News, events, tips and updates from Editors Canada
In this issue:
1. MENTORSHIP: John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program launches
2. CONFERENCE 2017: New and old friends, awesome vendors, local experiences and more!
3. AGM 2017: Call to meeting
4. CERTIFICATION Q & A: The buzz about computer testing
5. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Karin Cather
6. GET INVOLVED: Volunteer opportunities to boost your resumé
7. MEMBER SERVICES: Protect yourself and your ability to earn an income
8. NEW MEMBER DISCOUNT: Online workshop on creating accessible websites and documents
9. MEMBER NEWS: Tell the world about your accomplishments
10. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
1. MENTORSHIP: John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program launches
Editors Canada’s John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program is here! This new national program makes it possible for Editors Canada members and student affiliates across the country to participate in one-on-one mentor-mentee relationships.
Mentors help other members of their profession to enhance their knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in a flexible, responsive and transformational environment. Coaching and confidence-building are important features of mentorship.
Editors at any stage of their career can apply for a mentorship.
To learn more about the program or to apply to become a mentee or a mentor, visit the John Eerkes-Medrano Mentorship Program page.
2. CONFERENCE 2017: New and old friends, awesome vendors, local experiences and more!
Registration closing soon
Don’t forget that registration for Conference 2017: Guardians of the Lexicons closes on Monday, May 29, at 11:59 p.m., PDT. If you haven’t already registered and want to join us in Ottawa–Gatineau, now’s the time to make your move. Register online now!
Why register?
The schedule is packed with amazing sessions in both English and French and features internationally known speakers, including John McIntyre, Carol Fisher Saller, Waubgeshig Rice, Laura Poole and Brendan O’Brien. As well as offering excellent professional development opportunities, the conference is a great networking opportunity. From Friday’s welcome reception to Sunday’s Speed Mentoring session, there are plenty of ways to build your network and get to know some of your fellow editors.
Shiny!
The 2017 Exclamation Mart welcomes some amazing vendors to Ottawa–Gatineau including Shameless Envy, Flax Pac and Shoes & Champagne. Check it out during break times!
Be a buddy
The Conference Buddies program is still looking for editors local to Ottawa or Gatineau to act as group leaders during the conference. If you’re interested, please contact Sue Archer ASAP.
Accommodation situation
Rooms are limited at our host hotel, the Crowne Plaza Gatineau–Ottawa. If you need a place to stay, or have a bed to offer an out-of-towner, consider taking part in the Beds for Eds billeting program. Find out more.
Local lowdown
Spaces are still available for the Thursday afternoon walking tour of Victoria Island and the Algonquin summer camp, and the Thursday night welcome dinner at Brasseurs du Temps. Get all the details or RSVP to Kristen Dolenko.
Roundtable discussions
Once again, by popular demand, we are organizing a branch/twig leaders’ meeting and other informal roundtable discussions at the conference. This year, the topics/groups are as follows:
- Branch and twig leaders
- Francophone members
- Students
- Technical aspects of editing
- Twig leaders
- Bilingual editors
- In-house editors
- Isolated editors
- Branch leaders
We hope to see many of you at the roundtables. For details, please go to the Roundtables page on the conference website.
3. AGM 2017: Call to meeting
Our annual general meeting (AGM) of members takes place on Saturday, June 10, 2017, in Gatineau. Earlier this month, we sent members the call to meeting, proxy form and instructions to register in person (for those who will be in Gatineau) or online (for those who want to participate in the AGM through our webinar provider, Zoom). Look for the subject line “Call to Meeting—AGM 2017” in your inbox.
For meeting details, including the agenda and supporting documentation like our draft Annual Report for 2016, please visit the Annual General Meeting 2017 page in the members’ area.
Sorry, student affiliates, this meeting is for members only!
4. CERTIFICATION Q & A: The buzz about computer testing
This year marks the first time the Editors Canada professional certification tests will be offered on computer. The certification steering committee (CSC) has been working for years to research and pilot different testing options, and the model put in place balances the need for test security with their desire to make the tests as usable and as “real-world” as possible. Planning to register for this year’s tests? Here’s what you need to know about computer testing:
Why is the test being held in computer labs rather than online?
The certification tests are still invigilated; in the switch to computer testing, that hasn’t changed. We are holding the tests in computer labs in all of the usual cities to ensure test security, follow certification best practices, and make sure that everyone writing the test works under reasonably similar conditions.
Can I use my own laptop?
The test needs to be fair and equitable. Not everyone has a laptop to bring to the test sites, and not everyone’s laptops are equipped with the same software. In addition to ensuring test security, use of computer labs evens the playing field among candidates, guaranteeing that everyone will have the same tools when they take the test.
