Editor’s Message CSANews© is published four times a year and is Copyright Summer 2023 by Medipac International Communications Inc., 180 Lesmill Road, Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5. 416.441.7000. Subscription Price: $9.95 Canada; $20.00 U.S. and foreign. Single copy: $3.95. Prices include tax. Published by Medipac International Communications Inc. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not necessarily those of the CSA, Medipac International Communications Inc. or its affiliates, their Directors, Officers, or other employees or agents. Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No: 40063603. ISSN No: 1195-2393 Barb & Ron Kroll Dr. Robert MacMillan Shari McIntyre David McPherson Andrew Moore-Crispin Rex Vogel Robert Wiersema Judith Adam Gabrielle Bauer Donna Carter Michael Coren Jennifer Cox James Dolan Karen Huestis Ron Steeves Garry McDonald Ted Popel Wendy Caban Bob Slack John Foster James Carl Simpson Johanne Blain Michael MacKenzie Wallace Weylie President First Vice-President Second Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Past-President Director Director Director Executive Director Legal Counsel CSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Editor CSA Editor President Art Director Director of Operations Marketing & Events Specialist J. Ross Quigley Karen Huestis Christopher Davidge Peter Prusa Paula McGovern Fran Castricone SUMMER 2023 | ISSUE 127 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada. Merv Magus Cover photo: iStock.com/GlobalStock Illustrator Not only can you smell it, you can actually taste it; the residue of a thousand fires a thousand miles away, drifting all over North America. This is the worst season for Canadian forest fires in recorded history. There have been more fires and more square kilometres of forest that have been destroyed than ever before. At one point, more than 1,000 fires were burning across Canada and more than half of them were totally out of control. Tens of thousands of people – many of whom were snowbirds – had been forced to evacuate their homes and seek safety. Many lost everything that they owned. The reasons were many – careless smokers, campfires not properly extinguished, lightning strikes and, I believe, some which were purposely set. Arson! I cannot think of a punishment sufficient to match the cruelty of these arsonists and the immense damage which they caused, both physically and mentally. But the world is a resilient place and people everywhere are caring and kind. More than 1,500 firefighters have descended on Canada from all over the world… from Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America, and even Australia. They came to help, and no one had to ask them; they knew the trouble that we were in. They had seen it all before. They risk their lives every day to try and keep us safe. Years ago, I was caught in a forest fire on the Alberta/British Columbia border. A wrong turn, and we found ourselves in Dante’s Inferno. Death everywhere (animals); a completely black landscape with vicious little red fires everywhere. The main fire had passed through, leaving a black charred world behind. Thick smoke made breathing difficult and visibility very, very poor. Brave firefighters willingly walk into this nightmare every day. The number of fires has now been reduced by half, to fewer than 500 across Canada; the out-of-control fires have been reduced by more than half, to fewer than 300. These are not numbers to celebrate. There are still thousands of people at risk so, when you smell and taste the air, remember to wish them well and reflect on how lucky we really are. J. Ross Quigley Editor CSANews | SUMMER 2023 | 3
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