It has been a busy time for MCA Toronto and its members. I
would like to take the time to reflect on some recent association occurrences
before looking forward to the future of our association and our industry.
The MCA Toronto held its annual Industry Luncheon on January
10, 2007. With the support of the
membership, the event was once again very successful. This year we were fortunate to have Mr. Terry
Evanshen, a member of the CFL Hall of Fame, tell his remarkable story. A car accident left Terry in a coma and, upon
awakening, he found that he had lost all recollection of his life. The luncheon guests were treated to the
inspiring tale of Terry’s persistence and courage as he re-invented himself,
and rebuilt his life.
On a similar note, I attended the MCA America Annual General
Meeting in Orlando, Fla. The theme of this year’s event was “CHANGE.” The secret, shared by both Terry Evanshen and
the speakers at the MCAA, is to embrace change and become resilient in the face
of adversity. MCA Toronto is making
strides towards this goal by forming a new Student Chapter at Durham College
this spring. In fact, four individuals
who were instrumental in assisting in the formation of the new Student Chapter
were able to attend the MCAA conference and participate in various
activities. We believe the formation of
the Student Chapter is a vital part of our continuing growth and success – they
are our future associates and partners.
Additionally, I believe that we should make a commitment to
becoming our industry’s leader in green building and sustainable
construction. In the future we can
supply resources that will ensure the growth and quality of green
technology. We must recognize that as
our industry becomes more complex and user friendly, we must become more
sophisticated in both appearance and structure in order to parallel the
professionals who have become our customers and collaborators in the new
economy.
The Mechanical Trades Bargaining Committee and the Ontario
Pipe Trades Council will be meeting in mid-March to discuss the 2007/2010
Collective Agreement which takes effect on May 1, 2007. Also in March, the MCA Toronto Labour
Advisory Committee will be meeting with the business manager and business
agents of Local 46 to discuss any possible changes to the Local Appendices in
2007/2010 Collective Agreement. MCA
Toronto will be calling a General Membership Meeting as soon as Collective
Agreement items are available to be discussed or ratified. I hope to see all company representatives at
the meeting.
The MCA Toronto Public Relations Committee has been busy
organizing events throughout the Spring and Summer seasons. We look forward to seeing you at the Spring
Social on Fri. May 4, 2007 and the MCA Toronto Golf Classic on Thurs., June 21,
2007.
