While I must confess to still experiencing a little PCPTSD (Post-Convention PTSD), I feel like I am on the road to recovery. We conducted a few experiments with the convention this year, and they were largely successful. I have learned over the years, that Conventions are fundamentally a product of experience, rather than logic. This year, we moved to a Thursday through Saturday Convention, with a closing banquet, rather than a lunch – to facilitate the Remembrance Day service on the Hill. Our Closing banquet numbers were down a bit, since a number of our exhibitors, and even some of our operators, were interested in getting home to enjoy the Sunday with family. The move to Thursday through Saturday, did facilitate the attendance of many Transport Canada staff (over 30). It was much appreciated to have them in attendance, and I had many positive comments on their participation at our committee meetings. Our Friday Safety Forum was well received by all, and I had a number of complementary remarks about the presentations by Graham Braithwaite and Scott Shappell. Our HAC Committee Meetings were universally well attended. Thank-you to our Committee Chairs and Vices, who took time away from their day jobs to organize speakers and Agendas!

Next year in Vancouver, we will retain the Thursday through Saturday format (November 1-3), but we are currently contemplating the addition of a second day to the front end of the convention, devoted to safety. I welcome your thoughts on this idea. Since we are moving off the Remembrance Day weekend in 2018, we will return to our traditional Awards Luncheon, rather than a Closing Dinner. Thank you, all, who attended and participated in our Ottawa Convention