Why is the test offered only on PC?
Far fewer computer labs offer Macs than PCs, and labs that offer both in the same room are almost nonexistent. Adding Macs as an option would drive up the test fees substantially.
Have more questions? Contact the national office or the CSC, or consult the certification section of the Editors Canada website.
Registration opens this summer
Make this the year you commit to becoming a professionally certified editor. The 2017 copy editing and stylistic editing tests will be offered in November. Registration opens in July.
Visit the professional certification website for more information.
5. VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH: Karin Cather
In 2013, Karin Cather stopped practicing law because her special-needs children needed more attention and services as they approached puberty. She wanted to find another fulfilling profession where she could use her mind, eye for detail, extensive background knowledge and passion for the written word. While learning about the editing profession, she came across the Editors’ Association of Earth Facebook group and met Editors Canada members. Karin was concerned that her American citizenship would exclude her from the association and its members, but she was welcomed wholeheartedly. In gratitude for all the help, mentoring, and friendship she’s received through Editors Canada, Karin decided to give back through volunteering.
Karin began volunteering as part of the member services committee. She helped craft a survey on member retention and did some research on international editing associations. As the current publications committee chair, Karin is overseeing the production of a booklet that she intends to be the first in a series on the business and practice of editing. Having her proposal for this series approved by the national executive council has been a particularly memorable moment in her time with Editors Canada. She enjoys belonging to a community that contributes to editing as a profession.
In October 2014, Karin officially began her career as an editor. She earned an editing certificate from UC Berkeley. In addition to being an editor and a lawyer, Karin is also a martial arts expert who holds a third-degree black belt in tae kwon do. She currently practices the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga, where she is training at an advanced level. As a result of these experiences and skills, she enjoys working on police procedurals, as well as as well as books and articles related to behavioural health, forensics, and other medical and legal topics.
The volunteer of the month highlights the dedicated people who keep Editors Canada going. Volunteers are the backbone of the association. We are grateful for the many members and affiliates who answer the call when help is needed. Visit the Members’ Area for more information about actively participating in the association.
6. GET INVOLVED: Volunteer opportunities to boost your resumé
Are you looking for valuable experience and accomplishments to highlight on your CV? Here are some Editors Canada opportunities that are available today.
Awards committee: members needed!
The awards committee is seeking members to help develop and administrate the awards program and evaluate existing services. The association’s current national awards are the Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence, the Claudette Upton Scholarship, the Karen Virag Award, the President’s Award for Volunteer Service, and the Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award.
The committee has a mandate in place in the form of a report from the awards task force, and there is plenty of interesting work to do. The committee requires representation from at least half of the branches and twigs, and is aiming for a half-dozen members to fulfill that criteria. Contact Tamra Ross if you are interested in being part of the awards team and helping to recognize stellar editors in Canada.
Put your editorial expertise to work for Editors Canada publications
The national publications committee is looking for members to work on publications for Editors Canada at all stages of development. This includes collaborating with other committee members to come up with great publication ideas, project management, developing or acquiring content, editing the material, and preparing it for publication. If you are interested, please contact Berna Ozunal.
Help shape Editors Canada training
Want to bring new ideas and leadership to training for editors? We’re recruiting a chair for Editors Canada’s training and development committee.
The training and development committee oversees programs for professional development at the national level of the association. Bearing in mind the diverse needs of association members, the committee investigates new options for programming and delivery, makes recommendations, and initiates program development. The chair oversees the committee, works closely with the director of training and development, and plays a key role in delivering the association’s new webinar program.
Being chair of the training and development committee is a great way to gain experience and influence professional development at Editors Canada. Interested? Contact the director of training and development, Stacey Atkinson.
Influence the future of Editors Canada: Join the student relations committee
The student relations committee works to attract student affiliates, represent their interests in the association, and retain them as members when they are no longer students.
The committee is working to establish internship guidelines and forge relationships with educational institutions offering editing and publishing programs, and to represent Editors Canada at university career fairs, among other priorities.
The committee also works with other committees, such as training and development, communications, member services and francophone affairs, to advance the interests of students and the association as a whole. Want to learn more about how you can get involved? Contact the committee chair, Wendy Barron.
7. MEMBER SERVICES: Protect yourself and your ability to earn an income
Did you know that Editors Canada members across the country have access to exclusive, affordable insurance options?
