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“It has been my honour to serve as a Board member for six years. It has been a turbulent period – a change in office location, changes in senior staff, challenges in funding operations and a change of name. But more importantly, from an output perspective, we have seen great success in program production and delivery. Completion of our successful international five-year program has been followed by winning an extended seven-year program with Global Affairs Canada that is now in its second year. With a skeleton staff, I am proud of the manner in which the team meets the needs of all its interest groups – the legislative auditors, public accounts committees, the international auditor general community, and increasingly in recent years, Canada’s growing municipal audit community.”

“It is hard to believe that six years has passed since I first joined the Board of the CAAF. As I look back over this time, there are a few things that stand out:

• The fellow Board members that I have had the privilege to work with: Being able to work with these esteemed colleagues on tough issues has been a wonderful learning experience, and I have made some great friends in the process.
• The CAAF team: This group of professionals certainly “punches above their weight” in the contributions that they make domestically and internationally in the areas of audit, accountability and oversight.
• The strategic plan: Working to develop a refreshed strategic plan early in my tenure was a great way to focus on the objectives of the organization and the tangible activities that it could undertake to achieve them.
• The rebranding: Moving from the CCAF to the CAAF may appear to be swapping one letter for another, however the importance of updating our branding to replace “comprehensive audit” with “Audit and Accountability” cannot be understated. It clearly defines the mandate of the organization using terminology that will be understood by the auditors of today and tomorrow.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve on this Board and wish the CAAF continued success in the future. As a practitioner and member, I will continue to rely on the Foundation for practical and relevant guidance in this ever-changing world.”

“The accomplishments of the Foundation over the last six years are numerous and largely a result of the competent and committed team now led by John Reed. The Foundation has made great progress on both the domestic and international files. I was especially pleased and very relieved when the seven-year Global Affairs Canada international development agreement was finally approved. My most valued personal benefit is that of the many networking opportunities and learnings from many committed professionals I have met during my six-year term. I believe the future of CAAF is promising and would like to wish staff as well as the Board of Directors all the best in furthering the Foundation's impact in Canada and abroad.”

“I have been fortunate to serve as a member of the Foundation’s Board for six years. I have also chaired the International Capacity Building Committee and been a member of the Governance Committee. During my time here, three things have stood out for me as important events for the Foundation:

• The strategic plan framework, adopted shortly after I joined the Board, which guides the Foundation’s activities;
• Changes in the annual membership fee structure to provide for a fair and equitable collection of contributions to reflect members’ ability to pay;
• The renewal of the international program with Global Affairs Canada.

The Board’s discussions have always been interesting and productive. This is not only due to our Board members who have brought a diversity of skills and experience to the table, but also because each member has been able to put aside their own personal interests and act in the best interest of the Foundation. The Board Chair plays a crucial role in this, and Jim Sylph has always done a fine job leading and guiding our meetings, while allowing everyone to express themselves.

The Foundation has an excellent reputation. In the past few years, we have come to work more closely with the municipal sector, and this is a niche where our Foundation can really add value. Finally, I want to salute the professionalism and thoroughness of the Foundation staff, guided very skilfully by John Reed.”