A survey of our membership in the last issue of the newsletter focused on our members in the United States. This time around, we’ll share some information about our neighbors to the north. Currently, the LGVMA has nine members in Canada, concentrated in the two main urban centers of Toronto (Church Street) and Vancouver (The West End), as well as a sprinkling in the rural communities surrounding the three Canadian veterinary schools — Guelph , Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan. Our lack of members in Montreal could be due to a language or cultural barrier. When we compare the United States, Australia and Canada, we find the approximate membership numbers of 250, 50, 9 respectively. Since Canada and Australia have similar populations, it is obvious that Canadian veterinarians are under-represented thus far…..but we are always open to ideas for correcting that situation.
For several years now, the LGVMA has been sending newsletters to the Canadian libraries and deans on a regular basis. We have recruited members by word-of-mouth, veterinary conference receptions in the US and most recently, placement of an ad in the Canadian Journal of Veterinary Medicine. So far, veterinarians in Guelph and Toronto have shown interest in organizing social events. Contact Markus Luckwaldt for information at mluck@interlog.com. Keep checking the website and future issues of Good News! for more information.
In addition, Canadians are especially invited to join the LGVMA for our 6th annual meeting in New Orleans. You can attend the LGVMA meetings over the weekend and then stay to attend the AVMA meeting as well. If any LGVMA member is going to the annual conference of the Canadian VMA, please consider organizing a group dinner and spreading the word. Don’t forget…….the LGVMA was always intended to be an organization of North American veterinarians, not just United States veterinarians.