FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2009-10-14

Government of Canada Launches Canadian Standards Strategy 2009-2012 on World Standards Day

OTTAWA, October 14, 2009 — Today, Gordon Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds–Grenville, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, joined Standards Council of Canada (SCC) Chairman Hugh Krentz and Executive Director John Walter in celebrating World Standards Day 2009 and the official launch of the Canadian Standards Strategy (CSS) 2009–2012.

“The launch of the CSS 2009–2012 is the centrepiece of Canada’s World Standards Day celebration,” said Minister Clement. “This marks an important milestone for the CSS, as it signals the implementation phase of the project.”

The CSS 2009–2012 provides strategic direction to the SCC, Canada’s National Standards System (NSS) and the Canadian standardization community as a whole. It ensures that Canada’s NSS is continually evolving to meet changing demands; expanding understanding, recognition and use of the System; and identifying and addressing emerging national issues where standards and accreditation solutions can be applied.

World Standards Day is celebrated internationally each year on October 14. It marks the date in 1946 when delegates from 25 countries around the world gathered in London, England, and launched the process to create the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The theme of this year’s World Standards Day is “Tackling climate change through standards.” Each year on this day, the SCC joins the international community in celebrating the importance of standards-related activities and pays tribute to the collaborative efforts of the thousands of individuals who give their time and expertise to this important work.

This year, for the first time, the ISO, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) invited the SCC to propose a Canadian artist to design the World Standards Day 2009 poster. Dawn Oman, a Metis artist from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, was chosen to create the artwork for the poster, which is being distributed worldwide by the ISO.

Canada was chosen for this honour because the ISO, the IEC and the ITU believe that it is at the forefront of international efforts to improve environmental management and combat climate change through standardization. Canada has become a leader in the development of the ISO 14000 family, including the recent standards for greenhouse gas management and new work on the carbon footprint of products.

The SCC is a Crown corporation with the mandate to promote efficient and effective standardization in Canada. As coordinator of Canada’s NSS, the SCC oversees the efforts of those organizations and individuals involved in standards-related development and implementation activities, both at home and abroad. For more information, visit the SCC website or contact the SCC by email at [email protected].

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