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Announcement: Administrative Restructuring

Wed 7th Mar 2007 9 comments

canada-and-bermuda.jpgCommissioner M. Christine MacMillan has made the following announcement on leading mission in the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

Many of you are aware that over the past three years leadership at all levels of the organization have been engaged in discussions and discovery of the creation of an administrative structure that would effectively support the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda.

International Headquarters has approved a Pilot Scheme which has the following key objectives in Leading Mission in the Canada and Bermuda Territory:

1. a reorientation of divisional mission support with a greater emphasis on coaching and mentoring through the appointment of area commanders. These officers will be responsible for coaching, supporting and holding ministry units accountable for mission results;
2. a reorganization of divisional boundaries to create a more centralized and lighter divisional administrative structure that together with T.H.Q. provide technical support to the area commanders and ministry units;
3. a continued emphasis on leadership development to learn the skills necessary to successfully live out a new approach to leadership.

This scheme will be carefully reviewed and evaluated.

As a result, the following changes will be made in divisional boundaries effective July 1, 2007:

1. The Ontario Central and the Ontario East Divisions will be combined to create the Ontario Central-East Division with headquarters in Toronto. Area Commanders will be appointed and based in Toronto and Ottawa.
2. The Alberta and Northern Territories Division and Saskatchewan Division will be combined to create the Prairie Division with Headquarters in Edmonton, Alberta. Area Commanders will be appointed and based in Edmonton, Calgary and Regina.
3. Responsibility for the work in the Northern Territories will be transferred to the Quebec Division with Headquarters in Montreal with an Area Commander appointed and based in Yellowknife. The Quebec Division will be renamed the Quebec and Northern Territories Division.

The Divisional Public Relations office will not be directly impacted by these changes.

The British Columbia, Bermuda, Manitoba and Northwest Ontario, Maritime, Newfoundland & Labrador East, Newfoundland & Labrador West, Ontario Great Lakes and Ontario North divisions will not be affected by the boundary changes outlined above for July 1, 2007.

Yours in Christ,

M. Christine MacMillan
Commissioner
Territorial Commander

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9 Responses

  1. Comment from Donald, Tue 6th Mar 2007 3:35am

    Wow what a change. i was looking at the list above and thinking none of it makes any sense. You want to make changes that will make things more centalized but then you redraw boundry lines of divisions and place your DHQ offices in areas far from being central.

    Then it states the implementation of of Area Commanders. I had a problem with an officer a couple of years ago, When I filed a complaint the then DC said he would look into it. You want to know something the only thing that happened was the officer became worse and his numbers fell. Tell me why an organization that is falling short of its mission is attempting to institute another level in the top down command system that has proved in alot of cases to be no longer effective.

    Instead of electing and appointing focus groups of people that are friends of the DC why not start listening to the soldiers. I got sick of being ignored and decided to not only hang up my uniform but completly walk away from being a local soldier. I love the army and pray for it daily. But I wonder when in the restructing discussions the TC will say forget symposiums, Lets open up and start listening to the soldiers. After all with out soldiers you have no army.

  2. Comment from Jason, Tue 6th Mar 2007 5:15pm

    I applaud the Territory's efforts to re-evaluate the way things are done and why they are done the way they are. A great temptation for any large organisation is to stay the way it is, because it is a lot of work to try to implement widespread change. This looks like a good first step in the right direction. I look forward to hearing further details and seeing how it all works out.

  3. Comment from Duncan, Wed 7th Mar 2007 12:38pm

    Jason, Switch Victoria Citadel to the Quebec Division. Switch St.John's Temple to the Maritime Division and Switch North Toronto to the Prairie Division in order to justify the continued existance of any division (using a new model requires DHQ's to be self supporting from their own division) And see how many people join you in your applause.

  4. Comment from Jaret, Wed 7th Mar 2007 3:03pm

    Well, I believe the army needs some re-organization. I think having symposiums are great. They provide the opportunity for THQ to listen to what people in the field are saying; this is how THQ stays connected with the grassroots.

    While I am somewhat dishearten with Saskatchewan being delegated to Alberta, as I lived and was involved in SK, but I do understand why such a change is needed. Again, ON Central & ON East I also understand. The only decision that I wonder about is the Territories coming under Quebec. Yellowknife is approx. 16 hour drive to Edmonton. I'm not quite sure how long it takes to swim across the Hudson to Montreal. It'll be interesting to see how these area commands work.

    Some like change some want to avoid it at all costs, but as an army we need to be flexible to communicate God's love to a dying, hurting world.

  5. Comment from Ian Scott, Thu 8th Mar 2007 5:07pm

    I too wondered about the placement of Yellowknife with the Quebec Division. I think restructuring can be a healthy change and maybe it is needed. There is no real issue with Combining Alberta and Saskatchewan together, nor with the Ontario divisions. But in the case of Yellowknife I think that THQ needs to publish their reasoning behind this move in order to have effective input from masses. Ours is an organization that is generally reliable and concerned over the welfare of all involved. I think a little more of an explanation would be all that is required in order to see the benefits and thinking involved behind such a transistion.

  6. Comment from Brenda, Thu 8th Mar 2007 7:54pm

    With these changes while good for the ones close to Toronto and other headquaters cities, it willbe almost impossible to be heard from a distance.The Army I see today from my town has gone from church growth and not caring for the soldiers and people who attend too showing little or no compassion.With headquaters going farther away who will make the appoointed officers accountable.This only applies too the officers who are not here for the right reasons winning souls for Jesus.

  7. Comment from Sharon, Fri 9th Mar 2007 6:29pm

    I understand that this re-organization meets with mixed emotions. However, I believe strongly that those involvedj in the decision-making process did so with a lot of prayer and
    deliberation. Shouldn't we as soldiers give our leaders some credit and trust that there is good reason why they made such decisions. After all, we are not privy to everything that goes on in this Territory or the Army worldwide.

    As a good soldier, I choose to pray for my leaders and pray that these decisions will lead to a better Army.

  8. Comment from Fred, Sat 10th Mar 2007 11:02pm

    Seems early to be making conclusions about what it will mean for us as a territory. What will make our Army succesful is men and women who give themselves to God everyday. How the administration of The Army looks like will make little difference if we aren't His servants. Pray for those who make decisions about the future of The Army - that's my take on the announcement.

  9. Comment from Colin Bain, Tue 13th Mar 2007 0:08am

    At last the info....or is it?
    When this was first proposed, it was presented with a cost reduction in mind. I cannot see this. With the reduction on DHQ support, one assumes that the support and thus power will now more reside at THQ. The Area Commanders being billed as coaches and mentors is a great idea. I pray that this aspect will not be diluted in the process of implementation.
    Seems like a lot more offices will need to be rented and support staff hired. But like the last post said, too early to tell, but not too early to see some things to avoid!