The Conference provides members with the opportunity to freely and openly exchange views and experiences with peers from backgrounds vastly different than their own.

Members begin their exploration with a three-day plenary session where eminent speakers from Canada and around the world provide focus and substance to the Conference theme. The members also begin the process of debate and networking in their study groups, each of which is a microcosm of the overall Conference membership.

Each study group then travels to a region of Canada where, for the next nine days, the members examine issues through the practical experiences of local companies, communities and regional leaders. Multiple site visits are made daily; the locations are selected for their potential as learning sites. Uninhibited face-to-face discussions at each location are considered essential. The links between communities, the national perspective, and Canada’s place in the global community will underpin this examination.

As each study group works together to explore first-hand the relationships between leadership and community, the individual members will find their own beliefs, values and preconceptions are challenged. The multi-sectoral and multi-cultural composition of each study group compels members to widen their perspective. After nine days of travel, observation and debate, the study groups reconvene at the Closing Plenary where reports will be presented to the Governor General of Canada.

In a recent survey of the Conference alumni, 88% said the Conference experience helped their development as a leader, 75% said the Conference had a lasting impact on their career, 92% said the Conference had a lasting impact on their life, and 98% said they recommended the Conference to others.