Canadian Yachting October 2021 - 33

THE PANDEMIC WAVES WERE CHOPPY
BUT WE WEATHERED THE STORM
- BY PETER BOLTON, SN, CPS-ECP CHIEF COMMANDER
As we begin the approach
to our 2021 Annual General
Meeting - the second
virtual AGM in a row - a
lot has taken place since
our last face-to-face gathering.
In
March 2020, we entered an unexpected long dark tunnel,
coped and survived, and are now close to the exit threshold;
close to the end of the tunnel. Close to two years ago in Victoria,
I promised there would be changes ahead. In my mind
was an increase in online course work with more hybrid (part
        
we had been working on for several years. I had no idea what
lay ahead of us.
The new IT System was about to go live and, when it did, it was
clear early on that there were many rough edges that needed
smoothing out. Over the last two years, thanks to the hard work
of a small band of dedicated volunteers in the Educational Department,
the Membership team, the hard-working team in the
         
we are emerging from the tunnel when many businesses are
not. In the intervening months much progress has been made.
We have tidied up and corrected much of the data imported
from the old WBAS system.
In Victoria, we didn't (neither did anybody else) anticipate the
COVID-19 pandemic. However, we entered the pandemic with
a full set of online tools to keep the ship going while face-toface
meetings were banned, keeping instructors in practice
           
to those squadrons that held online classes while face-to-face
meetings were prohibited. Our sustainer has been online and
Zoom Maritime Radio classes and exams. The ISEDC (Industry
Canada) protocols for the conduct of the ROC(M) examination,
although a bit painful (as I can tell you from personal experience),
were safe and got the job done.
Still, there were those who sat on their hands and awaited the
end of the pandemic because they didn't " believe in online
teaching " . But this is the way many of our customers want it
and this is a trend that will continue. We, like all organizations,
          
CANADIANYACHTING.CA
33
to changing circumstances. We are entering a " new normal. "
Life won't be the way it was even a few short months ago, so
we must adapt and go forward.
            
programs. John Gullick has shared the required safety protocols
with the squadrons. There have since been a number of very
successful events with a strong emphasis on provincial and
municipal safety restrictions being the primary consideration.
As previously mentioned, the 2021 AGM will again be held
virtually. In place of this year's planned face-to-face meeting,
we have signed a contract with Trois-Rivieres for the AGM in
2024 - a similar three-year delay to the one we agreed to with
Windsor last year, thus avoiding a contract cancellation penalty.
The board has approved the possible change in national dues
          
AGM. The proposed increase is approximately equivalent to the
          
The membership recovery project is continuing with the team
involved continuing to work on recovering lapsed members
with some success. To date they have helped more than 1,000
lapsed members renew their membership but, even with that
effort, our membership numbers are down. The reasons that
members are not renewing vary but one of them is related to
the lack of face-to-face social programs. Hopefully this will turn
around when in-person classes and squadron social events
start up again in the fall.
As we keep this ship going in a new direction, we still depend,
and will continue to depend, on our volunteers to carry out our
mission of teaching safe boating and environmental stewardship,
trying to put CCG and CCGA out of business! Thank you
for all you do in keeping CPS-ECP going. I wish everyone a safe
and healthy fall season and 2022.
Please see page 36 for more information on this year's AGM. 
48'
46'
44'
42'

http://www.CANADIANYACHTING.CA

Canadian Yachting October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Yachting October 2021