Government & External Relations Committee

The Government and External Relations Committee (GER) is a Standing Committee of CEWIL that reports to the Board of Directors. The Committee is comprised of a member of the CEWIL Executive or a CEWIL Board Appointee, either the Director at Large Colleges or Director at Large Universities, at least 1 member representing colleges and at least 1 member from each of the main CEWIL regions: ACE BC/Yukon; The Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba); EWO (Ontario); ACDEC Quebec; and CAFCE Atlantic. Additional members may be selected based on project needs. In order to be a member of the GER, the individual’s institution must be a CEWIL member in good standing and the individual should ideally have an interest in legislation, policy, politics or external relations and possesses political acumen. Each member on the committee has an assigned role and expected to be a contributing member of the group.

The CEWIL President or Board Appointee will serve as Committee Chair.

Members of this committee will fulfill at minimum a two-year mandate. Individuals expressing an interest must submit to the Committee Chair a letter of introduction indicating their interest and qualifications to represent co-operative education and work-integrated learning in Canada along with a current resume or biography.

Committee Members

• Co-Chair: Anne-Marie Fannon, University of Waterloo
• Co-Chair: Cara Krezek, Brock University

Goals

1. Determine priority issues CEWIL should present in its lobbying initiatives to the federal government and oversee the CEWIL’s advocacy initiatives with the federal government.
2. Collaborate with the CEWIL Board and other CEWIL Committees in presenting well-researched positions to relevant contacts in the federal government or other external organizations.
3. Establish relationships and collaborate with key external organizations involved in work-integrated learning initiatives nationally and internationally.
4. Assist in establishing CEWIL’s role in developing national policy as it relates to the federal government and other external initiatives on post-secondary co-operative education and work integrated learning (WIL).
5. Maintain and enhance CEWIL’s relationship with the Public Service Commission.

Deliverables

The committee will aim to assist CEWIL’s strategic plan as it relates to government and external relations. The committee will report annually to the CEWIL membership through the Annual Report and to the CEWIL Board as required.

Additional Notes

• Meetings will be conducted in-person where possible; via teleconference; Skype, or other web meeting technologies. Regular email communication among members and/or the CEWIL Board is expected.
• Meetings should occur monthly or quarterly as determined by the issues present and their urgency.
• The committee may appoint sub-committees as required.
• Committee members may be called upon to visit Ottawa and other locations in Canada to meet with legislators and government bureaucrats.
• The Committee Chair will take responsibility for reporting to committee members, the CEWIL Board, and the membership as part of the CEWIL Annual Report.