SIGNALS

All members have a solid understanding of the concept of sustainable development and its practical implications. The ‘price of admission’ to SIGNALS is the successful completion of one of the SPPA’s courses related to sustainable development, such as:

• PADM 5612 Industrial Policy, Innovation and Sustainable Production;
• PADM 5617 Implementing Sustainable Development in Industrialized Countries;
• PADM 5616 Environmental Policy;
• PADM 5615 Sustainable Energy Policy; or
• PADM 5614 Natural Resource Management.

The goal of SIGNALS is to create networking and information-sharing opportunities for members, and to facilitate initiatives aimed at furthering sustainable development. SIGNALS networking can provide excellent opportunities for students to make employment contacts, and for graduates to meet other like-minded professionals.

SIGNALS was initially founded in 2003, with the intent of creating a ‘clear signal’ where there was previously disjointed, uncoordinated communication. Since then, it has expanded to include over 100 members. Over the years, SIGNALS activities have included annual banquets, pub night-style social events, field trips, and formal panel discussions. An email list, limited to SIGNALS members, provides a forum for discussion, as well as a way to circulate notice of upcoming events, sustainable development-related news and debates, and employment opportunities.

SIGNALS is governed by an eight-member Executive Committee, whose student and alumni members are elected annually.

SIGNALS Banquet 2010 – Featuring Kevin Brady SIGNALS 8th Annual Banquet on Friday, January 22nd, 2010, at the Hotel Novotel in Ottawa. The keynote speaker was Mr. Kevin Brady, founding partner of Five Winds International, one of the world’s most experienced sustainability management consulting firms. Over his twenty year career Kevin has advised dozens of companies, governments and industry associations on the development of sustainability strategies and implementation frameworks. His speech, “The Green Product Revolution: Is Canada Ready?” was an insightful and timely examination of the greening of the Canadian and global restructuring processes, from both a corporate sector and a public policy perspectives. His speech was accompanied by a three-course dinner created by the Hotel Novotel’s executive chef and, of course, by the company of good friends and colleagues!

SIGNALS Banquet 2009 – Featuring Dr. Robert Paehlke SIGNALS’ 7th Annual banquet was held on January 23rd, 2009 at the Hotel Novotel in Ottawa. The new downtown venue held our keynote speaker Dr. Robert Paehlke, a public policy and environmental politics expert from Trent University and author of the recently released book “Some Like it Cold: The Politics of Climate Change in Canada”. His speech, “Frozen Parliament, Melting Arctic: The Politics of Climate Change,” was an insightful and timely examination of the impact of politics on the adoption of progressive climate change policies in Canada. His speech  accompanied a three-course dinner created by the Hotel Novotel’s executive chef and of course the company of good friends and colleagues.

SIGNALS Banquet 2008— Featuring Jonathan Westeinde SIGNALS’ 6th annual took place on January 25, 2008 at the Restaurant International of Algonquin College. The keynote speaker, Jonathan Westeinde, is one of the exciting new breed of sustainability- oriented developers. His firm, Wind Mill Developments, is currently building Ottawa’s first green condo project, The Currents. Mr. Westeinde’s speech, entitled “Green Communities For A Sustainable Future –The Developer, The Government and You!”, is sure to be a source of many innovative ideas!

SIGNALS 2007 Banquet January 26—Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Past President of Canada’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization, former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program and Undersecretary General of the United Nations. Presentation title: Sustainability– A contract between Science and Society.

SIGNALS 2006 Banquet January 14 – Bob MacDonald, Host of CBC’s Quirks and Quarks. Venue: Sala San Marco. Presentation title: State of Mind, State of Planet: A high perspective on a blue world.

SIGNALS 2005 Banquet January 21 – Avrim Lazar, President of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Venue: Sala San Marco.

SIGNALS 2004 Banquet January 23 – Dr. Len Good, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Global Environmental Facility, previously President of CIDA, Deputy Minister of Environment Canada, and Deputy Secretary at PCO. Venue: The Courtyard Restaurant

2010 Annual SIGNALS Summer BBQ August 19, 2010, 5:30pm – 8:30pm, The Grange Our topic of interest this year was the Green Energy Act and its implications for the development of green energy in Ontario. Two excellent speakers were in attendance – Alex Wood from Sustainable Prosperity and Bruce Bibby from Energy Ottawa – who opened the evening for conversation and facilitated a lively discussion for all.

2008 ISE Careers Roundtable September 27, 2008, 5:45 – 7:30 PM, Senate Room, 6th Floor Robertson Hall A panel discussion with five ISE students and alumni on the topic of the many exciting careers paths available to ISE graduates. Speakers were: Vincenza Galatone (Environment Canada), Bob Masterson (Cement Association of Canada), Lisa Gue (David Suzuki Foundation), Ryan Legault-McGill (student and CIDA) and Karen Owen (student and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission). Moderated by Elodie Mantha.

