CPA Congress in Vancouver 1985

In 1985, Vancouver was a bustling city and excitement filled the air.

The SkyTrain originating from Downtown Vancouver and providing panoramic views of the metropolitan area, the Expo Centre (now Science World) and a $32 million upgrade and modification to the Vancouver International Airport were all being built in preparation for Expo 86, the World Exposition on Transportation and Communication. The world would soon be coming to our doorstep.

The 1985 CPA Congress “At the Helm” was held in Vancouver, B.C. from June 11 th to 15 th at the Vancouver Hotel, with the Opening Reception being held at the newly expanded Vancouver Art Gallery and a fun welcome gathering at the Vancouver Aquarium. Sheila Benwell-Veuger was the Chairman (Chairperson) of the 1985 Annual Congress committee; 471 registrants attended and there were 61 exhibitors. Many of the participants toured “Super, Natural BC” before and after the Congress.

Here is an extract from “Currents and Tides” a speech given to the “Town and Gown” segment of the 1985 CPA Congress by Dorothy Glover, Director of Physiotherapy at Burnaby General Hospital (now Burnaby Hospital) representing the B.C. DOPS (the Leadership Division of CPA). 

Excerpt: The Foreign-Trained program “It is no secret that the B.C. Directors of Physiotherapy were unhappy with CPA’s “September 82” resolution requiring examinations and clinical residencies for all foreign-trained physiotherapists. There has always been a shortage of physiotherapists in B.C. particularly away from the Vancouver area and this new program has made it worse as it has drastically reduced our supply of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth physiotherapists. Up until now, the B.C. licensing association is still using “eligibility for CPA membership” as the criterion for a licence, but with the continuing manpower problem the association and the government are taking a serious look at the matter.”

The Pre and Post Congress courses included a Quality Assurance Course given by Gaye Fick, CPA President, and the CPA Board of Directors discussed the Workload Measurement System for Physiotherapy, previously known as the Schedule of Unit Values. Three new CPA Divisions were confirmed at the AGM of the CPA, Private Practice, Gerontology and Respiratory.