The Speakers: Hon. Pat Bell, Don Demens, Mark Kennedy

While turnout for the NAWLA Regional in Vancouver has grown in recent years (the last two years were sold out), the biggest crowds are normally reserved for long after the meeting has ended, at the evening social. What we witnessed at yesterday’s meeting was dramatically different than any year in recent memory. The 3:30 p.m. start of the meeting was delayed to almost 4:00 p.m. while a long line, snaking through the elegant halls of The Vancouver Club, patiently waited for the chance to get in. Perhaps a sign of trader optimism and healthier markets – and all-star speakers – it was standing room only in the packed UBC Room. Stay tuned for a full report on three excellent speeches: The Honourable Pat Bell (B.C. Minister of Jobs, Tourism, and Innovation), Don Demens (President, Western Forest Products), and Mark Kennedy (CIBC Forestry Analyst).