November 27, 2008
*CNW Group signs-on as title sponsor of national CPRS conference*

*Toronto, ON, November 26, 2008* – The Canadian Public Relations Society
(CPRS) is pleased to announce that CNW Group has generously signed-on as title sponsor of the national CPRS conference in Vancouver June 7 to 9, 2009. The theme of the conference is “On the Edge.”

“Support by key industry partners such as CNW Group has been crucial to the advancement of our profession,” says Derrick Pieters, APR, Fellow CPRS, President, CPRS. “We also congratulate Carolyn McGill-Davidson on her recent appointment as President and CEO of CNW Group.”

“CNW Group has proudly supported CPRS for many years and we’ve been the title sponsor of its annual conference since 2002,” said Carolyn McGill-Davidson, President and CEO of CNW Group. “We are committed to the advancement of public relations practices throughout Canada and we will continue to work with CPRS to foster the educational development of its members.”

Established in 1960, CNW Group is an integral part of Canada’s journalistic and financial reporting processes, recognized in all major newsrooms and financial institutions as a key element in the dissemination and receipt of timely information directly from source.
CNW Group operates bureaus in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax. CNW Group’s wholly owned subsidiary CNW Telbec operates offices in Montreal and Quebec City.

In its 60th year, the Canadian Public Relations Society is the only Canadian professional association representing more than 1,800 public relations practitioners in 16 Member Societies across Canada who commit to following a Code of Professional Standards. The Society offers a program of professional accreditation in public relations (APR), professional development and education programs affiliated with various colleges and universities, a job registry, networking opportunities, annual national conference, a directory of all members and a forum for information sharing. www.cprs.ca. For information on the conference, please go to www.cprs.ca/vancouver2009/.

*For information, please contact:*
Karen L. Dalton, APR
Executive Director
Canadian Public Relations Society, Inc.
416-239-7034

November 14, 2008
Public Relations Pioneer Passes Away
Lou Cahill known as Canada’s “Dean of Public Relations”

(St. Catharines, ON) November 13 --- Louis Joseph Cahill, a Canadian public relations pioneer and legend, passed away yesterday (Nov. 12). He was 94.

Mr. Cahill spearheaded many of the public relations practices that guide the profession today. In 1946, he founded Ontario Editorial Bureau, one of Canada’s first public relations firms, in St. Catharines. Today, the firm is known as OEB Enterprise with offices in Toronto, Ottawa and Niagara and a national reputation for public relations, government relations and public affairs.

Mr. Cahill was one of the founding members of the Worldcom Group, the largest and most successful network of independent public relations companies in the world with 114 member firms operating in 94 cities on five continents.

“Lou’s dedication and devotion to the profession of public relations is unparalleled,” said Barbara Fox, President & CEO of OEB Enterprise. “From major events and commemorations to organizing the first television broadcast in Canada in 1948 – you name it, Lou was part of it. His contributions to the public relations profession in Canada are unmatched.”

Mr. Cahill worked with a wide variety of clients in the shipping, forestry, government and education sectors as well as handling public relations for the opening of the Queen Elizabeth Way and the 1939 Royal Visit of King George and Queen Elizabeth. He handled the Victory Loan Campaign (WWII) in Niagara for the Bank of Canada, and provided communications services to the Ontario Paper Company between 1946 and 1996, one of the longest client relationships in North America. He was also responsible for the creation of the “P.Eng.” designation for professional engineers in Canada, a designation that was later adopted by other engineering groups around the world.

Among his many achievements, Mr. Cahill played a key role in the founding of Brock University in St. Catharines.

“Lou had a hand in almost every aspect of Niagara’s public life,” John Armstrong, Vice President of OEB Enterprise, said. “It was an honour to work with Lou for so many years. His professional and volunteer work over the years has arguably done more to foster the profession of public relations in Canada than any other practitioner. He guided hundreds of professionals through their careers in public relations,” Armstrong said.

Mr. Cahill was recognized with an Honorary Doctorate from Brock University and the Canadian Public Relations Society’s prestigious Philip Novikoff Award for lifetime achievement. He also became the final recipient of the Canadian Public Relations Society’s Distinguished Service Award in 2004. The award is now called the Lou Cahill Award.

“In a career that spanned more than 75 years, Lou was fully active and working in the OEB Enterprise Niagara office five days a week until he was 91. He truly was the Dean of Public Relations in Canada and he will be sadly missed,” Armstrong said.

The family has requested that donations be made to the Lou Cahill Scholarship in Communications. The scholarship was established in 2006 by OEB Enterprise through the Communications and Public Relations Foundation, which is the charitable foundation of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS). It is awarded annually to a student graduating from Brock University's Communications program who has demonstrated commitment to academic excellence, community involvement and charitable activities - qualities that were so important to Mr. Cahill throughout his life.

Photo Courtesy of Denis Cahill

Read the Lou Cahill Fact Sheet

For more information contact:
Chris Dabrowski, OEB Enterprise
(905) 682-7203 or cdabrowski@oebenterprise.com

October 30, 2008
PR In Canada
Are you a public relations or communications professional in Canada and have something to share with the community?
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We’re looking for contributors to focus on areas such as:
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September 30, 2008
Diala Homaidan, Toronto, Ontario, is the winner of the second Torchia Scholarship in Public Relations Relations/Communications, awarded by the Communications + Public Relations Foundation. The $1,500 Scholarship was established to recognize a student who best exemplifies the spirit and practice of bilingualism in the Canadian communications and public relations profession. (read more)
The Torchia Scholarship is awarded to a communications student who has chosen to study public relations/communications in one of Canada’s two official languages that is not his/her first language or mother tongue, and who is entering the second year of study in a Canadian university degree program or multi-year certificate or diploma program that meets recognized standards of education.The deadline for applications to the Scholarship competition each year is April 1. The 2009 information package will be sent out in December 2008. For more information contact: Barbara Sheffield, Chair, Communications and Public Relations Foundation, phone 416 242-6146 or e-mail foundation@prmediaconnection.com.)
 
