WSCA Conference Schedule for 2016, Kelowna

[Scooter]

WSCA 2016 Annual Conference, Trade Show and AGM
February 3, 4, 5, 2016
The Coast Capri Hotel
Kelowna B.C.

Steve Thomson Minister of MFLNRO to give keynote WSCA conference address. This is a milestone for the Minister and the silviculture industry since this is the first time he has been able to attend our conference. Much anticipation around what the Minister has to say and possibly announce at our evening banquet on Thursday 4th February.

Wednesday afternoon 3 February will focus on safety:

We seem to have made it tradition to start the first half-day of the conference looking at safety. So in keeping with that tradition we have four workplace safety and wellness presentations-Q and As lined up:

Why are silviculture assessment rates going up and what can we do about it? We will hear from and discuss with presenters from WorkSafeBC Financial Services Division and Industry and Labour Services

BC Forest Safety Ombudsman Report on Emergency Response in Remote Worksites. Ombudsman Roger Harris will summarize his report’s observations and recommendations expected to be released early in the new year.

How can GIS and telematics improve emergency response results? Martin Torn along with his colleagues at Selkirk Systems Inc. will lay out ongoing work proposing tracking fallers in the province and how that might serve as a basis for coordinating safety assets on the ground and in the air.

WorkSafeBC’s dual agenda, prevention and criminal prosecution. There is growing concern about the uneasy, and perhaps, unclear boundaries between administrative law and criminal law as they apply to workplace incidents and investigations. How does it affect silviculture operations? Speakers to be announced.

Alcohol and drug testing in the forest industry: implications for contractors. Presenter to be announced.

Thursday 4 February Forestry Policy Panel to answer, What’s The Big Idea?

Thursday morning will be our forest policy plenary session and panel discussion. We certainly have a diverse range of views lining up on the topic of, What is the forestry goal in the post-mountain-pine-beetle-increasingly-intense–wildfire-season-pending-climate-change-looming-timber-shortfall world we are heading into and where does silviculture contracting fit into it? Our panelists include:

Bill Dumont - Independent forester and Forest Practices Board Vice Chair
Bob Turner - MFLNRO ADM Integrated Resource Operations Division, BC Wildfire Services
Andrew Weaver - MLA Oak Bay
Gordon Head - Leader of the BC Green Party
Mark Tamas - Chief Forester Tolko Industries Ltd.

MFLNRO Deputy Minister Tim Sheldan to Outline Government Forestry Vision

Another milestone for everyone as this will be the first time MRLNRO Deputy Minister Tim Sheldan has been able to attend our conference. He will speak in the afternoon on Thursday.

Mike Morris MLA Prince George-Mackenzie: Resource Development and Wildlife Habitat

Elected to the Legislature for the first time in 2013 Mike Morris was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations in 2015. We look forward to his summary of his work and observations in this post over the year. Mr. Morris will address the plenary session on Thursday afternoon.

Thursday afternoon to feature an array of practical workshops:

Proposed Incident Classification System Model Presentation
Promising Practices For Reducing Musculoskeletal Injuries

Tom Bigda Peyton has been shepherding our Participatory Action Research (PAR) process for the past three years. He will facilitate these two consecutive workshops.

Dealing With Harassment In Your Company

What are the proper ways to reduce workplace harassment and deal with any allegations once they are made? An introduction to the considerations around human rights and worker rights and the proper steps to take in dealing with allegations of harassment. Presenters to be announced.

Introducing The Tree ¨Planter Tally App

Designed as a practical smart phone tool for workers for keeping track of daily planting totals, it also works as a prompt and primer on worker’s rights under the B.C. Employment Standards Regulation. Principal designer Steve Mueller will present.

Friday Morning Strategic Session and Members’ AGM

The morning session starts with a wrap up of key standouts from the conference proceedings and the introduction of some other priorities to guide the WSCA’s overall strategy heading into the 2016:

Up for discussion:

Reprise, revision and rollout of the WSCA Code of Ethics and Business Conduct
WSCA support for Forests Without Borders
Preparing for the 8th billionth tree in 2017

At the conclusion of this session WSCA members will convene their association’s AGM, adjourning at noon(ish).

Training in concert with the Conference (Tuesday 2 Feb. afternoon and Wed. 3 Feb. morning)

Employers’ Adviser Office Seminar: Joint OH&S Committee
Tuesday 2 February 2015 noon to 4:00 pm
The Coast Capri Hotel
Kelowna BC

Employers’ Advisers Office Seminar: Accident investigation
Wednesday 3 February 2016 8:00 am to noon
The Coast Capri Hotel
Kelowna BC

For information on how to register for the conference or sign up for training visit www.wsca.ca or contact the WSCA office at 604-736-8660

[Pandion]

Wouldn't it be nice if Minister Thomson and this government had the foresight to begin to invest more in silviculture in order to mitigate the large declines we're about to see in AAC, and consequently the number of seedlings planted each year, over most of the interior because of the MPB salvage logging that has taken place in the last 10-15 years. I wrote a letter to my local MOF office suggesting now was the time to make such an investment, but didn't expect it to amount to much after receiving the generic response one usually does when expressing concerns to government. Although more government work might just allow some of the bottom feeders to hang around longer, as evidenced by the bids we see for BCTS and MOF work each Fall.
I sometimes think a drastic drop in volume could be the best thing for the industry, as it would likely impact companies that require massive numbers of seedlings to turn a profit, more than smaller companies with good direct award contracts. I'm predicting significant change for the silviculture industry, It should be interesting to see how it all plays out.

[Mike]

Designed as a practical smart phone tool for workers for keeping track of daily planting totals, it also works as a prompt and primer on worker’s rights under the B.C. Employment Standards Regulation. Principal designer Steve Mueller will present.

I like this. I hope it's heavy handed with lots of pop-ups and must-reads before going forward. Heck, embedded quizzes.