E&O and Commercial General Liability Insurance (through Affinity Insurance)
Key Features
- $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 E&O coverage for any one claim against a member
- $1,000,000+ Commercial General Liability cover for any one claim against a member
- A deductible will apply
- Worldwide coverage
Privacy & Security Breach Services (292.09 KB)- Multi-year policy options are available
- Legal Assistance Hotline (304.87 KB)
Download the Professional Liability Insurance highlight sheet. (257.78 KB)
Health and dental insurance (through Investors Group)
These enhanced health-care plans can supplement your provincial or territorial government’s coverage and help protect you against unexpected health and dental expenses.
With a complete product package that spans term life insurance, permanent participating life, universal life, disability, critical illness and long-term care, these plans can offer you personal peace of mind.
Visit the Members’ Area for more information about these exclusive insurance options.
8. NEW MEMBER DISCOUNT: Online workshop on creating accessible websites and documents
Webinar: The New Standard on Accessibility: WCAG 2 Web, Office, InDesign, PDF online workshop
Date: Wednesday, June 14
Time: 1 p.m. to 4:50 p.m., EDT
Are you interested in improving document accessibility? In this online workshop, David Berman will discuss why universal design is important for everybody—to broaden your audience, to comply with the law, to drive down costs, or simply to be socially responsible. He will also provide in-depth familiarity with W3C WCAG 2.0 success criteria, as well as ADA, Section 504/508 and AODA requirements.
Using the guidelines David provides, you can produce an accessible web presence and Word, PowerPoint, Excel, InDesign and PDF documents—in short, resources that are more effective for your various audiences and clients. You will also gain familiarity with the assistive technologies that help people with specific disabilities and difficulties.
You will leave with ideas you can use right away and you may also gain a completely new attitude toward how technology can improve lives. By the end of the event you will not only be aware of why accessibility and standards affect everyone, you will be equipped with an understanding of what you need to do and how to do it best.
Editors Canada members will receive a 30% discount on the full registration fee by using the code EACMEMBER. For more information or to register for this webinar, visit David’s website.
Looking for more Editors Canada discounts? Visit the members’ area.
9. MEMBER NEWS: Tell the world about your accomplishments
Editors Canada Member News is where we share information about members and affiliates who win awards, publish books and make their mark in other important ways.
Do you have an achievement you’d like to share? Are you excited about a new project or opportunity that has come your way? Let us tell the world all about it! Please send your stories to the member news coordinator.
10. NEC: Notes from your national executive council
As this year’s term draws to a close (it ends on June 30), I’ve been thinking about what we as an association have done over the past year or so: revising Professional Editorial Standards, hosting an amazing conference in Vancouver, launching our first full season of webinars, launching the updated website, offering the second Programme d’agrément en révision linguistique test, awarding the inaugural Karen Virag Award, and launching the national mentorship program. And that doesn’t even include all the work done by the branches and twigs, committees, Active Voice, The Editors’ Weekly blog and others!
I want to thank the hundreds of volunteers who have so generously shared time and expertise to make Editors Canada better. Thanks to your wonderful work, we are now able to offer members more services, more professional development opportunities and more ways to network.
Volunteering is a great way to give, but you also get a lot back: new skills for your CV, new contacts, and the satisfaction of helping your professional association advance. Over the next couple of months, I hope you’ll think about where you might be able to help during the year ahead; there is something for everyone, from small tasks to long-term projects.
Here’s another project that is now under way: finding ways to do more for in-house editors and for those who are unable to attend in-person events (due to distance, a disability, or work/family responsibilities). We’ll have some roundtables on these topics at the conference, and will let you know what emerges from those discussions.
Speaking of the conference, I hope to see you there!
Anne Louise Mahoney
President
Welcome to Editors Canada!
British Columbia
Rafael Canoa, Patricia Halladay, Anya Lee, Claire Mulligan, Sara Van Steinburg
Calgary
Kristine Kennedy, Susan Wright
Edmonton
Lee Craig
Saskatchewan
Kelly Laycock, Patrycja Mazur
Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph
Maxie Bai Martin, Paul Ling, Christina Mills
Hamilton-Halton
Adnela Fejzulovic, Karen Haverkamp
Ottawa–Gatineau
Leslie Aldridge, Cathy Bellerose, Laurent Boivin, Éric Charlebois, Ravish Khapra, Manon Lahaie
Toronto
Allyson Aritcheta, Aurora Carnevale, Brian Feldman, Elaine Gareau, Shimona Hirchberg, Cecilia Ki, Leslie Lapides, Stephanie Wainman
Quebec/Atlantic Canada
Lyna Daneau, Marie-Julie Labbé, Bianca Pichette, Nathalie Roy, Amanda Russello, Mylène Tremblay
The national e-news update is produced on behalf of the national executive council by the national office.