President's Message - May 2026

We’ve made it to spring!  The sun is shining, the tulips are blooming, and the Canada Geese are hissing if you get too close.  Best give them a wide berth!

Always a busy month on everyone’s calendar, and a big month for the industry as we celebrated Global Meetings Industry Day on May 6^th.  What began nearly 20 years ago in Canada as National Meetings Industry Day has grown into a global celebration, now recognized worldwide.

It is a day to take a step back and reflect on the power and impact that our industry has on the economy.  We all know the importance of our events, and the statistics back it up. Meetings Mean Business Canada has provided some numbers to help quantify this impact:

• Studies show that the event industry provides 242,000 direct jobs;
• $47 Billion dollars in direct economic impact;
• 40% of all tourism spending in Canada.

Beyond the economic impact, we know the importance that the events themselves have in a number of other ways.  They can bring individuals together to celebrate, problem solve, do business and create growth, mark occasions or create those memorable moments that you’ll reflect on for years to come.

Ottawa is also home to a plethora of associations, who are all contributing to making things better for their members in a wide-ranging number of industries, through advocacy, support and connections at events.  We are fueled by passionate people, and none more so than those who run those events.   I recently wrapped by my produce association’s convention and trade show, and although it was quite literally bananas, I am always energized by seeing all the hard work come together.  Even when it requires a lengthy nap once everything is over, and the occasional stray thought in the middle of the night during the planning process of “what if I just decided to become a nomadic sheep herder instead?”

MPI Ottawa held it’s GMID event at the Wyndham Gatineau Ottawa Conference Centre, with education focused on accessibility, indigeneity and wellness. Also honoured on that day were Sylvia Densmore and Sandy Ouellette who received the GMID Impact Award, for their work in the education and mentoring of the next generation of the industry. Their work on the success of the Event Management Graduate Certificate and Bachelor of Event, Sport and Entertainment Management degree at Algonquin College has advanced the industry as a whole.

GMID is also a day to reflect on all of us who work behind the scenes to create these events.  Beyond the general skills required of organizing, creativity, working with shifting priorities and tight deadlines, seeing what problems are likely to occur and solving them before they happen and being a bit of a magician, we also need to be able to deal with it all in a calm and unflappable manner. 

It can be difficult to maintain a sense of balance during the busy periods.  Katie Faloon-Drew, one of the speakers at GMID reminded us of the impact of just focusing on adding one small doable thing to your routine to help restore balance.  Our director of leadership Marye Menard-Bos lead us on an exercise during our MPI Ottawa chapter board retreat where we took a few minutes to ground ourselves and notice our surroundings using a simple exercise that can be done over a morning cup of coffee.  The aim isn’t that it will suddenly make your mountain of emails any less insane, however; it will put you in a much better headspace to deal with them.

Making difficult things look easy is something we do so well, but it can sometimes hide how complicated it is or how much work goes into events where ‘everything goes smoothly and things just run themselves’.  This can sometimes lead to undervaluing how important and talented event professionals are.

I see you. You are amazing.  And your work matters.

Happy GMID!

 Article edited by: Darlene Kelly-Stewart, Stonehouse Sales & Marketing Services