GPNS protocol abbreviates Green Party of Nova Scotia organization protocol. These organization protocols specify the processes the Green Party of Nova Scotia follows for difficult, important, controversial or sensitive duties - including the ratification of the GPNS platform, the s/election of GPNS candidates, and GPNS membership matters.
They are specified in the GPNS constitution as:
Ideally they create totally predictable and auditable behaviour on all matters:
The constitution only specifies the names and scopes of the protocols, the definitions are subject to frequent debate, re-definition and interpretive rulings mostly driven by cases/complaints or failures.
New sub-protocols can be created by committee and adopted by the GPNS executive where more rigour is required.
Craig Hubley, applying his Lean Green Machine strategy and party protocol model to the design of the GPNS, recommended the following list in early 2005. Its influence on the above is obvious:
"X.1 a candidate protocol to specify the exact steps taken by a person seeking to become a candidate for the GPNS in election, and the rules regarding nominations or refusals of nomination (per Article regarding powers of Leader)
X.2 a member protocol to specify how members may be recruited, contacted, invited to events, asked for donations, or expelled
X.3 an officer protocol covering nomination, review, elections to posts within the party or its bioregional/district or constituency units, handling of resignations, and other matters. (per Article regarding structure of party).
X.4 a position protocol establishing what is and is not a genuine Green Party of Nova Scotia position, what is a promise, or a "plank", or a "platform", or a legitimate answer to a citizen survey or question.
X.5 a press protocol establishing how, exactly, press releases are to be proposed, drafted, edited, ultimately approved and posted to any internal party forum, external party publication, or the mass media.
X.6 an election protocol specifying exactly what must occur in what order from the moment the writ drops to the post-election wrapups; to establish as soon as possible an anticipated timing for any election and to determine what other events will be relevant around that timing
X.7 an audit protocol clarifying (preferably in ISO 19011 terms), exactly how the party's ecological impact, performance to its own protocols and job descriptions, and financial decisions are audited
X.8 a fund protocol clarifying how funding protocols are approved and repudiated/rejected, how out-of-process complaints are handled, and how members who use legal terms inappropriately in this context are to be disciplined or their actions or statements to be disavowed
X.9 a ((school protocol for dealing with inquiries from campus or other (secondary or private) school groups and briefing them on any matters that are directly relevant to Green positions on issues in their communities; handling all requests in a timely polite manner
X.10 a local protocol to provide a consistent interface for responding to invitations from citizens' groups, ensuring they reach the bioregional or other body that can reliably send someone to address them on Green positions, and to determine what local issues need addressing
X.11 a global protocol to monitor world events and statements by world figures and propose responses to them, whether or not these are noted by the mass media in Nova Scotia, with reference to Green positions; this includes outreach to any and all federal figures and parties - it precludes favouring the Green Party of Canada or the ruling party, and requires equal treatment of all persons in a position of global power or seeking the power to assume the position to deal with those in a position of global power, e.g. foreign affairs critics of every party.
X.12 a municipal protocol to assist candidates for municipal office and school boards to learn and convey Green policies into their races - a function that must be shared with local Green and other parties, within the bounds of laws regarding parties in municipalities"
They are specified in the GPNS constitution as:
- retrieve from final constitution
- retrieve from final constitution
- retrieve from final constitution
[+] why they exist
Ideally they create totally predictable and auditable behaviour on all matters:
- directly implementing the GPNS purpose specified in the first articles of the GPNS constitution
- where totally predictable and/or auditable behaviour is required by Elections Nova Scotia or the party itself
- where privacy or other liability is at risk
- where GPNS members or GPNS regions require the power to strongly or publicly disagree with the GPNS executive, GPNS policy committee or GPNS leader, which could result in power struggles
[+] flexibility
The constitution only specifies the names and scopes of the protocols, the definitions are subject to frequent debate, re-definition and interpretive rulings mostly driven by cases/complaints or failures.
New sub-protocols can be created by committee and adopted by the GPNS executive where more rigour is required.
[+] early list
Craig Hubley, applying his Lean Green Machine strategy and party protocol model to the design of the GPNS, recommended the following list in early 2005. Its influence on the above is obvious:
"X.1 a candidate protocol to specify the exact steps taken by a person seeking to become a candidate for the GPNS in election, and the rules regarding nominations or refusals of nomination (per Article regarding powers of Leader)
X.2 a member protocol to specify how members may be recruited, contacted, invited to events, asked for donations, or expelled
X.3 an officer protocol covering nomination, review, elections to posts within the party or its bioregional/district or constituency units, handling of resignations, and other matters. (per Article regarding structure of party).
X.4 a position protocol establishing what is and is not a genuine Green Party of Nova Scotia position, what is a promise, or a "plank", or a "platform", or a legitimate answer to a citizen survey or question.
X.5 a press protocol establishing how, exactly, press releases are to be proposed, drafted, edited, ultimately approved and posted to any internal party forum, external party publication, or the mass media.
X.6 an election protocol specifying exactly what must occur in what order from the moment the writ drops to the post-election wrapups; to establish as soon as possible an anticipated timing for any election and to determine what other events will be relevant around that timing
X.7 an audit protocol clarifying (preferably in ISO 19011 terms), exactly how the party's ecological impact, performance to its own protocols and job descriptions, and financial decisions are audited
X.8 a fund protocol clarifying how funding protocols are approved and repudiated/rejected, how out-of-process complaints are handled, and how members who use legal terms inappropriately in this context are to be disciplined or their actions or statements to be disavowed
X.9 a ((school protocol for dealing with inquiries from campus or other (secondary or private) school groups and briefing them on any matters that are directly relevant to Green positions on issues in their communities; handling all requests in a timely polite manner
X.10 a local protocol to provide a consistent interface for responding to invitations from citizens' groups, ensuring they reach the bioregional or other body that can reliably send someone to address them on Green positions, and to determine what local issues need addressing
X.11 a global protocol to monitor world events and statements by world figures and propose responses to them, whether or not these are noted by the mass media in Nova Scotia, with reference to Green positions; this includes outreach to any and all federal figures and parties - it precludes favouring the Green Party of Canada or the ruling party, and requires equal treatment of all persons in a position of global power or seeking the power to assume the position to deal with those in a position of global power, e.g. foreign affairs critics of every party.
X.12 a municipal protocol to assist candidates for municipal office and school boards to learn and convey Green policies into their races - a function that must be shared with local Green and other parties, within the bounds of laws regarding parties in municipalities"