Water Haller: When Will I See You Again?
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I’ve got that old Barry Manilow song stuck in my head as I sadly announce that we must cancel the National Water & Wastewater Conference for 2020. We have no crystal ball, but it seems more likely every day that we will face a second and third wave of this virus this coming fall and winter. Restrictions on travel and on large gatherings are expected to continue until at least the end of the year. As our priority is on the health of our members and the safe continuity of water services across Canada, cancellation became the only viable option. I really want to thank our partners at the Sheraton on the Falls in Niagara for working with us so closely and allowing us to just re-book with them for 2022. So the next time we can get together for this national event is November 2021 in Halifax, then November 2022 in Niagara. |
But this does not mean that our mandate for national education and information-sharing is forgotten. CWWA is putting together two series of webinars to get you the information you need as water leaders. I know, everyone is doing webinars these days, but we are confident we can provide something unique that is most-relevant for our membership. In fact, we had been planning a partial shift long before this virus as a way to get more information to more members.
CWWA is pleased to partner with Water Canada magazine to host these series. The final details are still under construction but we are developing a four-part Window on Ottawa Series to get you that federal information you expect to get each June at the Window. Each will focus on updates from ministries like Health Canada, Public Safety Canada and Infrastructure Canada. These will run monthly from July through October.
In lieu of the National Conference, we envision a four-part National Panels Series that will be closer to what you expect at the NWWC. This would run through November and December.
While I would appreciate any revenue we might get from these events, the most important thing is that they are relevant and helpful and that you see your national association adding great value to your organization and to you personally.
Now all that said, I still prefer a live event with real, live networking. If you know me, you know I love attending conferences, seeing old friends and making new friends. I always describe my general mission as carrying ideas from one event to another like a bumblebee (not like a coronavirus!) So I guess I will end this as I started, with the lyrics from Barry Manilow:
When will our eyes meet?
When can I touch you?
When will this strong yearning end?
And when will I hold you again?
Okay, maybe I can dial back on the "touch you" and "hold you" points, but you get the emotion, right? I’ve been isolated too long!
Robert
