NSS Conference 2008 - Other

Associated Meetings and Activities

A number of pre- and post-Conference meetings and activities were held during the 2008 NSS Conference:

• Pre-Conference Meetings
• Technical Tours
• CSS Renewal
• Post-Conference Meetings
• Standards Training
• Overview of the 2008 Conference Program

Pre-Conference Committee Meetings
08:00 – 16:00
Monday, June 2

A number of advisory committees of the Standards Council of Canada (SCC), and partners of the National Standards System (NSS) held meetings prior to the start of the NSS Conference as a way to leverage their members' attendance at the Conference. 
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Technical Tours
13:00 – 16:30
Monday, June 2

While in St. John's, Newfoundland, the organizers of the 2008 NSS Conference arranged for interested delegates to experience some of the unique nautical engineering technologies found in various local facilities:

• A visit to the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University, where the world’s largest, and North America's only, flume tank is housed. Part of the Centre for Sustainable Aquatic resources the flume tank is used to test fishing gear and other marine structures in a controlled environment as well as to provide education and industrial training.
• The simulator laboratory at the Institute for Ocean Technology is where scaled-down models of ships are tested under a range of ocean climates and conditions.
• C-Core (the Centre for Cold Ocean Research) whose intelligent sensors, pattern recognition systems, and state-of-the-art telerobotics are being used for industrial development in various sectors.

There was no charge to registered delegates of the 2008 NSS Conference to participate in the Technical Tours. Delegate companions were charged a fee ($89 per person).
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Canadian Standards Strategy (CSS) Renewal
13:30 – 15:30
Monday, June 2

Open to all Registered NSS Conference Delegates

This facilitated session was organized to enable interested NSS stakeholders with the opportunity to comment, and provide input, on the development of the 2009-2012 Canadian Standards Strategy (CSS).

Since its launch in March 2000, the CSS has been a national roadmap, providing leadership and direction on the use of standardization to advance the social and economic well-being of Canadians in a global economy.

The input from the NSS Conference will be incorporated into the version submitted to the SCC's Council for final approval and publication early in 2009.
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Post-Conference Committee Meetings
08:00 – 16:00
Thursday, June 5

A number of SCC advisory committees and partners of the NSS held meetings after the NSS Conference as a way to leverage their members' attendance at the Conference.
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Standardization Intro Training Part I
09:00 – 12:00
Thursday, June 5

Free Admission to all Registered NSS Conference Delegates

This half-day course provided a general introduction to standards and standardization.  Topics covered included: types of standards, who develops them, and why standards are used.  This course is most beneficial to those are not familiar with the use of industry standards and who want to learn the basics.

Instructor: Diane Thompson, President of Thompson Consulting, Inc.

Advanced Standards Training Part II
13:00 – 16:00
Thursday, June 5

Free Admission to all Registered NSS Conference Delegates

This half-day course provided an in-depth look at the importance of standards to global trade.  Topics covered included: harmonization of national standards; international standards as tools for trade, and the role of standards in trade agreements.  This course is of interest to those working in a trade environment (from exporters to public servants) with some knowledge of industry standards.

Instructor: Diane Thompson, President of Thompson Consulting, Inc.
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