Rebecca Skinner is 2008 Lou Cahill Scholarship Winner
 
Nominees standing for election to the National Board of Directors
 
Winning HR Practices of the Best Employers in Canada, April 22-23, Toronto
 
5th World Public Relations Conference & Festival 2008 "The Public Benefit of Public Relations", June 23-24, London, England

Tune In To Our 2008/9 WebN’R Series

This fall, CPRS National is meeting technology head-on, launching a five-part WebN’R Series, highlighting six outstanding, award-winning public relations campaigns from among the 2008 CPRS NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE submissions.

“For years, we have been applauding the winning submissions of the Awards of Excellence,” stated CPRS President, Derrick Pieters APR, FCPRS. “Although important to acknowledge, we believe we can bring added value to our membership by having a number of practitioners actually discuss the planning and implementation of the projects their submissions were based upon. If the strategies and execution of each project is shared, it can only benefit the profession by injecting new ideas into the fold.”

Presenters will outline how they utilized the RACE Formula (Research, Analysis, Communication and Evaluation) as they developed and set their public relations programs and projects in motion; the positive and negative results encountered; and the reactions from their respective audiences.

Some of these ideas are so unique and creative -- informative learning tools -- that they may act as prototypes for CPRS members when they consider developing programs for their own companies and organizations.

The WebN’Rs will take place monthly, on five selected Thursdays, 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time. Viewers should schedule 90 minutes per session (60 minute presentation; 30 minutes Q & A). The December WebN’R may run longer, considering there will be two presenters. (Read more)

It's our Diamond Jubilee!

It's our Diamond Jubilee! This year, 2008, CPRS will mark its 60th anniversary. It is a time to reflect on our history and celebrate our accomplishments, as well as an advantageous opportunity to elevate the status of the public relations profession. (Read more)

CPRS National Sponsors

The Canadian Public Relations Society gratefully acknowledges the sponsorship support provided by these partner organizations. To find out more about the CPRS sponsorship program: (Read more)

July, 17 2008
The July Communique is now available.
June 13, 2008
Joel Levesque APR, FCPRS, was awarded the prestigious Shield of Public Service Award by the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) on June 10th.
"The Shield of Public Service is presented to an accredited member of the Society for distinguished and dedicated service in the public interest. Awarded to a CPRS member whose personal effort on behalf of a public service endeavour and entirely apart from the contribution required by client or employer, demonstrated unselfish, outstanding and persistent dedication to the cause or movement, said Karen Dalton APR, Executive Director of CPRS. read more
Joel Levesque APR, FCPRS receiving award from CPRS President Derrick Pieters APR, FCPRS
April 22, 2008
FPinfomart.ca Executive Product Briefing, April 29- May 7, 2008
Coming to Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa
Please join us for an insightful, complimentary session to learn more about how you and your organization can take advantage of FPinfomart's enhanced products and services. The session is complimentary and will include a contest and free rolling laptop bag just for attending! Registration is now open!
April 21, 2008
Four (4) CPRS National Members have been nominated to fill three (3) Director positions on the National Board effective June 8, 2008. An election to choose the three Directors will be conducted at the CPRS Annual General Meeting (AGM) being held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (read more)
April 19, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Tilley, APR, FCPRS(H), Ontario government relations officer for The Salvation Army, was honoured recently with a retirement celebration in the presence of the Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. (read more)
April 14, 2008
Applications are now available for the 2009 Canada's Top 100 Employers project. Now in its 9th year, the annual competition recognizes the companies and organizations across Canada that lead their industries in providing exceptional places to work.
April 4, 2008
The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management's March 2008 newsletter is now available.
March 24, 2008
The March Communique is now available.
March 19, 2008
Registration has opened for the IPRA Summit 2008, the annual global forum for senior public relations directors, taking place in London on Monday 9 June - Tuesday 10 June.
February 19, 2008
The PROFIT 100 opportunity. Here's a solid chance to serve your clients and show your support for small and medium-sized business: the PROFIT 100. The PROFIT 100, now in its 20th year, is the definitive ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies. Its alumni include some of the biggest names in Canadian business, such as Research in Motion, Sleeman Breweries and WestJet Airlines. PROFIT 100 companies enjoy many great benefits, including coverage in the June 2008 issue of PROFIT Magazine and online at PROFITguide.com. PROFIT 100 leaders also receive an invitation to the PROFIT 100 CEO Summit, Canada’s most exclusive and rewarding conference for business achievers. What’s more, a PROFIT 100 ranking can inspire staff, attract new clients and investors, and spark relationships with other dynamic companies. If you have clients who have at least doubled their annual revenue over the past five years, please let them know about the PROFIT 100, or nominate them directly!
February 8, 2008
CPRS and the CPRS National Conference in Halifax are on Facebook!
February 4, 2008
Asper & Jasper recognized for communication excellence. Gail Asper and Kim Jasper have been named Manitoba’s Communicators of the Year for their work promoting The Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
January 29, 2008
The January Communique is now available.
January 24, 2008
CPRS and the National Council on Accreditation are pleased to announce that 17 public relations professionals across Canada have become accredited Members of the Society in 2007.
January 21, 2008
The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communications Management's January 2008 newsletter is now available.