CBDC Newsletter

'GET ON BOARD' LAUNCHES ACROSS CANADA

‘Get on Board’ is designed to provide the support individuals need to create their personal board career action plans including understanding the roles and responsibilities, recruitment process and governance.Launched in May, the program offers half-day sessions at the Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced levels in Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver.

The CBDC program will have over 200 participants by the end of 2010. Feedback from the attendees of ‘Get on Board’ includes: “Great instructors,” “Diversity of participants” and “It is great to be in a room with peers and professional who are exposed to and experienced in the board world.”

“With the tremendous support of our Founding Members and board experts, including very successful professionals with inspiring board careers, we have achieved something great with ‘Get on Board,” said Pamela Jeffery, Founder, Canadian Board Diversity Council.“The program has received positive feedback from across Canada. We received a note from a gentleman in Wyoming that he wished the program was in the U.S.”

The Spring Series launched in early June and will run throughout the summer.

The Fall Series will begin in September.

For details on the application process and courses please click here.

RESEARCH PROJECT UNDERWAY

CBDC will release its first Annual Report Card in the fall. This is the first-ever snapshot of board diversity in Canada. It will contain data on representation of gender, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and people with disabilities on the boards of FP500 organizations. The research is being compiled by Northstar Research Partners. We will be conducting presentations of the research to boards across Canada. If you would like to schedule a briefing for the Fall/Winter please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

NEW STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS APPOINTED

Clare Beckton, Former Coordinator, Status of Women Canada; Bob Elton, Special Advisor to the Board, BC Hydro; and Roberta Jamieson, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation have joined the CBDC Steering Committee.

Steering Committee member Moya Greene has accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer with the Royal Mail, based in the United Kingdom. She will be leaving her post as President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada Post, effective July 14, 2010, and has stepped down from the Steering Committee. We wish Moya well in her new role and thank her for her contribution to the Council.

Q&A WITH NOELLA MILNE

It is rare to find an individual who uses her leadership and skills to support the community. Noella Milne is one of those rare leaders in Canada. Noella immigrated to Canada at the age of 17. For more than 20 years, she has dedicated her career and compassion to improving the lives of women and children.

Today, Noella is a Senior Partner at Borden Ladner Gervais and sits on the boards for the George Brown College Foundation, Children’s Aid Foundation, Street Kids International, and UNICEF Canada. She is also a valuable contributor to the CBDC’s ‘Get On Board’ program. Milne recently spoke with us about the way she approaches her board career – with passion.

more>>

THE THREE TIERS OF GOVERNANCE

By Sylvia Groves, Principal, GG Consulting There are three tiers in governance. The tier your organization is on is often a matter of attitude as well as action.

1. Compliance - the company sees governance as ticking the boxes and complies with the letter of the law because they have to

2. Risk management - the company sees good governance practices and programs as a way to reduce risk for the organization and its directors

3. Adding Value - the company views governance processes as a way to add value for the organization by enhancing the effectiveness of the board.

more>>

New Founding Member/Nouveau Membre Foudateur

Please join us in welcoming HSBC Bank of Canada as our 40th Founding Member.

Ask the Board Expert

Submit your question and an FP500 Director will answer it. In each newsletter we will provide all our members with the answers to your questions.

To submit a question please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the subject “Ask the Board Expert.”