October 11, 2022 Message to the Membership
Posted on October 11, 2022 in Message to the Membership
I may be a day late and a dollar short, but coming off the heels of a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, I’m compelled to write about the abundance of things to be thankful for.
And although it seems like we may now be getting more customary, seasonal weather, it’s very hard not to start off with recognition of the wonderful fall weather we’ve been blessed with. The fact that we’re now getting into more seasonal temps and the weather seems cold, only reinforces the unusually warm weather we’ve had for the past few weeks.
If this is global warming, then bring it on. Now before the eco-sensitive folks start accusing me of being some knuckle-dragging luddite, please re-read the first part of the previous sentence with objectivity. In particular, pay attention to the biggest two-letter word in our vocabulary… if. If it’s something else – El Nino, tropical vortex or whatever, then bring that on. If global warming is truly dooming our planet, then let’s not have more of that.
From a business perspective we have plenty to be thankful for as well. First off – and with a caveat that there’s some bias coming into play – for the majority of you reading (and the one of us writing) this, let’s be thankful that we live in the greatest city to be found, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The entrepreneurial capital and the true economic driver of the province, Saskatoon is full of businesses that are run by business-minded folks who are the heartbeat of our community.
And if you’re a reader from outside the city, then let’s all be thankful that we live in the greatest province in the country. Even though our pride is suffering somewhat because of a beleaguered football team that seems to always bring us along for the highs but more often than not, the lows of, we still are the greatest place to be.
Why, you may ask? Well, you’ve heard it said here and several other places before, but it’s because of the food, fuel and fertilizer we are blessed with. No other jurisdiction in the world has the abundance of riches that we do in these three areas. And the world not only wants; but more importantly needs them.
So let’s be thankful for the farmers that produce the food for not only us, but for the world to eat. Thanks for putting in those incredibly long and stressful hours during seeding and harvest.
Secondly, our people in the province are truly the best the world has to offer. Look no further than to the volunteerism, the charitable giving, the various communities – geographic or otherwise – that are found within Saskatchewan. We simply are made up of a lot of really good, hard-working, salt-of-the-earth type of people. Let’s give thanks for each other.
And if you’re reading this from outside the province, let’s be thankful that we live in the greatest country in the world. Even though there are plenty of reasons to dispute this, let’s put things in perspective. Canada is the best place in the world, in spite of some government-led initiatives that are truly head scratchers.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way when returning home after a trip abroad for a while. Although the travel is nice and exciting and all of that good stuff, it sure feels good to get back on Canadian soil.
Which brings to mind, let’s also be thankful for the freedoms we all enjoy. Despite the fact that those freedoms mean that you and I can disagree completely on any number of things, and either of us can make complete fools of ourselves while doing so (and by the way that would be you, not me), we are free to do that. Try that in Russia or China.
On that vein, let’s be thankful to our veterans who fought to ensure those freedoms would remain. We’ll be giving that more thought in a month’s time on Remembrance Day but, just as we should be more mindful than one day per year about Truth and Reconciliation, we should always be mindful and thankful for the veterans and their allies who gave the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedom.
On a personal note, I’m thankful for this organization I represent, which makes me not only thankful for you, the members who make us who we are, but also I’m thankful for the leadership, direction and guidance from our Board of Directors. Those familiar with working with Boards can surely attest that it’s not always easy or smooth sailing, but in the case of the NSBA, it’s always worth the end result.
And one final note, I’ll add that I’m thankful to you for reading these weekly messages. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.
Until next time, be safe, be smart, be considerate, be well, but most of all, be kind.
Keith Moen
Executive Director