BAC Representation at Governor General’s Leadership Conference a First
October - November 2004
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| BAC Canadian Affairs Representative Graeme Aitken (standing, far right), represented the Union at the Governor General’s Leadership Conference in May. |
The prestigious Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference brings together future leaders from business, labour, government, NGOs, education and the cultural sector from across the country for a unique two-week experience designed to broaden the perspectives of both participants and the organizations they represent.
Participating for the first time, BAC Canadian Affairs Representative Graeme Aitken represented the Union at the 2004 session in May, which opened in Winnipeg, Manitoba and concluded in Ottawa, Ontario.
Conferees were divided into fifteen teams, which fanned out to cover every province and territory in Canada. Aitken spent nine days in the Greater Montreal area as part of the Quebec team, where members met with a variety of organizations and individuals including Premier Jean Charest, FTQ Leader Henri Masse, His Worship Gerald Tremblay, and Oscar-winning film director Denys Arcand to name just a few.
The theme of the 2004 Conference – diversity – was well served by the wide range of issues examined by the groups. One of several key strategies developed by Aitken’s team to break down barriers to equal opportunity was named “building bridges,” referring less to the structural aspect of ‘bridges’ and more to a set of actions, such as collaboration and communication. “These bridges,” stated the team, “can change our country, and we have the ability to build them.” The group’s findings and recommendations were presented to the Governor General and the full Conference at the closing session in Ottawa.
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