By attaching itself to relevant political issues, CANASA can also raise its profile in the public eye and further establish itself as a security authority, said Budden. He acknowledged that CANASA has already done valuable work in reaching out to the public by placing supplements in national newspapers.

“I believe there will some media outreach to help share the message that there is value in dealing with a CANASA member. More importantly, it’s up to the CANASA members in every chapter across the country to be there, to be at the table, to be at the discussion. As a result of that, I think there will be great opportunities to address legislation in either a private or a public format,” he said.

CANASA should also be working to raise its profile within the industry it serves, said Budden. The CANASA name and logo should ideally be present when a security deal is closed or transaction processed. “Every time we touch a customer or a potential customer out in the field and the CANASA name is mentioned, I believe it adds credibility and further strengthens the organization,” he said.

Budden also said he would like to see CANASA membership grow and to ensure that the organization is serving its members by providing educational opportunities that are relevant and helpful. He acknowledged that CANASA member and past president Ivan Spector made some valid points when he called CANASA to action in a column published in the June/July 2011 edition of SP&T News. Spector criticized CANASA for losing ground to other security groups that were providing comprehensive education programs, saying “CANASA seems to be shying away from education as opposed to being a leader.”

“I think he makes the point very well,” said Budden. “As with any product in the industry, our product needs to appeal to the marketplace. We’ve got a very active education committee that’s working hard to get the feel of the industry. Another thing that we’ll want to do there is make it widely available.”

Budden said that the recent strides the CANASA executive has made in forming an education agenda have been effective, particularly the “education flashes” seen at the most recent Security Canada Central show. (The education flash sessions were held on the exhibit hall floor; they were shorter than seminars presented in past years and focused on practical knowledge.) Budden said CANASA could focus more on e-learning in the future and needs to provide “more of the general education-type initiatives. The glue that holds the various components and integration pieces together I think is an area that will probably be of some value to us, going forward — the simple things, like helping to drive improved craftsmanship and quality within the installer/technician. That can be of significant value.”

Budden also praised the executive for its recent efforts in fine-tuning the organization and establishing an effective administrative base. “We’ve invested a pile of effort into that over the last few years to the point that we’re really better positioned now than we’ve ever been to tackle some of the initiatives and strategic objectives.”