This is the official design made by Frank Johnson of Edmonton. The base is of Canadian Maple; the metal pieces are of Canadian Aluminum; the design is evocative of the Aurora Borealis ("the Northern Lights"); the Canadian Maple Leaf can be seen through the intersection of the three metal pieces and when looked down on from the top the design of the three pieces make the letters S and F.
The banner art in the masthead is by Brian Hubenig of Gibsons, BC
CONSTITUTION OF THE CANADIAN SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ASSOCIATION (CSFFA)
Article I - Name, Objectives, Membership and Organization
...Section 1: NAME: The name of this organization shall be the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association, hereinafter referred to as CSFFA.
...Section 2: PURPOSE: CSFFA is an unincorporated literary society whose functions are:
......A: To choose the recipients of the annual Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association awards (AURORA awards);
......B: To choose the locations and Committees for the annual national convention, which shall be known as Canvention;
......C: To attend those Canventions;
......D: To perform such other activities as may be necessary or incidental to the above purposes.
...Section 3: MEMBERSHIP: The Membership of CSFFA shall consist of all people who have paid membership dues to the Committee of the current Canvention: those members who are either Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
...Section 4: Members of CSFFA may vote for the AURORA awards and Canvention site selection. Non-members who are either Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada may vote by paying the relevant fees (See Article II, Section 10 and Article IV, Section 6).
...Section 5: Authority and responsibility for all matters concerning Canvention, except those reserved herein to CSFFA, shall rest with the Aurora Awards Committee, which must act in consultation with the Canvention Committee of the host Convention. [Amended 2008]
Article II - The Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association Awards
...Section 1: Selection of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association Awards (herein after referred to as the AURORA Awards) shall be made as specified in the subsequent Sections of this Article.
...Section 2: Best Work in English
.......A: Best Novel in English: For a published novel in the English language by a Canadian writer released in Canada within the previous calendar year. Such a work shall be science fiction or fantasy. A novel is defined as any work longer than 40,000 words or more. At an author's request, a novella-length work published individually, rather than as part of a collection or an anthology, may appear in the novel category. [Amended 2008]
......B: Best short-form work in English: For a published novella, novelette, short story or poem in the English language by a Canadian writer released in Canada in the previous calendar year. Such work shall be science fiction or fantasy;
......C: Best work in English (other): For SF or Fantasy activity in the English language in the previous calendar year not encompassed by the previous two subsections. For example: Canadian media presentation, Canadian anthology, Canadian magazine, or critical writing or editing by a Canadian, Canadian translator (into English).
...Section 3: Best Work in French
......A: Best long-form work in French: For a published novel or fiction collection in the French language by a Canadian writer released in Canada within the previous calendar year. Such a work may be science fiction or fantasy.
......B: Best short-form work in French: For a published novella, novelette, short story or poem in the French language by a Canadian writer released in Canada in the previous calendar year. Such work shall be science fiction or fantasy;
......C: Best work in French (other): For SF or Fantasy activity in the French language in the previous calendar year not encompassed by the previous two subsections. For example: Canadian media presentation, Canadian anthology, Canadian magazine, critical writing or editing by a Canadian, Canadian translator (into French).
...Section 4: Artistic Achievement:
......A: Artistic Achievement: For a work or body of work produced by a Canadian artist within the previous calendar year.
...Section 5: Fan Achievement:
......A: Fan Achievement (publication): For a Canadian fanzine or fannish newsletter, amateur publication or blog or other type of publication relating to science fiction and fantasy fandom published either in hard copy/paper or electronically at least once during the previous calendar year. Club publications, such as clubzines, are eligible for this award. This award is open to a wide range of fannish publications in all media. [Amended 2008]
......B: Fan Achievement (organizational): For contributions to Canadian convention or club activities during the previous calendar year;
......C: Fan Achievement (other): For Canadian fan activity in the previous calendar year not encompassed by the previous two subsections. For example: multi-media presentation, music, art, apas, fan-writing, etc.
...Section 6: Canadian Writer. A Canadian writer is defined as a citizen, not necessarily living in Canada at the time, or a permanent resident of Canada.
...Section 7: The entry "No Award" shall be mandatory in each category of the AURORA Awards.
