NEWS

Canadian Senator Rod Zimmer recognized April as Safe Digging Month last week in the Canadian Senate. Attached, you will find the official transcript (English and French) of his speech and a photo of Senator Rod Zimmer and me marking the event. 

Photo - Senator Rod Zimmer and Mike Sullivan.jpg (4MB)  Senate Proclamation.pdf   Proclamation du Sénat.pdf
 
Please fan this information to your respective members, departmental contacts and damage prevention working groups / associations inviting them to circulate further and use the information to help promote Safe Digging Month!  Mike Sullivan

I’m Mike Sullivan and I am the current Chair of the Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA).
 
Since 2003, Regional CGA Partners have emerged and gathered momentum and strength across Canada. And since that time, each of those Regional Partnerships has experienced challenge and tremendous success. In many respects, the cross-Canada growth of the CGA was largely due to the support extended by one Regional Partner to another. As the Regional Partnerships evolved, however, it became clear that a unified voice was necessary to address Canadian damage prevention issues of national interest. With necessity being the ‘mother of invention’, the Canadian Common Ground Alliance was created.

 
In the early years, the CCGA began as an ad-hoc committee comprised of leaders from each Regional Partnership and key stakeholders representing national damage prevention interests – namely, the National Energy Board and the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association and several industry leaders. Regional Partner leaders from British Columbia, Ontario and Québec played dual roles leading their own Regional Partnerships while also leading the efforts of the CCGA. Under their leadership, the CCGA made steady progress and continued to grow. We identified common strategic goals, engaged more members and additional federal alliances, developed and passed a governance model; and in late 2009, the CCGA successfully held its first election for a Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary. I was honoured to be nominated and elected Chair.
 
The CCGA Executive are volunteer positions elected to a two-year term. Given that we wear these roles as a badge of honour, the desire to make a difference during the short duration of our term is very strong; and personally, I am very excited to have such an opportunity. The way I see it, together with our Regional Partner colleagues, we have an opportunity to influence some of the most important Damage Prevention initiatives experienced in Canada since our first One-call System opened.
 
Our priority - to realize 3 digit / national One-call dialing in Canada. We believe the goal is within reach and achieving it will be an enabler to One-call Legislation. Over the past year, we have been working closely with our partners the Canadian Gas Association, the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association and One-Call Systems International as we prepare a submission to the CRTC. Reaching our goal will significantly enhance the integrity of buried utilities and above all, it will save lives.
 
We are also working towards a Regional CGA Partnership in every Province and Territory, and closer to home, we are eagerly anticipating the launch of our website which we hope will become a strong foundation for Canadian damage prevention information and initiatives and a portal to CGA Regional Partners. Thanks to the dedication of our committee, federal champions and growing membership across the country, we are making progress!
 
The CCGA is closely linked with the CGA in the U.S. In fact, Bob Kipp, President of the CGA, has attended every CCGA meeting and has offered us unending support.
 
If your business has an interest in public safety and preventing damage to buried facilities, join your Regional Common Ground Alliance Partnership and become part of the solution.
 

The Canadian Common Ground Alliance Executive is:

 
Mike Sullivan – Chair CCGA (Vice-President, Operational Services, HMA Land Services Ltd.)
Dave Baspaly – Vice-Chair CCGA (Executive Director, British Columbia CGA)
Derrick Saedal – Secretary CCGA (Executive Director, Manitoba CGA)
Jim Douglas – Treasurer CCGA (Executive Director, Ontario Regional CGA)


Article Source: Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance’s magazine