Presentation of a new CPCA Challenge Coin to Indigenous Artist Joan Williams

RCMP "E" Division Chaplain Inderjeet "Indy" Singh presents the first ATS challenge coin to Artist Joan Williams

With our CPCA ATS in Vancouver only months away, preparations continue to progress steadily. Under the direction of CPCA-BC Regional Director Bill Ashbee, the ATS Planning Committee has been doing extraordinary work in order to make the 2025 ATS an event to remember. Last November, Chaplain Indy Singh approached BC Indigenous Artist Joan Williams to create something special - a logo to celebrate and commemorate our 2025 ATS in Vancouver. Joan designed a logo that captures the iconic images of the Pacific - mountains, forest, ocean and whales in a traditional Indigenous artform. Orcas travel in pods and a representation of three whales in the design intentionally echoes our ATS theme of "Better Together."

The ATS "Better Together" theme is evident within the workings of our ATS Planning Committee. RCMP Chaplain Russ Ideson caught the vision and proceeded with arrangements to have the logo minted onto a CPCA ATS Challenge Coin commemorating our special upcoming connection and training event in Vancouver this October. This challenge coin is now our second challenge coin and will be available in the future to CPCA members. Thank you Russ and all involved in this process.

In order to honour the creator of our ATS logo, Chaplain Singh presented Joan Williams the first CPCA ATS Challenge Coin in appreciation of her creative skills. Joan was impressed with the coin and how well the image was captured. Thank you, Chaplain's Singh and Ideson for your teamwork and being an example of how we are truly "Better Together."

Our CPCA ATS takes place in Vancouver from October 20 - 24. This is not just a training event, it is a platform to promote connection, encouragement, support and networking amongst police chaplains across Canada. Registration and full details of the event are available through this link https://www.canadianpolicechaplainassociation.com/event-details/cpca-annual-training-seminar-in-vancouver-october-20-24-2025

Please consider registering and making plans to attend the ATS soon. Early registration will assist in fine tuning the details for our ATS.

On behalf of our CPCA National Leadership Team, my deepest appreciation to all our members who make up the ATS Planning Committee - Bill Ashbee, Dave Field, Inderjeet Singh, Marty Cayer, Russ Ideson, and our ATS Liaison Officer John Siderius.

Bruce Ewanyshyn

CPCA President

ICPC Director of Region One

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In Search of a CPCA Regional Director for Alberta

In October 2023, after a unanimous membership vote to amend our CPCA Constitution at our AGM in Winnipeg, the CPCA officially appointed Regional Directors for the provinces of Ontario, BC, SK, and MB. In 2024, this expanded to the Atlantic Provinces by the addition of Dave Sutherland as our CPCA-ATL Regional Director. Our Regional Directors form part of our CPCA National Leadership Team and are invited to join the CPCA Executive for our monthly Zoom meetings. Regional Directors serve the CPCA in several ways including establishing regular connections with CPCA members within their region to encourage, support, and connect chaplains. Regional Directors can choose to organize local training opportunities for chaplains in their region through in-person and/or internet gatherings. They disseminate important information to help chaplains connect and remain informed. Most of all they serve to fill in the relational gap that may exist between our national leaders and our members. The CPCA values every member and we want to show that on a personal level through relationship that extends far beyond an ATS and a membership card.

I want to honour each of our Regional Directors for the unique ways they have developed connections with our members across Canada. From West to East, special thanks to CPCA-BC Regional Director Bill Ashbee, CPCA-SK Regional Director Tom McCullagh, CPCA-MB Regional Director John Siderius, CPCA-ON Regional Director Charles Swartwood, and CPCA-ATL Regional Director Dave Sutherland. Each Regional Director is an active police chaplain serving a police agency, and yet they take the time to contribute to the CPCA in unique and different ways. Personally, I appreciate what they bring to our monthly national leadership team meetings on Zoom by way of wisdom and counsel, support and encouragement, and vision. I honour our CPCA Regional Directors:

In Alberta, police chaplaincy in service to the RCMP, has multiplied significantly over the past five years thanks to the passion and vision of RCMP "K" Division Chaplain Coordinator/ RCMP National Chaplain George Madden. Despite the strong presence of chaplains throughout the province, we have yet to appoint a Regional Director for Alberta. If you are a current CPCA Member serving any police agency in Alberta, have a heart to connect and encourage chaplains in your province, and value the importance of good leadership through relationship building and training within the CPCA, please reach out to me at bewanyshyn91@gmail.com and we can discuss how we can encourage and support each other and our members on a provincial and national level.

With much appreciation and thanks,

Bruce Ewanyshyn

Note: our next online training opportunity takes place on Zoom July 17th. For more details and to register for this CPCA certificate webinar on how to "Navigate Burnout & Compassion Fatigue: Learn to RESET for Resilience" click on this link. I hope to see you there https://www.canadianpolicechaplainassociation.com/event-details/navigate-burnout-compassion-fatigue-learn-to-reset-for-resilience