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Dear CanCham Members and Friends,
Please note that all in-person CanCham events have been postponed until further notice due to the COVID-19 situation in Latvia. Events will be rescheduled once the all-clear is given. Group work in ZOOM using teleconferencing continues.

Isolation and quarantine during the COVID-19 period: Travellers returning for abroad, those designated as contact persons and those who have tested positive for COVID-19 should be separated from others in order to prevent the spread, and may not know how to do this. The CanCham is aware of accommodation facilities (hotels, guest houses) that are available for isolation and quarantine purposes. In particular circumstances, financial assistance may be available. For information, please contact the head of our Health & Leisure Group, Una Brűna at una.bruna@cancham.lv. Stay safe!
 
Upcoming events
Scheduled ZOOM teleconferencing meetings (register here):
  • Wednesday, November 25th, 2020 18.30 CanCham’s Combined Group Zoom meeting.
  • Wednesday, December 9th, 2020 18.30 CanCham’s Combined Group Zoom meeting.
  • Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020 18.30 CanCham’s Combined Group Zoom meeting.
  • Wednesday, January 6th, 2021 18.30 CanCham’s Combined Group Zoom meeting.
Postponed events to be rescheduled when COVID-19 conditions and Government restrictions allow. Pre-register here.
  • Construction Related Services “Show & Tell” presentations evening
  • Trade Facilitation & Export "Show & Tell" presentations evening
  • Health & Leisure "Show & Tell" presentations evening
  • Business Support "Show & Tell" presentations evening
Recent Past Events
The annual Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner took place on Monday, October 12th, with H.E. Kevin Rex, the Canadian Government Ambassador to Latvia as guest speaker (see report). 
ZOOM teleconferencing meetings continued to take place during the period.
 
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
This year’s AGM took place on Monday, October 5th at the Unity Business Centre (see report). 
 
We are pleased to welcome Shane Kells as the newest elected member of the Board.  Shane has recently been appointed to the position of Director of the International School of Riga. He is a Canadian citizen who graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor’s of Arts (BA) in Sociology and a Bachelor of Education (BEd) Degree in Elementary Education and Teaching. He studied Educational/Instructional Technology at the University of Southern Queensland and Graduated from the University of New England (AU) with a Master of Education (MEd) Degree in International Education. Shane has served as the Head for the American International School in Kingston, Jamaica (1 year), as Head of the Canadian International School Bangalore (7 years), as Principal (ES) of the Korea International School in Korea (4 years) and Head of the Utahloy International School in Zengcheng (5 years).
 
New Members
We welcome the following new members that joined the CanCham since the last update:
  • 30.09.2020 Amplicam joined the CanCham as a Business member.
  • 02.10.2020 Lîga Logina joined the CanCham at the Individual level.
  • 02.11.2020 Termex Building Services joined the CanCham as a Corporate member.
We are pleased to announce that the CanCham has entered into a cooperation agreement with Asnâte Ziemele of the professional rural tourism association Lauku ceďotâjs representing 330 members – owners of rural establishments all over Latvia offering accommodations, tours and holidays in rural Latvia and the rest of the Baltic States.
 
DMC System
We welcomeArnis Rozîtis, an experienced consultant living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, as the DMC coordinator for CanCham in Canada. Arnis will be working with the other DMC’s to better help us connect Canada to Latvia.
The DMC system for business development between Latvia and Canada has been further developed with the addition of DMC Coordinators, and explained in http://cancham.lv/dmc/how-dmc-works (updated). Companies interested in exporting and developing strategic partnerships should take note.
 
ZOOM teleconferencing meetings
The third round of ZOOM meetings for the Health & Leisure Group, the Trade Facilitation & Export Group and the Construction Related Services Group took place this fall with the intent to help introduce members with each other and develop action plans whereby members can benefit from the CanCham. Each group met every two weeks. 

As of November 25th, we will be consolidating these meetings into a larger combined group ZOOM meeting in order to develop synergies between the groups. It is expected that this format will continue during the winter, while the individual groups will meet on an as required basis.
We encourage members to actively participate and attend these meetings. Please register here to attend. 
 
“Show & Tell” presentation evenings
We continued to develop the “Show & Tell” meeting concept for the individual groups. The main developments included:
 

These events allow members and those interested in presenting to the CanCham to provide their presentation to both members and those interested in the particular subject area.

Canadian companies will be invited and encouraged to present themselves via ZOOM as part of the program.

The program has currently been suspended because of the current State of Emergency declared by the Government because of the COVID-19 situation, but will continue as soon as the situation improves. In the meantime, we are helping our members develop effective presentations. Please register here if you wish to participate.
 
Special Recognition
We wish to recognize those members who advance CanCham’s objectives by having signed up at enhanced membership levels:
 
Shadow program
The International School of Riga is promoting internships, CAS and other volunteer opportunities for its older students. The CanCham has agreed to support this initiative and has named it “the Shadow program”. As the program develops, students will participate in CanCham in-person and ZOOM events. Member companies who wish to do so can arrange for students to be involved in their companies. 
Three students are now involved in this program, one attending ZOOM meetings to observe proceedings and assist with organizational issues, and two with the social media task force that is helping the CanCham optimize the use of social media. ISR students will also be helping with filming assignments at our SHOW & Tell events.
 
Issue/Solution Process
This identifies member issues that should be presented to government deputies and officials for resolution using the method established by the CanCham, and is particularly aimed at those affected by the COVID-19 situation. If you wish government officials to know of specific issues your business has because of the effects of COVID-19, please contact Ed Kalvins at ed.kalvins@cancham.lv.
 
Other information

Par CanCham latvieđu valodâ – a presentation describing the CanCham in the Latvian language has been prepared by br.ook interior architecture. We thank Ligita Breěe and Baiba Rűíe for putting this together.

 Upcoming events
 
Monday, March 18th, at 18.30 - CanCham Board & Audit Committee Meeting
at the Canadian Embassy
 
April, 2024 at 18.30 - CanCham Restart Event
AC Hotel by Marriott Riga
 
 Significant Partners
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Programs
 

 
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