Fourth (and last) of the Geomatics Atlantic News for 2012. Part of www.geomaticsatlantic.com

1. Where the news is. 25 Years
Where it happens.
and counting!
www.geomaticsatlantic.com
@geoAtlantic
Geomatics Atlantic News Service Vol. 4
WE HAD SPEAKERS AND POSTERS !!!!!!
O’ nach il thu ruinn a ris FINAL? Your program and poster coordinators did an
amazing job. Their work was only surpassed
Will ye no come back again EDITION by the speakers and poster presenters
themselves. We can’t mention everyone and
every detail, but the opening by Dave
WHAT CAN WE SAY? What can anyone DID WE MENTION? Parking? Well, Coleman gave us a great history lesson and a
say…2012, the 25th Anniversary was a there were a fee tickets and some timely challenge to “invent the future.” From
huge success. It was so good that we ran grumbles about having to move CBC Radio fame and Dalhousie University,
out of supplies! Go figure. Thankfully we cars every few hours, but all in all, Bob Fournier was a visual extravaganza on
didn’t run out of “evening refreshments”. you did a great job at navigating ocean and climate, and he really started
This was not only a special occasion for through a tough situation! Next some discussion heard throughout the week.
Geomatics Atlantic, it was for COGS as time? Well, we learned lesson to Our other ocean experts gave us some
well. It was so wonderful to spend time prepare for parking or transport serious science to think about. Ships and
talking about 25 years of the sector in the disasters. When a parking lot is geomatics go hand in hand! HRM Deputy
region, and a the same time to reminisce about to be closed, we will know Chief of Police, Bill Moore, presented a
about 25 years of an institutions. WHAT’S first! Trust us, transport will be a future that was jaw dropping (and, after all,
THAT? O’ NACH IL THRU RUINN A RIS? Is part of the next NS event planning. he was the only speaker with gun and
that some python code for Arc? No, it is And with a few years to plan and handcuffs!). Librarians at Geomatics
simply a different way of saying thanks test it, we’ll make it painless and Atlantic? Of course, and thankfully so! Alison
and we look forward to the next time we even more green! Thanks to all! Ambi gave a perspective of how technology
meet. “Will ye no come back again” is the WHO CAME THE FURTHEST? (and and a view to history can interact with the
rough translation from Gaelic to English what is the distance from GPS to public in ways we don’t always think about.
(and slight spelling changes from Irish to GIS?) Laurent Etienne (France); or is What to do in schools? Well Gerard Eddy and
Scot). And when you comeback Well, it Hilario Lamotte (Cuba)? And who Warren Dobson gave us a project example
céad míle fáilte (One Hundred Thousand was the closest? We are a little un- that was exciting and focused. We can all
Welcomes). So….we had a GA field trip to sure as civic addresses were not take a lesson from that! COGS grads and
Ireland to check a pub or two. We believe given for registration for France or Scholarship winner showed us just how far
in being factual! After numerous stout, I Cuba, but the person from Spring people can go and what innovation they can
say it matters not what’s on the sign. It’s Garden Road. 1.98km away from develop! And Adena Schutzberg, media-GIS
all good. So aloha! Wait? We are meeting SMU is closest. If someone in GA expert, made sure we had a sense of where
in Hawaii? Oh darn, that means another happens to be closer/farther than things were going, and why. A closing day to
field trip to check the venue and beer…. that, let us know. Does anyone remember. Have we ever had a Skype from
Awesome dude! have a different idea or so far away? Skype from Ulaanbaatar,
measurement (distance by car, Mongolia? The keynote from Elaine
WHO WAS THAT PERSON? Well….it was… plane, bus, train, walk, bike?). Gee
Dave Keefe, taking a picture of his display MacEachern was eye opening and forceful. A
whiz, we need to map out where few glitches, but power supply in
for the 25th at a conference of planners people came from - a novel,
Dave has been involved with GA since the Ulaanbaatar can be touchy. And then in
innovative idea! We should patent closing the conference were a series of
beginning 25 years ago. Dave Is now the that app!
Executive Director of GANS and we hope DID YOU LOOSE SOMETHING? We presentations on infrastructure, project
he continues to provide his leadership and have no lost and found, but thank management, assets, provincial and local
direction with the depth of you for that three carat diamond efforts, climate and hydrogeology, power,
knowledge you dropped. Most kind and very gas and water! It was fast and informative,
of GA that thoughtful. But email if you did lose and full of follow up discussions. We are sure
He brings. something of slightly less less value contacts will be made from the audience to
Happy than gold and we will start the speakers. And the posters? They were awe-
Anniver- search. Ok, seriously, contact SMU some and really added some décor to the
sary Dave! Conference Services 902.420.5486 event and exhibit area. And then there was
the COGS celebration. That was fun and the
entertainment was pure Nova Scotia! And
www.geomaticsatlantic.com see you in New Brunswick in 2013

2. 25 years ago? IF GA were being held
Geomatics Atlantic News Service Vol. 4 today, for 2013 that is, then: Same
stuff as 1987 except in 1988. George
TOP TEN FOR GOING TO GA 2013: W. Bush’s father elected President of
THE AGM IS OVER! THE AGM IS OVER (a Nova Scotia promoting NB? Hmmm?) US. Canadian PM still less known than
And it was on time, one of the fastest US President, and still Brian
and exciting. Yes, that may seem like #10: New Brunswickers are just as cool as Mulroney. Top movie Rain Man
an oxymoron, but it was an exciting Nova Scotians (hey, we are neighbours!) and (Rambo 3 was out…but let’s forget
AGM for GANAS with nominations it is in the same time zone as NS and PEI )ok,
that). Dollar isn’t worth as much as
from the floor and potential elections sorry to our friends in NL. I’m sure the
program will start a half hour early.
