A Final Word

Published on: June 30, 2021

30 June 2021

 Hello everyone,

 As this is the last day of my tenure at the CFPA, I wanted to reach out to all of you and say thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as your National Chairperson these past 3 years. It’s been an honour and a privilege to work with and represent such fine people.  I’ll be honest, when I started as National Chair in 2018, I wasn’t sure what to expect, however, it’s turned out to be a thrilling ride!  Much like a roller coaster with high points, such as the historic wage increase for Public Service members and lows, like the layoffs our sisters and brothers experienced at Nav Canada.

 It’s been immensely satisfying to help so many members  with their employment related problems.  As many of these  issues impact the individual directly and often times in a profound way, it has been wonderful to help bring these matters to the forefront and assist with their resolution.  It goes without saying that I couldn’t have done this without the assistance of the CFPA team. 

 I believe this  association is effective because of the efforts of the volunteers who are your representatives and members of the Executive Board. They are the backbone of the organisation – providing constant support and guidance to the core CFPA team.  I want to thank them for their support and sustained effort over my term.

 The National Vice Chair (Craig Waldick / Andrew Blake) and Secretary – Treasurer (Ron Graham) have supported and advised me at every step along the way. For their support, I am grateful.

 And in the head office, Sean Yim and Greg Holbrook have kept me organized, out of trouble and have steered me down the right path. Gentlemen, Cheers!

Justin Miller takes over as CFPA National Chair on July 1st. I want to wish him every success in his new role.

It’s funny what life throws at you -  three years ago, I didn’t expect to be taking over as the National Chair at the CFPA. I also didn’t expect to be living in British Columbia, however, the pandemic and the open-mindedness of the executive board made that move possible. So, as I move back into my role at Transport Canada, I move onto a new challenge – not in Ottawa but in Victoria.  If you are looking for me, you will find me at the Victoria Transport Canada Centre.  Please stop by and say hello if you find yourself in the area.

Finally, as I indicated in March of 2018 when I first applied for the job of National Chair person, this position is all about service – to you, the members of the CFPA. Please know that it has been my distinct honour to serve you.

 Sincerely,

Mark Laurence.
National Chairperson
Canadian Federal Pilots Association