38. (1) Subject to the by-laws, a person less than eighteen years of age may be admitted to membership in a cooperative and may vote at meetings of the cooperative.

• Marginal note:Minors

  (2) The articles and by-laws of a cooperative, and any unanimous agreement, are binding on a member who is less than eighteen years of age.