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RAC BOARD "APPALLED" AT IC BEHAVIOUR
RAC President Farrell Hopwood, VE7RD, calls Industry Canada's cancellation of the Amateur Delegation Project as "unprofessional and shortsighted". The lack of progress made is laid squarely at feet of Industry Canada's officials. "RAC's Regional Directors were appalled at the lack of consultation over this pre-meditated action. The Directors, from across the country, were appalled at the questionable manner in which IC officials handled this matter. It has severely damaged the faith, confidence and trust we once enjoyed with members of the department. The way in which this was handled is a complete reversal of the government's commitment to partnering, consulting and empowering Amateurs, most especially the manner in which our delegation people were hung out to dry'", Hopwood stated. Here is the text of a recent letter to Industry Canada Minister:
February 17, 1998
The Honourable John Manley, PC
Minister of Industry
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H5
Dear Mr. Manley:
More than forty thousand Radio Amateurs across Canada were shocked,
dismayed and outraged with the November announcement that your
officials had abruptly cancelled a four-year delegation initiative
that was nearing the implementation stage. Radio Amateurs of Canada
had assigned top level experienced people and expended a large amount
of time and money over the past four years to ensure the success of
this undertaking. All projections, including the encouragement of
Assistant Deputy Minister Binder, gave us every confidence that
delegation would become a reality.
In 1989, we began bolstering our resources to better respond to
regulatory matters. A critical and major step, at the urging of
your officials, was the merging of two associations into one national
organization, Radio Amateurs of Canada. An immediate benefit was
the establishment of a joint Industry Canada - RAC Canadian Amateur
Radio Advisory Board.
At the first meeting of the Advisory Board, in September 1993, IC
officials proposed formation of a joint IC-RAC working group to
develop a business case for delegation of certain administrative
functions to RAC. We immediately responded by assigning RAC
members with previous high level government and business background
to work with your officials. RAC gave this project top priority.
In every instance we met target dates, developed working data in a
timely manner and cooperated completely with Industry Canada officials.
RAC also incorporated a separate subsidiary organization to administer
delegated functions in an autonomous and objective manner. The
delegation concept was enthusiastically embraced by thousands of Radio
Amateurs across Canada.
You can readily understand that RAC found it appalling and alarming
that IC officials suddenly, without warning or explanation, announced
termination of the delegation initiative. We were further
discouraged to learn that a survey, directly polling individual Radio
Amateurs had been commissioned, bypassing the very organization that
your officials had encouraged us to form. It was indicated that the
results of the survey and other considerations would ultimately shape
Industry Canada's future administration of the Amateur Radio service.
This abrupt, but obviously premeditated withdrawal has seriously
shaken RAC's confidence in your officials, particularly in light of
the ambiguous reasons since advanced for cancelling the delegation plan.
Precipitous termination of the delegation initiative has far reaching
implications not only for Radio Amateurs of Canada as an organization,
but also for the Amateur Radio service generally. It is a matter of
such deep concern and apprehension that I am compelled on behalf of
the Amateur Radio community to seek a meeting with you at your
earliest convenience.
Yours very truly,
J. Farrell Hopwood
President and Board Chair
Radio Amateurs of Canada, Inc.
 HOW WILL THE INTERNET, APRS, SPREAD SPECTRUM AND SPACE COMMUNICATIONS AFFECT AMATEUR RADIO? LET'S HEAR YOUR IDEAS ! Last September, the IARU set up an Amateur Radio Outlook committee: "To review the current and future state of the art in the Amateur and Amateur Satellite services in the light of the changing technology and the Internet; to focus on technology, techniques and future developments, and to make general recommendations as to the future growth and development of Amateur Radio" The committee has approached all member societies of the IARU around the world seeking input to the study. In response to the request from the IARU, Radio Amateurs of Canada is preparing a paper on what we Canadian amateurs think about: Changes in global telecommunications technology including; the Internet, APRS, digital communications and spread spectrum, and space communications, in the context of ever increasing world wide demand for access to the radio frequency spectrum. RAC will collect and organize your ideas and send them to the International Amateur Radio Union on or before May 31 1998. Please send your thoughts, comments and suggestions to RAC headquarters via e-mail: rachq@rac.ca Or via regular mail to:
A.R.O.C. Click here for the RAC searchable Fleamarket and Hamfest database
For more information email info@kwarc.org [ TOP ]
Kitchener-Waterloo Amateur Radio Club Inc.
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