(And why you should be very concerned)
We all received a long letter today trying to justify the new “Director Qualification and Disqualification By-Law.”
Let’s call it what it is:
👉 A political ad disguised as an official notice.
👉 A misleading explanation meant to scare owners into voting yes.
👉 A by-law that gives the Board the power to eliminate anyone they don’t like.
Here’s what is wrong with the letter – in plain English.
AND TRUST ME IT WILL LEAD TO MORE LITIGATION.
1️⃣ It Pretends Owners Are Being “Misled”
Right in the first paragraph, the letter claims “misleading information is circulating.”
But it doesn’t say who, what, or where.
This is a classic trick:
Discredit anyone who disagrees with them before the conversation even starts.
2️⃣ It Makes the Board Look Helpless – which is false
The letter says the Condo Act has “very limited” requirements and the Board needs this new by-law to keep us safe.
Reality check:
✔ The Condo Act already has a full set of rules for directors.
✔ It already requires training, disclosures, honesty, conflict-of-interest rules, and removal mechanisms.
✔ The Board is not powerless – they just want more power.
This entire argument is a scare tactic.
3️⃣ It Threatens Owners for Exercising Their Rights
One of the new rules says you cannot run for the Board if you, your spouse, or even a family member is involved in any legal proceeding against the corporation.
Read that again.
If you:
- ask CAT for records
- file a complaint
- challenge a decision
- even consider legal action
…you are banned.
This is not democracy.
This is punishment.
And the letter tries to normalize it as “good governance.” It is not.
4️⃣ It Lets the Board Use Their Own Accusations as Evidence
The letter claims people can be disqualified for “harassment,” “violence,” or “discrimination” – not by a court, but just by internal findings under their own policy.
Meaning:
- Management accuses you
- Management “investigates” you
- Management finds you guilty
- The Board bans you for 10 years
No judge.
No tribunal.
No appeal.
No evidence required.
This is wildly inappropriate in any community that calls itself democratic.
5️⃣ It Allows the Board to Remove Elected Directors at Will
The by-law lets the Board:
- remove directors for missing meetings,
- remove them for “incomplete” disclosures (whatever that means),
- remove them for Code of Ethics violations (which the Board controls),
- remove them any time they want through internal “findings”.
Owners elect directors.
This by-law allows the Board to override owners.
That is not “accountability.”
It is control.
6️⃣ The Letter Never Mentions the Real Impact: Silencing Critics
The letter spends pages talking about trust, honesty, and ethics. But it never mentions the obvious:
This by-law conveniently eliminates:
- anyone who has opposed the Board
- anyone who has asked for records
- anyone who has filed complaints
- anyone who has been targeted by management
- anyone related to those people
- anyone they simply find inconvenient
It shrinks the pool of eligible candidates until only the Board’s preferred people remain.
That is why this letter is inappropriate.
It hides the real purpose.
7️⃣ It Creates a False Sense of Urgency and Fear
The letter repeatedly mentions:
- no oversight
- no protection
- directors could misuse power
- owners are “vulnerable”
This is ironic, considering the same Board has:
- violated the Condo Act
- produced a disastrous audit
- ignored owner concerns
- spent hundreds of thousands on legal fees
They are the ones creating risk, yet now they pretend they’re protecting us.
8️⃣ It’s Written Like Marketing, Not Governance
A proper explanation:
- gives both pros and cons,
- gives neutral information,
- explains concerns fairly,
- allows owners to think for themselves.
This letter does the opposite.
It tells you what to think.
It attacks critics.
It sells a narrative.
That’s inappropriate for a corporation that manages millions of dollars of owner assets.
🔚 BOTTOM LINE
The letter is inappropriate because it:
- misleads owners,
- hides the real purpose of the by-law,
- uses fear to push a vote,
- frames critics as liars,
- and justifies giving the Board extraordinary power over who can or cannot run.
A healthy community doesn’t pass by-laws that silence owners or punish people for having a voice.
