President’s Message

Joe Ozorio, CBCP, CBCA, MBCI

Welcome to our latest version of the DRIE Digest.

When last we published in January, we were only beginning to get the hints of an impending pandemic. Little did we know then the extent and impact COVID-19 would bring to all our lives, both professionally and personally. So many illnesses, so many lives lost to this highly contagious virus. 2020 is the year that keeps on giving, and not necessarily in a good way.

I know and have heard of so many of you that have been working hard executing your pandemic plan, especially in the early going of the lockdown. Trying to accommodate so many people to work from home was a staggering job for some. Some of you may have experience personal challenges or loss, and for that I am truly sorry.

Nonetheless, I have to say that I am proud to be a Canadian as we have, in my opinion, shown the world how to handle COVID-19 in a reasonable and measured manner. Regardless of how you might feel about how our governments and organizations have handled the pandemic, our comparative results against the rest of the world speak for themselves. Barrack Obama said: “If we had handled this pandemic like Canada did, 140,000 of our fellow Americans might still be alive today. Think about that,”

So, I pay tribute to my fellow Canadians and DRIE members who have demonstrated level-heads; compliance to health guidelines (wearing masks, washing hands, etc.) and a resilience of which you all should be proud.

As we look to 2021, and the potential for a vaccine, I can only hope the new year sees us returning to our normal lives or as near normal as it will become.
Please, stay safe, stay healthy, and let us not lose our vigilance.

Best wishes for the holidays!

Joe Ozorio – President DRIE Toronto