It was September 1975 and I was a young curator headed to my first ever zoo association meeting in Calgary Alberta at the Palliser Hotel. This particular meeting was hosted by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AAZPA) however there were a number of Canadians present that had their own agenda: to form their own association that dealt with Canadian problems and to present a uniform voice to Canadian government. In backroom meetings the Canadian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (CAZPA) was born.
The first ever board was made up of the movers and shakers in our industry at that time. The President was Mr. Peter Karsten, director of the Calgary zoo, the Vice president was Mr. Clive Roots, director of the Assiniboine Park Zoo, The Secretary Treasurer was Mr. Lawrence Cahill, from the Toronto Zoo, and the directors were Colonel Don Dailley, president of African Lion Safari, Dr. Murray Newman director of the Vancouver Aquarium, Mr. Al Oeming of Polar Park north of Edmonton, M. Claude Minguy, director of the Quebec Zoo, and Mr. Eldon Pace, of Schubenacadie Wildlife Park in Nova Scotia.
After having been involved with zoos for five years prior to this Calgary meeting, I came to know many of my colleagues from zoos close to the ones I was employed at. But at this meeting I became acquainted with a much larger group of Canadian Zoo professionals. The people that I met at this meeting and in subsequent years through CAZPA are some of the most wonderful people that I have ever encountered and many have become my life long friends. In the early days, breeding successes and husbandry methods were quite often closely guarded secrets but the formation of our national association helped to change that. We learned that by helping one another we could all benefit and our association grew and became stronger.
Over the past 30 years this association has evolved, as have its members, until the Canadian industry is mature, professional and recognized as among the best in the world. CAZA has played an important role in this progression, for example, in developing the national accreditation program that was launched in the late eighties that is second to none and completely refurbished just this year. In the mid-nineties we partnered with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology to develop a zoo and aquarium technology course. The curriculum for this course was developed with the help of many zoo professionals from across Canada. We have seen the development and growth in our accredited members and in the delivery of education, customer safety and service, conservation, research and the provision of the very best animal husbandry practices. We also established a national office in 1996 through a partnership with the Canadian Museums association.
I am very proud to have served this association for the past 15 years and to have been the President of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums. I have worked with some terrific people on the board and am very proud of our association with Mr. John McAvity and the Canadian Museum Association in Ottawa. This partnership has enabled us to employ our national association manager Mr. Bill Peters, who has, in his short tenure with our association been a wonderful addition and given us a voice and presence in Ottawa and with many federal government departments.
The zoo industry will face challenges in the next thirty years but I am sure that with the quality of the people that are attracted to this profession and the world-class programs that this association has developed CAZA will be able to overcome any obstacle and soon, CAZA will come to be recognized as the very best both nationally and internationally. I would like to take this time to thank all that have been involved with this association, for all their hard work and dedication. Together we have all made a difference.
