National Managers' Community

In the early years, NMC supported a range of regional activities such as annual networking forums and local learning events. Some of the NMC's core programs were developed during this time by people like Paul Lefebvre, Bob Chartier and Karen Bonner. The communities of practice and the practical tools to support managers in their work have stood the test of time and are still important lines of business today. They have even been integrated across other levels of government, expanding the reach of the NMC. Financially, however, the NMC was vulnerable, with no assurance that funding would continue beyond the current fiscal year. Under champion Ric Cameron, then Assistant Deputy Minister with the Canadian International Development Agency, the NMC conducted an external review. Consultations were held within the NMC and in-depth interviews conducted with senior executives. The resulting report highlighted the unique role of the NMC as the only organization working on behalf of managers within the Government of Canada that had the capacity to reach the entire managerial community in the public service in a non-fragmented, holistic manner. The report recommended some improvements to the organization, including enhancing governance, increasing partnerships, securing long-term funding, and increasing awareness and visibility. Taking guidance from the report, the NMC developed a strategic plan to address the gaps. It was during this period that the first chair of the Governing Council, Richard Crowe, was elected. There has only been one other chair, Mark Butler, who has held the position since 2008.