today. Gas is cheaper. Beer is still
in the air! And passionate discussion better in Atlantic Canada. Celine Dion
about the future. That is healthy and a #9: Everyone knows the beer in NB is just is actually popular. 2nd GA held.
great Sign of an association ready to about, close and nearly as good as in NS. EDITORIAL: I don’t need to state the
Take on new challenges and renewed obvious, but I am biased, and this was a
growth. Can wee out-do ourselves at #8: Fredericton, or Moncton, or Saint John great event because many people
next years AGM? Well… You had best are great places to meet! And even as good mentioned that the number of new
as Halifax! (ok, I said it ...yes…just as good).
ask your new Executive led by Dave people and younger members had gone
MacLean of COGS, the Newly elected #7: It will be 26 years …downslope to 40.
up. We can’t measure or compare the
GANS President. I am sure, after a well median age, but it is nice to think that
deserved holiday from the conference #6:Our friends in the spatial community in we have passed the torch to a new
and getting used to the idea of being NB are always happy to see those coming generation of spatial experts. The
President, that he will welcome input, from anywhere in Atlantic Canada. And challenge is there….do more and do
they are better tweets than us. better than those who brought us to 25
advice and questions dave.maclean
@nscc.ca. The new Board: Doug years! remember, include everyone. Ask
#5: If you like NASCAR, Bernie Connors will for advice, support, mentors and input.
Foster (Doug Foster and Associates), love seeing you there! (just follow his
We do know there are challenges ahead.
Emily MacDonald (Integral Geomatics) tweets). Speaking of cars, NB doesn’t have a
tag line for its license plates. Why would
I heard that in the hallways discussions
(Lucie Kendell (Halifax Water), Bill
they need one? They are, after all, New and what people were talking about
Jones (exp. Services), Eric Melanson over a beer. The future is there…grab it
Brunswick (they didn’t have one for over a
(Esri Canada, Pierre LaRochelle and, as Dave Coleman said “…invent it!”
decade at one time in the distant past –
(AgResearch), Laura Beazley touchy issue right now. So, just let it “be…in Our industry has been going through
(GeoNova), Gerard Eddy (SNSMR) this….” ). more changes than ever before, at least
at a speed which I haven’t seen over 3
AND YOU CAN STILL CONNECT! We are # 4: UNB, U. de Moncton, Mount Alison….all decades. I don’t know how much is
not planning to get rid of the twitter have such strong spatial minds. So we know
positive or not, but it does raise the bar
account (it will transfer to the NB an education section to the program and
workshops will be present as a highlight.
in terms of what we do on both an
Committee), nor will the LinkedIn account
individual level and as a group. Between
go away, so you can still subscribe. Lanyrd
#3: The weather will be great, but watch out now and next GA in New Brunswick, I
will migrate, but it will be an active source
for wind across the Tantramar Marshes, and trust we will talk about this and reflect
for archived material and available to
the very large animals along the highway on where we plan to go. After all, we
future users. So there are ways to keep (not to mention the moose and deer). have been looking back, and now the
conversations live, and to add comments
time is to move forward.
about 2012 and suggestions for 2013. It is #2: There is time – if you start now- to get
a way to keep in contact with colleagues, WE WOULD LIKE YOUR VIEWS: You can
that Ministerial approval to be able to cross
and it is a way to keep the spirit of a be sure a online survey is coming about
the border those few kilometers. Does that
regional group alive, even if on one small mean we have to use passports? the conference. We would also enjoy
way. Even this newsletter can be kept your views on having a communication
alive, even if in a different form, for those …..and the number one reason to go? tool for regional news via some-thing
who would like it. So stay tuned for an like this newsletter (blog, twitter, email,
#1. New Brunswick! Any part of Atlantic
email when the new forum goes live! As Canada is worth its weight in gold!
web digest). Would it be of use? Would
with all social networks, this will be yours. DID WE MISS ANYONE? We know so. you contribute material? Want to take it
If you add to it, great, if you simply want New members, 1 st time attendees, over or lead a particular platform (who
to follow or “lurk” that is just fine. It does and students! If you saw these people, wants to be head tweet). Should it be
require your views and input. That’s the or there is someone who you think we under a Geomatics Atlantic banner or
only way to expose people to all the great may want to reach out to, let us know something new? Send comments to
things happening in the area! or pass along this newsletter. james.boxall@dal.ca). Thanks!
www.geomaticsatlantic.com see you in New Brunswick in 2013