About the Alberta Charities Round Table 2000

The Government of Alberta appoints the Charities Advisory Committee to provide expert counseling to the Minister of Government Services, who is responsible for the Charitable Fund Raising Act and for the regulation and support of societies registered under the Societies Act of Alberta. 

The Committee members are volunteers and do not receive any remuneration for their services. The Round Table was the brainchild of the Alberta Charitable Advisory Committee, the membership of which has remained the same since 1999.

Charitable Advisory Committee Membership

J. Sherrold Moore, Chair
E. H. Guy Mallabone, Vice Chair
Barc Barylo
David N. Blue
Claire M. Brown
Deborah Chenery
Richard M. Craddock
Adriana A. Davies, Ph.D.
Major John Goulding
Norman H. Haines
John L. Paquet
Barry Runnalls
Anne S. Tingle
Mark Wolff
Len Wolstenholme
Scott Hood, Departmental Representative

The Alberta Charities Round Table, chaired by Dr. Adriana Davies, was the first consultation of its kind. It was held on November 14-16 in Edmonton, Alberta and brought together stakeholders in the non-profit, charitable and voluntary sector to discuss and act upon issues related to the capacity of Alberta's voluntary sector to meet community needs. A variety of related issues were discussed, and more than 135 recommendations were made.

During the discussion sessions, attempts were made to prioritize the recommendations. The New Directions, New Pathways:  Report of the Alberta Charities Round Table 2000 places recommendations in the approximate order of their priority as suggested by Round Table participants. Discussions focused on the following thematic groupings: Accountability; Collaborations, Partnerships and Mergers; Building Human Capabilities and Resources; and Finances.

The Report was shared with all of the stakeholders including governments, corporate funders, foundations, voluntary organization managers, directors and board members and was available on the World Wide Web.  The Foreword of the Report sets out the parameters for the consultation.

Foreword

Voluntary organizations play a major, and often critical, role in our quality of life, touching every Albertan and every Canadian every day. Various
reports in recent times have pointed out the importance of the charitable/voluntary sector to Canadians. This is a part of an international trend that has identified voluntary, charitable and non-profit organizations altogether as the "Third (or Voluntary) Sector," separate and apart from both the public and private sectors.

The Province of Alberta has long supported the notion that it is important to have a strong charitable sector that effectively serves and enjoys the confidence of Albertans. For more than 30 years, the government has supported this effort through education, financial support and regulation.

The Alberta Charities Round Table 2000, held in Edmonton on November 14-16,2000, brought together representatives from stakeholder groups across Alberta, including volunteers (both board and service volunteers); voluntary sector professionals (staff, consultants, contractors); government regulators and funders; corporate funders; foundations; and interested citizens from many walks of life. The goal was to discuss ways to increase the capacity of Alberta's voluntary sector to better serve Albertans.

This Report represents the collective wisdom of all participants in the unique Round Table event. These words are their words; these recommendations are theirs as well. We hope that delegates to the Round Table, and all readers of this Report, will find within its pages renewed vision to accomplish more effectively their important tasks.

J. Sherrold Moore, Chair
Charitable Advisory Committee

Dr. Adriana A. Davies, Chair
Alberta Charities Round Table 2000