Canada Day, a Time to Reflect

I’m sure as much as we would all like to forget 2020, we never will. Nobody was prepared for 2020, but I am sure many of us have been forced to be at our most creative and had our leadership and decision making abilities tested like never before. A day of downtime is a time to reflect, no matter how horrific this has been, we can all say that many lessons were learned.

Most communities across the country will normally host organized celebrations for Canada Day, typically outdoor public events, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts, as well as citizenship ceremonies. This year will be a little different, many of us will be at home with our immediate families or hiking in the fresh air, I apparently have decided to write a Blog.

Our world has changed, we are all a bit shell shocked and unsure of the future. However, for me the COVID-19 pandemic has gifted me with yet another test of character, yet another opportunity to see what I’m truly capable of. I’m really NOT proud of the fact that I had to be forced to think differently, backed into a corner where all complacency was removed. A big lesson for me was NEVER be complacent, and never take anything for granted. Most importantly, always be ready for a curve ball. I choose to be grateful for the lessons of COVID-19.

Our industry has been hit very hard, I have been amazed to watch how our largest customers in the Cruise Ship industry have weathered the storm and are in the process of reinventing themselves and coming out of it with not only a new normal, but a far better normal. This is all due to the excellent leadership shown in extraordinary times. A true sign of a great brand is when you watch companies and how they treat their employees. To watch the Cruise Lines repatriate all their crew members to their respective countries was a fantastic example of that.

Its not only up to the leaders however, they don’t have all the answers. Its up to all of us to play our part in the new normal, work together instead of against each other. Its a perfect time to be considerate and unselfish, maybe some of us need more practice than others, but we have to get it right.

So, on this Canada Day 1st July 2020, I would like to wish all of you, inside and outside of Canada, a day of reflection. I’m sure you can find a bright spot in the chaos and focus on a piece of you that emerged that you might not have discovered before, and that you can use to your advantage long into the future.

From all of us at EMCS Industries Ltd, we will continue to stand on guard for you. Our customers, suppliers and employees are our focus, we will all survive this working together. We are stronger for it. Happy Canada Day to all our staff and Canadian customers and suppliers, Happy Independence Day to our US customers for July 4th, and here’s to looking forward!