ACFO celebrates its 25th Anniversary

25 years ago, a group of dedicated financial officers took a courageous step: to go it alone and create an association that would represent the unique interests of the FI Group. They believed it was time the group had its own voice – a voice that could promote the collective interest of the financial management community at the bargaining table, in the workplace and wherever policy was debated and discussed.

It truly is my honour to play a role in carrying this vision forward today. As ACFO President, I’ve had a front row seat as the long-lasting and far-reaching impacts of that brave decision made a quarter century ago have played out.

• We’ve seen better-than-pattern increases for our members at the table.
• We’ve been invited to committees to provide our view on policy matters of the day.
• We’ve published position papers with impact, sparking discussion, and debate on financial management best practices and ultimately influencing policy changes.
• We’ve established a reputation as a professional, respectable, and valuable group in the federal public service and NAV CANADA with the credibility to speak on the international stage.

ACFO is proud of the successes of our past, but we know that we are entering what could be difficult period in our history. This government’s recent attacks on the public service and the labour movement have been designed to erode public support and to weaken our position at the bargaining table as negotiations draw near. The government would do well not to mistake the quiet professionalism of our group for weakness. Here at ACFO, our determination and resolve are inspired by our members – by the knowledge that what we do is important because what you do is important. We know that the better we serve FIs, the better FIs can serve the Canadian public and programs at NAV CANDA through strong financial stewardship. While our focus is on the present challenges we face, ACFO always has an eye on the horizon. We believe that in this increasingly globalized world, the future lies with international collaboration and innovation. We’ve begun to form partnerships with other international associations to share ideas and opportunities to enhance our collective standing on the world stage. Your work gives us this credibility and we all stand to benefit from such exchanges of ideas and support. Ultimately, ACFO is ready for new challenges and excited for the new ventures, but most of all we are grateful for the opportunity that you have given us to serve you, our community of interest, both in the public service and NAV CANADA for 25 years. Here is to the next quarter-century and beyond! Yours sincerely,   Milt Isaacs, CMA, CPFA President, Association of Canadian Financial Officers   15/4/2014