Committee for Canadian Issues: What is the CCI You Ask?
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s some of you may know, I was elected to the Executive Board of the Government Finance Officers Association of the US and Canada (GFOA) in May 2020. I am honored to fill this position as one of the two representatives from Canada. After the election, our President, Marion M. Gee, appointed me as chair of the Committee for Canadian Issues (CCI). What is the CCI you ask? I have been sitting on this committee for three years and we have been asking ourselves the same question! The CCI is made up local government finance representatives from each Province or Territory along with the Executive Directors or their alternates from each of the Provincial/National Associations – GFOABC (which we are all familiar with), Alberta GFOA, Municipal Finance Officers’ Association (MFOA) in Ontario and the Canadian Association of Government Finance Officers (CAGFO). The CCI has spent the last couple years working on a strategic plan and determining how the different organizations can work together to be able to best serve the local government finance staff across the country. While I am hoping to finalize this work in our virtual committee meeting in October, I would like to share with you what direction we are looking at. The GFOA has a clear mission to advance excellence in public finance.
The CCI supports that mission with a Canadian focus and strives to ensure the local government finance staff have access to the training, networking opportunities and resources they need to serve their organizations and communities. Some provinces including BC, Alberta and Ontario are well served by their provincial organizations. But there are many issues facing all local governments that transcend provincial boundaries and call for sharing of information, training or resources. CCI is working to not only to bring the groups together to share that information, but also determining how we can get that information out to others that don’t have a readily accessible resource like GFOABC standing by to help them! Difficult times like the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted our similarities and shared struggles whether you are in Lake Country, BC or West Hants, NS. The CCI has some work to do in this term and I am excited to get going. GFOA also offers access to training, networking and resources. Please visit their newly re-designed website at gfoa.org to look at the Fiscal First Aid resources, best practices, register for upcoming webinars and consider becoming a member. GFOA also has opportunities to join targeted task forces and are always looking for a Canadian perspective on various issues.
My time with GFOABC and the connections I have made has been instrumental in not only my election to the GFOA Board but also continues to drive my desire to give back to the profession. Local government finance may not have started as a preferred career choice for many people but has become a calling for those committed to making a difference in their communities. If you are interested in learning more or getting involved with CCI or GFOA, please contact me! •
TANYA GAROST accepted the position Chief Financial Officer for the District of Lake Country in 2016 and is now the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer as well. With 18-years in local government finance, her past positions include GM of Finance and Corporate Services for the City of West Kelowna, Director of Finance for the Thompson Nicola Regional District and Revenue Manager for the City of Kamloops. Tanya has been involved with the Government Finance Officers of British Columbia since 2009, starting out by teaching courses and then sitting on the Board and eventually becoming President in 2017. Tanya now sits on the Executive Board of the Government Finance Officers Association of United States and Canada and is the Chair of the Committee on Canadian Issues.
SEPTEMBER 2020 • DOLLARS & SENSE PERSPECTIVE | 5
