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www.celtic-connection.com
MAY 2013
Initiative to boost business links between Scotland and Canada
DINBURGH - Business links between Scotland and the land that now comprises British Columbia can be traced back to the establishment of trading posts by Scots like Simon Fraser and Alexander Mackenzie who worked for the North West Company and Hudson Bay Company respectively.
Since the organisation of the province, countless Scots have come to B.C. to work in businesses of all descriptions or to establish one of their own. For instance, Vancouver's first mayor, Tyree-born Malcolm MacLean, was a charter signatory of Vancouver's first Real Estate Board.
The man he defeated in the mayoral election, Richard Alexander from Edinburgh, was the manager of the Hastings Sawmill and, later, president of the Vancouver Board of Trade.
Now thanks to an initiative by Scottish Development International's (SDI) 'Team Scotland in Canada', business links between British Columbia are about to be revitalised.
SDI in Canada has supported the establishment of the Scottish Canadian Business Association of British Columbia. ScotCanBC is the brand name of the association which is a non-profit network of professionals and entrepreneurs.
Its mission is to develop and nurture business relationships between Scotland and British Columbia and encourage economic growth and a culture of en-trepreneurship in both places.
Raymond McGovern, senior vice president of Scottish Development International and leader of 'Team Scotland in Canada', recognizes both the historical and contemporary contexts of the new association.
From his office in Toronto, he told me, "The launch of the Scottish Canadian Business Association of British Columbia is just further reinforcement of the
strengthening of economic ties between British Columbia, Canada and Scotland.
"Much has been written and spoken of the historical and cultural ties that unite Canada and Scotland but this initiative and similar ones in Alberta and Ontario, really show an appetite to build on such ties but with a real focus on economic growth.
"Scottish Development International is delighted to have played its part in shaping the association and certainly looks forward to providing as much support as possible going forward."
One of the founding directors of ScotCanBC is Darren Hutchison.
Hutchison spent a year in Vancouver in 2006 and in 2010 he migrated from his home in Leith to become a permanent resident of the city.
When he arrived in Vancouver the second time, he moved into the 'e-com-merce' space and, earlier this year, started Hutch&Co, a consultancy specializing in copy writing and public relations services.
Hutchison is unabashedly enthusiastic about the Scottish Canadian Business Association of British Columbia, saying, '"The launch of ScotCanBC and my involvement with the group could not have come at a better time.
"I've been able to tap into a rich resource of expertise and experience to get advice and to open doors to new opportunities to grow my own business.
"I've also been able to bring my communication and project management skills and connections to the table to make sure we develop a group that of-
fers real value to those involved.
"The group has also simply enabled me to meet a diverse group of people from a variety of backgrounds who have gone through the same experience moving to Canada, which as an immigrant is extremely helpful."
Hutchison is one of a new breed of young Scottish immigrants to Canada, well-versed in what is happening on both sides of the Atlantic and well-practiced in social media and its transformational effect on the relationship between Scotland and its diaspora.
He sees ScotCanBC as reflecting an ' evolution in Scotland over the past 15 years. In particular it mirrors the country's recognition of and re-engagement with its global diaspora of some 40 million people.
ScotCanBC's part in this 'evolution' is to connect with a business focused segment of the British Columbia Scottish diaspora.
From there, the wider aims of the association, according to Hutchison, include providing Scots-Canadians in the province with a contemporary forum in which to link with the Canada wide community and to 'act as a relevant professional network for Scots, Scots-Canadians, and other Canadians who want to meet new people and learn about business opportunities in Scotland, B.C., Europe and North America'.
It is early days for the Scottish Canadian Business Association of British Columbia but it already includes members from the financial, legal, accounting, small business, education, e-commerce and other sectors.
WANTED
1>\ the I'Oil Fraser (Vancouver) Garrison
Tfie 78tfi '/ raser J/icjftCat/ders
Officers and Ladies - to enjoy the camaraderie, traditions and history of the Officers' Mess, who may also wish to become____
Guardsmen - learn the drill and wear the uniform of the only iCilted soldiers at the Rattles of the Plains of Abraham.
Drummers - play the 1 8th century side drum. Historically inrportant as a signahxian as well as a key musician in the Pipes &
Drums. Pipers
the old tunes for pleasure in a non-competing contingent.
visit our website: www, fortfrasersarrison.com
Join in our charitable youth support work.
DARREN Hutchison one of the founding directors of ScotCanBC based in Vancouver, B.C.
Hutchison says that the existing members come from a variety of backgrounds and join ScotCanBC for many reasons. He said, "Most of us have an affinity to Scotland and want to raise the profile of Scotland and the Scottish Canadian community.
"We want to strengthen Scotland's deep-rooted ties to Canada and make a positive impact on business growth in both countries. Some of us have no con-
RAYMOND McGovern, leader of Team Scotland in Canada' for Scottish Development International.
nection to Scotland and have joined the group to expand our professional network or to learn about opportunities to export to or grow our business in the European market."
If you would like to learn more about this exciting development in the business relationship between Scotland and British Columbia, e-mail WeCan@ScotCanBC.org or visit www.ScotCanBC.org.
National Library of Scotland to hire 'Wikipedian'
EDINBURGH - Its vast collections include everything from centuries-old historical documents, manuscripts and maps to modern-day newspapers, magazines and films.
Now the National Library of Scotland is to attempt to open up access to its archives, which contain 15 million artifacts, with the help of the vast online Encyclopedia Wikipedia.
Scotland's largest library, which is also one of the major research libraries in Europe, has become the first institution in the country to join forces with the site's founders, Wikimedia, to create a "Wikipedian in residence."
He or she will be expected to lead efforts to see more of the Edinburgh-based organisation's collections and expert knowledge featured on the site, which has about 470 million users a month.
It is hoped the Wikipedian will help staff, regular researchers and members of the public using the library's facilities to add their own content to the online encyclopedia, which was launched 12 years ago.
A key aim of the venture, which is being run as a pilot proj ect for four months, is improving understanding and knowledge of Scotland's history.
Wikimedia held talks with NLS chiefs about a joint venture after the British Library recruited its first "Wikipedian in residence" last year.
It is thought the partnership could eventually extend to the other national collections, including National Museums Scotland, the National Galleries of Scotland, the National Records of Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.
The NLS archives alone include about 100,000 manuscripts, nearly two million maps, more than 32,000 films and 25,000 newspaper and magazine titles.
It can call on specialist expertise in digital material, rare books, manuscripts, maps, music, business information, and science and technology.
Digitised versions of some of the most iconic items in the NLS archives could soon appear on Wikipedia, including the last known letter of Mary Queen of Scots, the official order for the Glen-coe Massacre and handwritten poems by Robert Burns.
Gill Hamilton, digital access manager at the National Library of Scotland, said: "This partnership with Wikimedia is a wonderful way for people around the world to learn about the history and culture of Scotland by accessing information from our amazing collections.
"This combines the richness of our archives with the power of the Internet to let many more people learn about the story of Scotland.
"Unfortunately, not everyone can visit the Library in Edinburgh to see these and many other historic items so this is a way of making them available to a much wider audience."