Welcome to the Inaugural Issue

We cannot acknowledge a new venture in Canadian emergency management coming out of 2020 without turning our thoughts to over 15,000 Canadians who have lost their lives to COVID-19 by the New Year alone. The impact and import of emergency management is reckoned in lives lost, altered, and saved.

I would like to thank first and foremost the staff of the Canadian Journal of Emergency Management (CJEM), all of whom are volunteers and many of whom are making their first foray into the industry, bringing myriad experiences and expertise to this initiative. Their tireless work, subject matter expertise, inspiration and dedication, and sage advice has produced the fine product in front of you now.

I would also like to acknowledge the Advisory/Editorial Board, also volunteering their time, who have lent their expertise and knowledge to curate a relevant and impactful emergency management (EM) dialogue. All of their unique perspectives have been invaluable. Dr. Justin Veuthey has shepherded the development of this project from the beginning – I am indebted to him especially.

Our partners, the International Association of Emergency Managers – Ontario Region, and the Emergency Preparedness In Canada (EPIC) Podcast, immediately and readily championed our work and shared interests. We hope to be as kind in partnership to them as they have been to us. We also look forward to introducing new partnerships as they take shape.

The contributors to this issue have taken intrepid first steps to start the conversation about the practice of EM in Canada, and we thank them for their contributions. Readers will find herein fascinating applications of EM from markedly disparate sectors and disciplines.

Before embarking, we must acknowledge CJEM’s most important contributors: its readers. Without the Canadian EM community of practice’s attention and commitment, we would not have a discipline to examine and the forum would be empty. I encourage practitioners to submit proposals for our next intake – whether their topic is “high-level”, like operationalizing the national critical infrastructure strategy, or specific, like innovating a new anti-racist planning function in their local incident management structure. EM practitioners have valuable knowledge to share at all levels of government, in all sectors, and in varying scopes.

Finally, on a personal note, I would like to thank my wife, Dr. Aisha Ahmad of the University of Toronto, for her support in this and all of my endeavours.

On behalf of the Canadian Journal of Emergency Management, I extend my thanks once more and welcome our readers to a new forum, and I challenge them to participate in the forum in service of country.

Ich Dien (I serve),