This past year marked my first as president of the Canadian Snowbird Association, and indeed, it has been a year of great challenges and great rewards. The highlights listed in the Government Relations Report and the Executive Director's Report relate the ongoing efforts of your association to anticipate and meet the needs of you the member. It is the special circumstances—those challenges that illuminate the spirit and tireless dedication of the Canadian Snowbird Association—that I wish to address in my first president's report.

In 2004 the Canadian Snowbird Association played an integral role in shaping the response to the crisis of an historically rare but disastrous hurricane season in the State of Florida. I pledged my personal support and the support of the association to Governor John Ellis (Jeb) Bush in this trying time. Our members know that the relationship between the Canadian Snowbird Association and the State of Florida is a unique one. In July, during the Team Florida – Canada trade mission to Montreal, which I attended with our Québec director and executive director, Governor Bush commended the CSA and its advocacy on behalf of all Canadians. The CSA received a standing ovation. It was our turn to show the strength of our association and support the State of Florida.

We responded by protecting the safety of our members first. The CSA issued advisories warning of the dangers of travel to disaster areas, while providing a fast and informative response of tips to those Canadians who insisted on travel. We were steadfast in protecting the privacy of our members despite media pressure. Ultimately, the CSA was recognized nationally for its advocacy, our reward for providing a calm voice of reason during a time of crisis.

Raising the public profile of our association ensures that the CSA is listened to when speaking to government. On your behalf, we have written numerous letters, made hundreds of telephone calls, and held face-to-face meetings with governments. Throughout such meetings, I have found that governments know the CSA, and know the issues that concern our members. Overcoming their reluctance to act demands a special effort, and that is where our members have shown their willingness to participate in the effort.

Your donations to the Special Action Fund have made initiatives possible that would have been delayed due to the challenges of funding a not-forprofit advocacy organization. Yet this year, as described in the Government Relations Report, we published the Federal Election Handbook, met with several provincial governments, and engaged our members in a letter-writing campaign. Our reward for these special efforts was our national recognition as a stakeholder in the ongoing health-care debate, and a hard-won extension of health-care coverage for Manitobans.

I would like to express my gratitude to the CSA board of directors and their spouses for their hard work and support over the past year, and the chairs and committee members for their enthusiasm and foresight. I would also like to thank both our executive director and staff in Toronto for their dedication to this organization. Though the spirit of our association is proved in times of crisis, we cannot forget the importance of diligence and dedication in our day to day operations.

I would also like to extend a sincere note of thanks to our good friends at Medipac International. Their efforts on behalf of clients and association members during hurricane season were commendable, and demonstrated the same special commitment as that of the CSA.

Ultimately, it is our members whom I most wish to commend. Your calls and inquiries resulted this year in a renewed commitment to your needs, and the development of three unique publications: The CSA Member Handbook, the CSA Travel Information Guide, and the CSA Travellers' Checklist. Your dedication to advocacy was evident in your participation in the letter-writing campaign to the B.C. minister of health and the premier of Saskatchewan. Your volunteer spirit makes presentations and extravaganzas possible. It is a goal of my presidency to recognize the dedication of our members, as has been done with the president's award and the key member program, initiatives which will be expanded in the future. Our members continue to prove their dedication in unique circumstances, and demonstrate the spirit and tireless dedication of the Canadian Snowbird Association.

I thank you, and as president, pledge to continue the theme of my presidency, leading into the future – building upon the successes of our past.

Gerry Brissenden
President