2004 President John McFadzen - EastDive

I must admit that I am slightly intimidated to assume the role of president of the Canadian Association of Diving Contractors. The fine people that have preceded me in this role have done so with distinction shaping the industry we work in today. I am humbled by the vote of confidence given me by the board of directors and pledge to work with them to represent the membership in the challenges ahead.

It is equally important at this time to thank those folks that have participated as board members, committee representatives, association members and those that simply took the time to express an opinion that helped to form the bedrock of this respected organization.

In addition to the common interest we share as people that love to work submerged, the mission statement reflects the cohesive thread that keeps us engaged as a group with a collective interest in improving our trade. We owe it to those that came before us to forge ahead. The steps may seem small but we have come along way and I believe that by focusing our energies towards the issues that are real and present we will be able to continue to derive advantage without compromise.

Issues including Harmonization, Education, Certification, Legislation and Enforcement will remain a dominate part of our future as an association. I hope to look back one year from today and feel that we as a board have contributed positively to these initiatives

Our Industry has entered a new era in terms of who we are and where we are going. The protocol for safe diving practices developed by association members and formalized by the CSA an Internationally Recognized Canadian Institution, is without a doubt a benchmark that other jurisdictions aspire to. We now have several standards that prescribe, how the work is done, who should do the work, and in the near future the CSA 275.5 Training and Assessment standard will assure training institutions meet a minimum standard prior to accreditation.

The challenges ahead will include developing strategies to address the lack of standards acceptance in some jurisdictions. We all know how steep the slope of legislation can be . Only time or catastrophic failure seems to motivate change in the political arena. We cannot wait for time to lead us to the next catastrophic failure ( fatality ) to motivate the powers that be, to do the right thing. The campaign to inform and nurture the political will should continue with an increased emphasis on appealing directly to industries regardless of the regulatory status in those jurisdictions. Such a campaign would target Safety Engineers and appeal to their sense of diligence. It would dispel the myth that certified divers and diving contractors are those claiming proficiency in the trade. It would inform the stakeholders of the benefits available to those that employ certified competent diving service providers. It would provide a reliable consensus that safety engineers could use as a reference when writing specifications for diving related tender calls.

Initiatives such as these take time and cost money. When I accepted the nomination for presidency, I made a commitment to give something back to an industry that I have had the pleasure of working in for over thirty years. We have a dynamic and enthusiastic board of directors that I am looking forward to working with. It will take a similar desire from others to strengthen our association and the mandate it represents. I urge the membership to step up to the plate and contribute. Your support at the grass roots level will provide a solid foundation for the future performance of the Canadian Association of Diving Contractors.

In closing, I would like to thank Jeremy Leonard past president for his contribution to the association and to pass along greetings to all of those that read this message.

May health and prosperity accompany you though 2004.

John Mc Fadzen

President,

Canadian Association of Diving Contractors.