...Section 8: Nominations: Selection of nominees for the final Award voting shall be done by a poll conducted by the Canvention Aurora Awards Committee, in which each nominator shall be allowed to make three (3) equally weighted nominations in each category. Assignment to the proper category of nominees nominated in each category, and eligibility of nominees, shall be determined by the Canvention Aurora Awards Committee. No nominee shall appear on the final award ballot if they received fewer than five (5) nominations. [Amended 2008]
...Section 9: Final Ballot: Final award ballots shall standardize nominees given in each category to not more than five (5) (except in the case of tie votes for last place) plus "No Award". The Committee shall, on or with the final ballot, designate, for each nominee in the printed fiction categories, one or more books, anthologies, or magazines in which the nominated work appeared (including the book publisher or magazine issue date{s}). No nominee shall appear on the final award ballot if it received fewer than five (5) nominations. Any category with fewer than two finalists shall be declared vacant for the current year. [Amended 2008]
...Section 10: Voting: Final Award voting shall be by mail, with ballots sent to CSFFA members and to the general SF community. Final award ballots shall include name, signature, address and membership-number spaces to be filled in by the voter. If a voter is not currently a member of Canvention, they may include the AURORA voting fee with their ballot. No vote shall be counted without proof of a least a voting fee or membership. Voters shall indicate the order of their preference for the nominees in each category.
...Section 11: The AURORA voting fee shall be set by the current Canvention committee.
...Section 12: Tallying: Counting of all votes shall be the responsibility of the Canvention Committee Aurora Award Committee. In each category, votes shall first be tallied by the voters' first choice. If no majority is then obtained, the nominee who places last in the initial tallying shall be eliminated and the ballots listing it as first choice shall be redistributed on the basis of those ballots' second choice. This process shall be repeated until a majority-vote winner is obtained. The complete numerical vote totals, including all preliminary tallies, shall be made public by the Canvention Committee within ninety (90) days after the Canvention. [Amended 2008]
...Section 13: Exclusions: No member of the current Canvention committee nor any publication closely connected with a member of the Committee shall be eligible for an Award. However, should the Committee delegate all authority under this Article to an Awards Subcommittee, then this exclusion shall apply to members of the subcommittee only.
...Section 14: Design: The official Aurora award is the one designed by Frank Johnson. When viewed from the side the shape is a reminder of the Northern Lights (the Aurora Borealis). In the centre a maple leaf can be seen from many angles. From overhead the letters SF can be seen. The recommended materials for construction of the award is metal on a wood base.
Article III - Constitution and Powers of the Business Meeting
...Section 1: Any proposal to amend the Constitution of CSFFA shall require for passage a two-thirds majority of the votes cast on the question at the Business Meeting of CSFFA at which it is debated; and must be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast at the Business Meeting of CSFFA at the following Canvention.
...Section 2: Any change to the Constitution of CSFFA shall take effect at the end of the Canvention at which such change is ratified.
...Section 3: The conduct of the affairs of CSFFA shall be determined by the Constitution together with all ratified amendments hereto and such Standing Rules as the business meeting shall adopt for its own governance.
...Section 4: Business Meetings of CSFFA shall be held at an advertised time and place at each Canvention. The current Canvention Chairman (or designate) shall serve as Presiding Officer for the meeting.
...Section 5: Should there be no acceptable bids for the following Canvention, the current CSFFA Business Meeting shall take whatever steps it deems necessary to provide for a subsequent Canvention.
...Section 6: The Constitution of CSFFA shall be printed and distributed to the Canvention membership before or at the Canvention. It will also be available on request, from the current Canvention Committee.
...Section 7: In cases of ambiguity, the English version of the Constitution shall be considered the true version. A French translation of this document is available upon request.
Article IV - Site Selection
...Section 1: The Canvention site shall alternate east and west with a division at the Manitoba-Ontario border, unless there is no appropriate bid, whereupon bids from the current zone will be considered.
...Section 2: Prospective bids for the following year's Canvention shall advise the existing Canvention in advance of the Business Meeting by specifying the name of their bid, the name of the Chairman of the bid, the location of the bid, and the dates of the proposed bid.
...Section 3: The Business Meeting shall decide upon the eligibility and acceptability of bids received. Sole authority in the decision shall rest with the Business Meeting (see also Article III, Section 5).
Version: 2003.8.31...