I was in one of my many conversations with Doug Forseth several weeks ago. Doug is unsuccessfully trying to wind down a decorated career and is well known in CWSAA circles as one of our industry leaders in every way. We were speaking about leadership, the moral fabric in our industry, and the camaraderie and support between industry partners. Doug then used a phrase that stuck with me, “The Canada West Way.”
Doug explained that how we conduct ourselves and our business defines #TheCanadaWestWay. It is a higher calling, and perhaps it is meant to challenge us – not just to do our best, but to be better that we think we can be. In both versions, it has stuck with me ever since. It is a mantra… and that’s what we’re calling the new ‘blog.’
CWSAA’s Cynthia Thomas had the vision for the ‘blog’ section of the website. If truth be told, she is also credited with explaining the purpose of a blog. It is intended to be the repository for relevant trends and topics that touch our industry, and such things as profiles of the Places & Faces that make up our industry.
I have been asked about the significance of this section’s title. Doug assured me someone other than him first coined the phrase. Perhaps it’s unknown and shared origin underscores its value as a descriptive title for its content. There is an army of dedicated people that have pioneered and served the ski industry for generations. Thus, #TheCanadaWestWay embodies the spirit of our past, assists our present, and positions us for our future journey as an industry.
CWSAA members have a strong identity and tradition. Ideas are shared by proactively supporting each other, as well as by competitively pushing one another. The end result is the betterment of an industry, for our guests, our people, and our communities. It’s The Canada West Way.
Christopher Nicolson