Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1057466
9 FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends Our heart goes out to our colleagues impacted by the unprecedented fires here at home and up north. If you are directly affected, please make sure to keep the Local informed of your situation so that we can direct you to any appropriate assistance available. You and your family's well-being are of paramount importance to us and we want to hear from you if you are in need. In turbulent times, it seems to me that fear rears its head to tempt us into impulsive responses to a dangerous world. But for me, it strikes another chord, one of collaboration with our community, an opportunity to keep a steady head and to stay aware, informed, proactive, and mutually supportive. We are a trade union. We represent the ability of working people to come together in common interest to improve the lives and security of our family and profession. This is a reality and not lip service. Daily, we are witnessing a kind of chaos in the national discourse. Many examples of authoritarianism are on the international stage. It is up to each one of us to stay grounded and be respectful of each other during this time and avoid the trap of dehumanizing each other. We are an interdependent community and must never lose sight of it. If flames of anger, fear, and fury are burning in you, please consider taking a beat and hitting the pause button for a stretch. Our skill to agree to disagree, while maintaining our friendship and mutual regard needs nurturing around now. As we move into the holiday season, I'd like to express my warmest wishes for a safe and happy time for you and your families. A reflective time of year, a time to consider what we have achieved, and for what we can be thankful for. Mark Ulano CAS President