Canadian Association of Pathologists / Association canadienne des pathologistes

From the President’s Desk        

In every winter’s heart, lies a quivering spring,

Behind the veil of each night, waits a smiling dawn

– Kahlil Gibran

As the year 2008 came to an end and became history, a brand new year started, and with it, the setting of the stage for another series of momentous events. The events of 2008 were historic for many, including people with dynamic economic ideas, people of diverse backgrounds, and pathologists; 2009 will be historic for pathologists in Canada and members of the Canadian Association of Pathologists.

The year 2008 saw many significant events, not the least of which was the release of the report of the Commission of Inquiry into Forensic Pathology in Ontario, followed by the Miramichi inquiry in New Brunswick. The waves from these inquiries, the changes that followed, and their impact are significant and will be felt for years to come. Your executive has taken heart from these, and we are making every effort to ensure that we do our part to help us all maintain our professional development. In the months and years ahead, you will see new CPD modules and CPD formats being unrolled and made available to you. Pathology is changing extremely rapidly, and, in all likelihood, in 10 years’ time, one may not recognize pathology as it is now. These changes will not occur without some pain, retooling, and re-equipping, on both physical and educational fronts. Your association will make every effort to ensure that the path is made simpler and one that is easily travelled.

You are reading this, my first letter to you for 2009, in the pages of the premier issue of Canadian Journal of Pathology. It has been a long, long journey, starting in 1949, in Saskatoon, when the Canadian Association of Pathologists was born, with the ideas and ideals of a few stalwart pathologists (their names are presented in “A Dream Fulfilled,” Table 4). In the years that have followed, there has been much talk about a journal. In fact, the Committee of Chairs set up 18 years ago put forth the formation of a journal as one of its major recommendations for the association. Your executive (2007–2009) is pleased that we have been able to bring this dream to fruition. It is our hope that the journal will grow and flourish. For that, it must have help from you! Please send in your articles, now

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This issue of the journal was made possible by a great amount of concerted and ongoing efforts by a large number of members of your association (please see Table 2 in “A Dream Fulfilled”). The tremendous help of our administrative staff at the college is not forgotten and is something that we could not have done without. In fact, we owe the choice of the publisher to the help of our administrative staff. Thanks to every one of you. If I have forgotten the name of any individuals who have helped us, and I am sure there must be some, I request your indulgence. Please remember that I extend my thanks to everyone who has helped.

The first volume of this journal has letters from as many past presidents as we could contact and who were able to write back to us. Many of their messages relay incidents from their time as president, and many are full of good wishes for the journal. To those authors, we thank you for your contribution and look forward to your continued support, in the form of articles and committee work that will be disseminated to the membership. Remember, the journal cannot be of value without your help.

This issue of the journal also contains good wishes from many Canadians, including Governor General Michaëlle Jean, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Minister of Health Leona Aglukkaq, Robert Ouellet, president of the Canadian Medical Association, and Anne O’Brien, president of the New Brunswick Association of Laboratory Physicians.

In addition, this issue presents some articles by a few who have taken the time to put thought to paper. Their messages are interesting, timely, and should be heeded. The future of our specialty and its success depends on everyone’s efforts and vigilance to make sure that our role is not eroded or usurped by others and that we continue to be the professionals who make and convey diagnoses as consultants to our clinical colleagues.

Some of the committees that we set up when we first started on this route to bring out Canadian Journal of Pathology have completed their roles. Their members deserve special thanks for the time and efforts they have put in. At the same time, new committees are essential for the future success for the journal. The committee that will provide oversight for the journal and ensure that it publishes appropriate and quality material will be the Publications Committee, of which Dr. Runjan Chetty is the incoming chair. Dr. Chetty is a professor of pathology at the University of Toronto, chief of surgical pathology at the University Health Network in Toronto, and  the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Clinical Pathology (of the Royal College of Pathologists [UK]). He will be setting up a committee to help him in his work. Clearly, this is a committee whose role will be significant for many years to come, and I am grateful to him for having accepted this position.

The second important committee will be setup by the incoming editor-in-chief. Dr. Godfrey Heathcote, chair of pathology at Dalhousie University, has accepted this position. In the next few weeks and months, he will be choosing his Editorial Board. I am sure that those of you who are invited will respond and help him carry out the job that he has undertaken. I am thankful to Godfrey for having accepted this role and look forward to the journal flourishing under his care.

Due to time constraints, the need to bring out four issues of the journal this year, and the time necessary to choose and have an editor-in-chief in place, I have taken on the task of being the editor (interim) for the first two issues. I am honoured that the ad hoc committee felt this was a task that I would be able to do, and I hope that the results of these two issues will justify their trust in me.

Finally, the success of the journal will depend on you, the readership and the membership of the Canadian Association of Pathologists, as well as on all the physicians in the country. It is your work and efforts that will be published and will make the journal successful. We look forward to your help, now and in the years ahead.

Finally, I am grateful to all of you for having made me the president of the Canadian Association of Pathologists and giving me this opportunity to serve.

Jagdish Butany