President’s Message – Fall 2021

Calvin Bourassa SLS, CLS, P.Surv. President

Judging by the temperature this morning it feels like summer has come to an end even though we still have 5 more days until the official end to summer.  These past few months since my last message have been warm, sometimes a little too warm, and I hope that everyone was able to take some time to enjoy the summer with family and friends with the restrictions on gathering sizes removed.  It is unfortunate that we once again find ourselves in another wave of the pandemic, but I am optimistic that we are nearing the point where we can return to some form of normalcy.  We were hoping that we could hold the fall education seminar in person, and there is still a possibility that we can, but we are also planning for a virtual gathering again if this is not possible.  We have begun planning for the AGM in June and I am certain that we will be able to get together at that time.  It will be good to see everyone again whether it is this fall or next June, it has been too long since we have been able to get together.

Council was able to hold its September meeting in person with most of the Committee Chairs calling in to the meeting.  This was the first in-person Council meeting since December of 2019 and it was nice to be able to meet face to face again.  The committees are all working hard and are all doing the work required by their mandates, and I would like to personally thank all the volunteers for their efforts.  A few of the committees are planning to have information sessions at our fall seminar and I think you will be very interested in what they are working on.  Speaking of the fall seminar, we are still looking for a volunteer for our Education Committee and I would encourage everyone to consider taking on the position.  Heather Maloney and Wade Pennell have volunteered to spear head the fall seminar so the first seminar for the new chair to handle would be the 2022 AGM in June.

I attended the Manitoba Land Surveyor’s AGM virtually this morning as it was decided that they were not ready to return to in person meetings at this time.  The Nova Scotia Land Surveyor’s will be holding an in-person AGM in October, but they have asked the visiting delegates to join the meeting virtually to reduce the people travelling to the meeting.  The Quebec AGM is being held in Quebec City in October as well and they are planning an in-person meeting.  At this time they are still inviting the visiting delegates to attend the meeting in person but that could change before the meeting is held.

I am enjoying my term as President and I am gaining a lot of insight into the profession by attending our sister association’s meetings and the president’s forums.  I am looking forward to hopefully being able to attend some of these meetings in person and continuing to serve the association for the rest of my term. 

I hope everyone stays healthy as we make our way through this latest, and hopefully last, wave of the pandemic.

Sincerely,

Calvin Bourassa