MISA/ASIM Canada Prepares For Official Launch

MISA/ASIM Canada has prepared a plan for its official launch and identified the people who will form its first Executive after incorporation.

A process that will culminate in the launch this coming June in Ottawa has been worked out by the Interim Executive, a group that originated during the annual Lac Carling Congress in May 2004. 

The 10 members of the Interim Executive have since defined the mission, principles and governance structure of the national association.  These are contained in the By-laws and Operations Manual (PDF File, 80KB).

In a teleconference January 10, the group approved a logo, above, created by Natalie Coombs of NatCo Design in Toronto.

MISA/ASIM Canada stands for Municipal Information Systems Association/Association des systèmes d'information municipale Canada.   It represents five member organizations: the four chapters of MISA and Réseau de l’Informatique Municipale du Québec (RIMQ).  It will be the voice for its members in advancing the cause of e-government in collaboration with other levels of government, particularly the inter-jurisdictional organizations associated with the Lac Carling Congress at Saint-Sauveur, Quebec.

At Lac Carling 2006, to be held May 15-17, the Interim Executive will give way to the permanent Executive on completion of the incorporation process, which is being managed for the national organization by Maurice Gallant of Fredericton. While at Lac Carling, the new Executive will select four of their number to become officers:  the chair, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer. 

The Executive will formally launch MISA/ASIM Canada on Tuesday, June 6, in a ceremony during the MISA Ontario 2006 Annual Conference at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa.  The ceremony will be attended by dignitaries from all levels of government.

In addition to planning these events, the Interim Executive is considering several ideas for one or more collaborative projects that MISA/ASIM Canada might undertake to help advance electronic service delivery by addressing the need for common standards and practices across the country.

The national organization will continue be responsible to its five members, each of which is represented by two appointees to the Interim Executive.  Those people are:

• Mark Humphries, Parkland County, Alberta
• Gaston Huot, City of Brossard, Quebec
• Per Kristensen, City of Nanaimo, BC
• Daniel Malo, City of Montreal
• Gerry Matte, Municipality of Saanich, BC, vice-chair of the Interim Executive
• Kevin Peacock, City of Saskatoon, chair
• Daya Pillay, Halifax Regional Municipality, treasurer
• Louis Shallal, Region of York, Ontario, communications officer
• Bill Todd, City of Saint John, NB
• Roy Wiseman, Region of Peel, Ontario, secretary

All have been appointed by their regional organizations to be founding members of the Executive of the national body, except for Kristensen and Shallal, who will be unavailable because of time pressures.  Shallal’s replacement on the national body after incorporation will be Garry Bezruki of the City of Waterloo.  Kristensen’s replacement will be David Hennigan of The Capital Regional District.

Shallal is continuing to manage the communications plan for the Interim Executive and will lead the nominations process to select the four Executive officers, assisted by Mike Stevely of the City of Whitehorse and Sharolynn Woodward of the City of Yellowknife.