C.L.R.C WORKSHOP AND 96TH
ANNUAL MEETING
A very enthusiastic group attended the Canadian Livestock
Records Corporation Workshop and Annual Meeting at the Four Points Hotel,
Mississauga Ontario on April 6 and 7, 2001.
The annual Workshop was an extremely informative event.
After the participants had been welcomed by CLRC Chairman Bryon Wilson, Eric
Lawlor, Regional Information Coordinator with the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs led off the day with a session on Making
Volunteer Organizations Work. Eric emphasized that, in order to secure
volunteers, tasks must be defined as to what is to be done and the approximate
amount of time involved, and must be suited to a person’s talents and
abilities. Eric involved the group in a number if activities that illustrated
the dynamics of group formation and how tasks get done within a group.
Ron James, Manager of the Canadian Swine Breeders’
Association (CSBA) guided the group through some thoughts on Developing Export
Markets for Genetics. Ron provided pointers on what is required to obtain
government funding, and pointed out some of the barriers: cultural, political
and economic, that must be dealt with. Ron stressed that breed associations
should not actually act as exporters but rather support the exporters with
promotional materials and advertising. He also spoke of the opportunity that
exists for Canadian associations to register the offspring of exported animals
in the Canadian herd book, as CSBA is now doing in China.
Dave Trus, Animal Registration Officer with Agriculture and
Agri-Food Canada, provided a brief update, touching on the proper procedures
for submitting by-law amendments, on developments in the field of biotechnology
that will impact breed associations, and on research into effective breeding
population sizes. On this latter topic, Dave noted the impact on the effective
breeding population when too few males are used as breeding animals even if the
female population is still very high.
The final session of the day was led by Chairman Wilson who
reviewed the relationship between CLRC and breed associations under the Animal
Pedigree Act, emphasizing that CLRC belongs to, and is really part of, the
member associations.
Representatives from 19 member associations were present at
the Annual Meeting. In his opening remarks, Chairman Bryon Wilson spoke of the
long history of CLRC and the tremendously valuable service that CLRC provides
on a daily basis to the livestock industry. Those in attendance reviewed the
usual reports and heard of the current state of the computer replacement
project that CLRC has undertaken. It was noted that the Canadian Donkey and
Mule Association and Canadian Pinzgauer Association had joined CLRC since last
year’s Annual Meeting.
In the election for the Board of Directors, Betty Small,
Harriston, Ontario, from the Canadian Swine Breeders’ Association and Gerry
Lalonde, Cumberland, Ontario (Canadian Horse Breeders Association/Société des
Éleveurs des Chevaux Canadiens) were re-elected to the Board for a two-year
term, along with new member Sheryl Blackburn, Eldorado, Ontario (Canadian
Blonde d’Aquitaine Association). They will join continuing Directors Bryon
Wilson, Peggy Newman, Dan Stephenson and David Trus. After the meeting, the
Directors re-elected Bryon Wilson as Chairman and Peggy Newman as
Vice-Chairman.
The 2002 Workshop and Annual Meeting will be held in
Calgary, Alberta on April 12 and 13, 2002.
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