2006 -2007 Events

• November 9 – SIGNALS sponsored a joint POLISCI/SPPA Speaker Series Roundtable entitled “On the Right Track? The Harper Government’s New Environmental Approach”. Panelists Professor Philippe Crabbe (University of Ottawa), Professor James Meadowcroft, (Carleton University), Richard Paton (Canadian Chemical Producers) and Pierre Sadik (David Suzuki Foundation) discussed the proposed Clean Air Act and drew a crowd of approximately 80 SIGNALS members, students and faculty.

• September 28 – SIGNALS was proud to present the first edition of the ISE Stream’s student journal ISEMA: Perspectives on Innovation, Science and Environment Policy. Approximately 50 SIGNALS members were present at the launch, which took place at the Rideau Tennis Club. Congratulations to the authors, the Editorial Board and all other students and alumni who took part in the production of the first ISEMA journal!

• April 3 – SIGNALS pub night at the Fox and the Feather, and official launch of ISEMA: Perspectives on Innovation, Science and Environment Policy, the forthcoming ISE student journal.

• June 27th -  2007 Annual SIGNALS Summer BBQ held at the Grange, in Cantley, from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. Our guest speaker was Ms. Johanne Gélinas, Partner with Deloitte and Touche and Canada’s Commissioner for the Environment and Sustainable Development from 2001 to 2007. The event is free for SIGNALS members, and dinner and drinks are complimentary. For more information, view the official invitation.

2005 -2006 Events

• March 11 – SIGNALS pub night at the Fox and the Feather, with speaker Michael B. Gerbis, President of the Delphi Group: Kyoto and the Canadian Plan.
• August 2 – SIGNALS Summer BBQ, hosted at Matthew Deline’s home. Speakers: Beatrice Olivastri, Friends of the Earth Canada and Professor Stuart Elgie, University of Ottawa Law School.
• September 23 – Presentation on the Okotoks Solar Seasonal Heat Storage Project by Bill Wong, P.Eng, Program Manager, Renewable Energy and Climate Change Program, SAIC Canada.
• November 18 – Incoming ISE class Welcome Cocktail Party at the Rideau Tennis Club.

2004 -2005 Events

• February 25 – Presentation: Pierre Sadik, Manager of the Green Budget Coalition at the Prescott Dining Lounge
• June 27 – Summer, night-before-federal-election meeting at Swagman Jacks on Elgin.
• September 17 th Fall BBQ Event at the Quad by Dunton Tower welcoming the incoming ISE class, Professor Meadowcroft and Visiting Prfessor Uday Desai. Sponsored by CRUISE – Carleton Research Unit on Innovation, Science, and Environment.
• November 19 – Breakfast Panel at the National Press Club: Leading the Pack: How Canada’s Industry Associations are Leading the Movement Towards More Sustainable Industrial Production. Presenters: Richard Paton, President and CEO of the Canadian Chemical Producers Association and Gordon Peeling, President and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada.

2003 -2004 Events

• May 30 – Trip to Interface – approximately 20 people car-pooled to Belleville to visit the plant – insert photos from: SIGNALS website contentPhotos to post200_ trip to interface
• March 28 – Trip to Iogen followed by a presentation by Jeff Passmore, Executive Vice President of Iogen.
• November – Pub night at the Royal Oak.

2002-2003 Events

• October – Tour of Environment Canada’s Environmental Technology Centre (ETC) laboratories, followed by inaugural Dinner at the Canal Ritz – Approximately 20 people attended the tour and 30 members were present at the dinner
• December – First pub night at the Fox and the Feather

• Isabelle Lachance, Co-President and ISE Alumni Representative
• Darlene Goodwin, Co-President and ISE Alumni Representative
• Vacant, First-year ISE Student Representative
• Vacant, First-year ISE Student Representative
• Stephanie Coady, Second-year ISE Student Representative
• Alex Paterson, Second-year ISE Student Representative
• Christine Schmalz, Sustainable Energy Program Student Representative
• Heather Birchard, ISE Alumni Representative
• Justin Henry, ISE Alumni Representative
• Sandra Noel, ISE Alumni Representative
• Graeme Auld,  ISE Faculty Representative
• Robert Hilton, ISE Faculty Representative

Learn more about the Executive Committee, by clicking Here.

SIGNALS members have diverse backgrounds and work experience, but they often end up working in the same government departments. To create contacts between SIGNALS members working in the same federal government departments, a number of SIGNALS members have volunteered to be ‘Departmental Champions.’

Departmental Champions are responsible for welcoming incoming SIGNALS co-op students and new employees to their departments. They can also link these newcomers to other SPPA graduates or other interested parties who are SIGNALS members.

The SIGNALS Subcommittee process was created to provide an opportunity for non-executive members to get more involved in organizing SIGNALS-related events.

Through the Subcommittee process, members can suggest activities, and volunteer to organize them with guidance and support of the Executive. Potential benefits members could gain from creating Subcommittees include: event organization experience; enhanced networking possibilities; and the opportunity to strengthen the SIGNALS group as a whole.

Interested in forming a subcommittee? The possibilities for activities to organize are endless! Click here to see what potential activities were most favoured by members in Fall 2005.