The Canadian Owners and Pilots Association has tabled a planned vote to change its name to the Aviators Canada Association, at least temporarily. The vote was scheduled for the organization’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Vernon, British Columbia, on June 21, but a flood of opposition to the name change has reversed the agenda.
In a statement, the association said, “With the June 21 meeting now less than three weeks away and limited to just one hour, the Board has, after thoughtful consideration, decided to withdraw the motion from the agenda. It will not be brought forward for debate or vote at the meeting.”
But COPA’s leadership has not abandoned the idea of the name change. The strategy was promoted as a means of encouraging the participation of aviation enthusiasts beyond the pilot community, which has seen a troubling thinning of its ranks.
In its official statement, COPA wrote: “This decision is not the end of the conversation. It is a recognition that more time and dialogue are needed. The concerns that led to this proposal remain important, but we are committed to addressing them in a way that reflects COPA’s values and the voices of its members.” The full letter follows:
If the COPA board represents and respects the desire of it’s member community hopefully they will “wake up and smell the coffee” and abandon any similar moves going forward, that’s assuming there is a forward which most hope there will be.