Important changes for the 2010 season. Please take the time to review this newsletter - Thank You.
In this Edition:
 2010 INSTRUCTOR RENEWALS
this week ( April 4th) to be included in next mailing of Kanawa Magazine (Spring) and be entered in a draw to win paddling gear prizes.
Otherwise you will not receive this next issue of Kanawa or be able to view the "Instructor Services" of the your account (view past courses, register new courses, download new program manuals etc. )
JOIN YOUR REGIONAL PADDLING
ASSOCIATION - A
reminder to renew your 2010 instructor membership with your regional
paddling association, where one exists. Visit the Regional Members page to find your local
association. The regional members and Paddle Canada thank you for your
continued support.
COURSE FEE INCREASE -
Newsflash! Fiscal reality and restraint is affecting the global economy. Paddle Canada is no different. After much debate, the PC board voted in March to increase the course fee to $25.00 (from $20). Our switch last year to the single fee structure was very welcomed by all, but could not have predicted the change in the economy. This will offer some assist in balancing the books as we have less incomes from traditional sources.
Please note: The small user course fees for 1 and 2 participants remain the same at $ 8.(plus GST) per student.
AWARDING A LOWER LEVEL ON A HIGHER LEVEL COURSE
(the old "combined" course) PC Instructors now have the ability to hand out one lower skills cert,
"without charge" for those individuals that don't pass the registered
course, with the understanding that the instructor has given enough time
for review of those lower course skills. (i.e. awarding an Intro to Sea
Kayaking on a SK Level 1 Skills course) Read more about this on "Notice Board' of Instructor Member Login.
WAIVER FORMS/CARDS
Last year 5000 form/cards were sent out. Extra blank ones are still out there. Please continue to use them or share them with other instructors or organizational members in your area. We are now a member of Leave No Trace Canada so let's walk the talk and use up our paper resources as best we can (or ship them back to the office).
Do You Need Waiver/Cards this season? You have 2 options:
1. Print Your Own - You can print your waiver forms off the website. From your members login area, under "Instructor Services" click on => "Waiver and Liability Forms" - follow printing instructions on that page. If you are unable to print your own, consider having them professionally printed on card stock at your local printing services location.
2. Order Cards - The office now has waiver form/cards available for order at a small cost: $1.20 per card plus tax & shipping. Please contact the office to order.
"HOW TO" REGISTER COURSE GUIDES: 
The following PDF guides will prove useful in
navigating the
new website members area and managing your course registration, reporting, and payments for
2010:
 Instructor Courses: A Guide to Registering , Updating and Reporting An Instructor Course - download guide, print and/or save. Again available at any time from Notice Board page.
Skill Courses: A Guide to Registering,
Updating and Reporting a Skill Course - download guide,
print and/or save. This is also available at any time from your
instructor login - Notice Board page.
***Instructor Recert Clinics - IT's please contact Graham at the office for
help on registering recert clinics.
CANOE PROGRAM UPDATE:
 Coastal Canoe Manual - 2nd Edition March 15, 2010 is now posted online (Instructor Services => Canoe Program => Coastal Canoeing Manual) or download PDF here.
The Canoe PDC is meeting weekly and working hard behind the scenes to deliver the new comprehensive Canoe Program Manual for Waterfront, Canoeing Basic, Lake Canoe, Canoe Tripping & Moving Water. We hope to have this available to you mid to late April. An announcement will go out when available online.
Please note the following canoe program name changes:
'Canoeing Basics' replaces 'Introduction to Canoeing Skills'
'Moving Water Canoe' replaces all 'Whitewater Canoe'
 COASTAL CANOEING ADVANCED SKILL & INSTRUCTOR COURSE(Pre Atlantic Canadian Paddling Symposium) - Dates: May 8th - 13th, 2010 Course director : Richard Alexander - for more info & to register please visit www.nfkayak.com (please note: payment will be made via Paddle Canada office)
PROPOSALS NOW BEING ACCEPTED - Teach at the Central Canadian Paddling Instructor Symposium Sept. 24-26, 2010. Email proposal with a brief bio to: info@paddllingcanada.com 
DID YOU KNOW?
It takes the office 20 - 25 min per course to input past years course reports into database?
Volunteer instructor members are in the process of inputting all of your 2008 course reports into database. Overtime, 2008 courses will appear in your 'My Courses' section of your account. With approx. 700 courses run in '08 you can realize the months of work ahead. Once we finish '08, 2007 reports are next - yihaa! - thanks to volunteers:
- Doug Taylor - PC Director/Secretary
- Ralph Kennedy - SK Instructor Member
- Peter Kasurak - Canoe Instructor Member
- Colin Sacco - SK Instructor Member
- Barry Golemiec - SK Instructor Member
- Jim Penistan - Canoe Instructor Member
And special thanks to Cameron White for help with the ongoing updates to the paddling program descriptions on the website.
Thanks for reading and if you have questions please let me know,
Sincerely,
Graham
Executive Director
Paddle Canada
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