Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/304887
40 APRIL/MAY 2014 www.vanguardcanada.com tive Service, High Technology, Cost-Effective Solution, One Location." With two and a half days of jam-packed speaker sessions, keynotes, networking events, and a B2B market- place, all while showcasing some of the region's most in- novative companies, WestDef has become a "must attend" event. It has attracted attention globally, with attendees to past conferences from destinations such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Australia and the United States. And because it takes place during the world famous Calgary Stampede, delegates even have an opportunity to take in an evening of traditional western hospitality. The Western Canadian Defence Industries Association (WCDIA) is the regional industry association responsible for WestDef. With a mandate to showcase industry opportu- nities, capabilities and technological expertise of Western Canadian defence contractors, the WCDIA continues to focus on ways to connect and engage at both a local and national level. When it comes to expertise and a passion and drive for do- ing business, companies across the west have a limitless sup- ply. Whether it's a CNC machining company, an information technology company, or a developer of micro- and nano- technologies, the applications in the aerospace, defence and security sector are vast. The association proudly represents the industry across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan A showcase for western Canadian innovation E very July for the past four years, hundreds of aero- space, defence and security (ADS) industry repre- sentatives have gathered in Calgary, Alberta for WestDef, Western Canada's premier defence and security conference. In a province best known for oil and gas, it is often a surprise to learn that Alberta also has an ADS industry. But it shouldn't be. Alberta is home to four of the most impor- tant military bases in Canada: Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton is home to the headquarters of both Land Force Western Area and Joint Task Force West; 4 Wing Cold Lake is the Canadian premier fi ghter aircraft training facility; CFB Wainwright is the Canadian Army's training centre for ex- cellence; and CFB Suffi eld is the largest military training area in the Commonwealth. In addition to the bases, other signifi cant military pres- ence in eastern Alberta includes the British Army Training Unit (BATUS) located at Suffi eld; Defence Research and De- velopment Canada (DRDC) at Suffi eld; and the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment at Cold Lake. So it should be no surprise that WestDef was created for industry by industry and has been supported by the innovative and re- sourceful individuals that work in the sector across Western Canada. Since the beginning, the event tag line has been "Innova- SPECIAL REPORT Denean tomlin is the president & cOO of WaVv Business Development and the co-executive director of WestsDef.