3 minute read
About The Society
I was fortunate to meet up with Dr. Rob Gordon of SFU and “ran” an idea past him regarding how to improve education for Rob Gordon BC Notaries. Not to my surprise, his eyes lit up and he said, “I think you are on to something.”
Putting the MA ALS program together was probably one of the most challenging roads I have ever travelled. We were persistent, however; some 4 years later, the Master of Arts in Applied Legal Studies program became a reality at SFU. Getting to know Dr. Rob over these past 14 years has been an adventure! He is an engaging and most interesting man. He continues to surprise me with his wit, his knowledge of so many subjects, and his belief in the Profession of BC Notaries Public. Rob’s desire to serve the people of British Columbia is remarkable!
I have had the opportunity to work with so many great people. It is always dangerous when you start singling out certain people. Lorne Mann deserves special recognition, however. Lorne is quite an unassuming person. Most people don’t know he has a very significant BC Notary practice in the small Lorne Mann I town of Creston. was always stuck by Lorne’s expertise and knowledge and approached him to run for the Board of Directors because our Board really needed the input of a rural member. He agreed and has brought that expertise to the Board.
Lorne is a man of few words but, when he speaks on a subject, everyone always listens because he is aware of what works for our members who practise outside of the Lower Mainland and the perceptions and needs of the public. Lorne and I were always going to retire together in Creston. We were going to buy a farm together . . . Lorne was to manage the fishing-tour guide operation and I was to manage the cattle and winemaking operation.
It was fun looking forward to it, even though it won’t happen now.
There seems to be a desire among people today to investigate our personal past . . . to learn our lineage . . . who our relatives were and where they lived. Internet services abound with promises of finding longlost relatives, our heritage, and our beginnings through our DNA. I think those interests have always been there but with the advances in science, we are far more aware and able to discover our past than ever before.
The documents BC Notaries prepare for clients also live on and, in a lot of cases, will be around forever. I can imagine a person finding a longlost relative 100 years from now by looking at the Will a BC Notary prepared and discovering the names of relatives in that Will . . . or someone finding the title to a property the ancestor owned and that information being used to start the search for a new arm of the family.
John Mayr
Mendes
BC Notaries are well aware of the fact that our work is permanent; we create important legal records for the people we serve.
I wish John Mayr and Jacqui Mendes, our new Executive Director and CEO, all the best as they continue to advance our essential profession. May it last forever! Jacqui
Farewell . . . s
About The Society
The Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia represents more than 365 highly trained Notary professionals.
Most Notaries have locally owned and operated offices and all provide personal assistance to clients around the province. Individuals, families, and businesses seek the services of BC Notaries for a wide range of noncontentious legal matters, including • residential and commercial real estate transfers, • mortgage refinancing, • Wills and advanced health care planning,
Powers of Attorney, and other important documents. For the full list of services, please see page 35. The Notary’s Tradition of Trust spans 2000 years. Notaries first came to British Columbia over 100 years ago and continue to serve their valued clients and their communities across the province. For more information or to find a Notary near you, please visit www. notaries.bc.ca. G. W. Wayne Braid, who has held the position of Chief Executive Officer and Secretary with The Society since 2001, officially retired from his existing role effective September 30. He will lead the BC Notaries’ new insurance program and continue working with The Notary Foundation of British Columbia, which provides grants to other BC organizations for legal education, research, and law libraries. s
