Who is Sir Van Couver?

You’d better address the city of Vancouver as Sir or Ms Vancouver or even as Ms Lee Vancouver, whatever suits you best. Vancouver and Toronto are unique cities of the world where different cultures live in perfect harmony. You can notice a lot of Asians in the city but they are Canadian. After my visit to Vancouver I am definitely convinced that a city with only European citizens is a dull city. Vancouver is the host for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. This is why I call the city Mr Van Couver. I was in the city for four days for the Invitational Forum on Leadership & Management (ASAE).

Let me introduce you to my host: Richard Yore. He was born in America and raised in Canada. You will find him on the left side of the picture, the person on the right is his boss Dave Gazley. Richard has to promote his city abroad to conference, congress and incentive organizers. He does this with a certain amount of flair, helped by eyes who are colored a special shade of blue. I came across that kind of blue quite often in Vancouver. I have invented a new definition for this particular shade: Canadian blue. Just like you have Delft blue or cobalt blue. Canadian blue consists of more cyanide than just blue, but not too much otherwise it turns green. In Canadian blue there's something naughty, the sparks just fly! That is what makes Canadian blue so attractive. Canadian blue represents tranquility (physiology) and satisfaction (psychology). Why does milk always get wrapped in blue cartons? Because blue is strongly related to purity. Maybe the city of Vancouver should do something with blue, create an image. Build a blue building for instance. Canadian blue, that is what I love.

I was accompanied in Vancouver by one other Belgian who was also fascinated with blue. Luc Hendrickx, director of the IDF congresses told me that every year his company has buildings all over the world turned blue for diabetes day. In October 2009 he will be organizing the 20th World Diabetes Congress in Montreal which will have more than 15,000 delegates from over the whole world. Maybe that's why we were welcomed so solemnly by Her Majesty Queen Liz of Victoria. (Liz is very close to the Queen of England) ‘Your Majesty, can I give you a kiss on the hand?’ - ‘Definitely Sir, as long as you keep it at one kiss.‘
‘Can I kneel for you, Majesty?’ - ‘Certainly Sir, as long as you don’t kiss my feet.’
Luc Hendrickx acted very relaxed in the presence of Her Majesty. He is used to talking to Sheiks and Emirates.
‘Madame, how are your children and grandchildren?’ - ‘Oh, Sir, can we just enjoy the evening?’

The first step I take in the elevator of the Pan Pacific Hotel of Vancouver, makes me suspect that it’s Wednesday. With a difference of 9 hours between the North of Europe and this part of North America it’s very easy to lose your way. We always know what time it is abroad but sometimes you don’t recognize the days. ‘Once there was a elderly lady from NY visiting’, Marie Rogers, Manager Public Relations, told me, ‘who asked the receptionist why all our four elevators carried the name Wednesday. Because it is Wednesday today Madame, the receptionist answered. So tomorrow there will be a carpet with Thursday on it? Most definitely Madame, seven different names a week!’
I’ve asked my three hostesses if the carpet could also have a different color for each day. I will let you guess which day will be blue. In October during the ICCA congress in Victoria BC, about a half an hour flight with the Seaplane from Vancouver, I pop into the Pan Pacific Hotel again to check which color Saturday and Monday are. I think Canadian blue? Do you know why I think that? You’ll have to ask me in a comment (see below)

If you see the chef of The Fairmont Hotel Of Vancouver in action, then you will definitely be in a good mood and you will be hungry! Who isn’t hungry will surely grow an appetite in seconds and eat in any case! That man just oozes strawberries and chocolate!

I am ashamed that I haven’t written one word about the conference I was invited to. Shame on me! Please forgive me, I had problems with ‘blog weakness’! Queen Liz just remained in my memory. Every year Team Canada organizes a conference in cooperation with ASAE for what has become the premiere learning event for senior-level association executives. Montréal will host the 6th Invitational Forum in 2009. There were exceptional speakers but only one person stuck to my writer fingers: Donna Wilson. She is playing a key role in helping the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) define and develop its culture. I asked her a question: ‘Madame, in Europe people think very positively about Canada, but in the meantime there also exists a perception about Canada as being far away, cold and boring. How are you going to change this perception in 2010?’ Her answer was unexpected: ‘Canada is specialized in the cold and knows how to deal with it, also for its visitors. After 2010 no one will think that we are situated far away or that we are boring. We will show them an image of a country that sets an example for the world in the fields of quality of life, social responsibility, green management and sustainability.’ Now I am also convinced!
During the Forum I always saw two cheerful and smiling faces: Dan Melesurgo and Luc Charbonneau. The first one was ecstatic because he had achieved a successful forum in cooperation with ASAE as Executive Director Meeting, Convention & Incentive Travel Sales . The second one was so happy because he managed to bring in a big international congress: the 20th World Diabetes Congress in Montréal. And we as Headquarters Magazine are very proud of that too!