An Unplanned Anniversary

Exactly one year ago, I was wrapping up teaching my Business Opportunities Analysis – MBA 7302 class in UNB’s Grand Hall overlooking beautiful King Square in Uptown Saint John. There was an air of uncertainty that evening as the world, Canada and New Brunswick were grappling with a growing global pandemic.

The impacts of COVID-19 arrived in full force that night, symbolized by a wet, dreary winter evening and a fire alarm going off, which required the subsequent evacuation of the building and disruption of the student venture simulation final presentations.  UNB also announced the move to virtual learning that same evening, which created an incremental level of anxiety for students, instructors, and the community at large. You could see uncertainty, and even fear, in the student faces that evening.

I had officially retired from the City of Saint John in February 2020 and had an ambitious vision of part-time teaching and interacting with UNB Saint John’s growing international MBA student population as well as joining the Atlantica Centre for Energy as their senior policy consultant, renewing my passion for the regions and Canada’s energy sector.

Beyond my core teaching and policy work, I established Roxham Advisory and Consulting Services, Inc. to support project work, and had plans to remain focused on a wide range of community volunteer and charitable activities, including a strong family commitment to the Greater Saint John YMCA.  Most importantly, I planned to spend a whole lot more time with my family and friends, travelling, and enjoying the outdoors and this beautiful part of the world that we proudly call home.  When the pandemic hit, all of this become increasingly uncertain – even my family’s safety and financial well-being was in question.

Well exactly one year later, fear and anxiety has been replaced by hope, and uncertainty has been replaced with pride.  Pride in the power of science and human ingenuity in developing safe and effective vaccines in less than one year.  Pride in our four Atlantic Provinces and their Chief Public Health Officers who continue to do an amazing job keeping us safe and charting a path through uncertainty, case surges and lockdowns.  So many people have stepped up over the last 12 months in response to the pandemic, from our health care workers and teachers, to our political leaders, first responders, businesses, entrepreneurs, and government employees.

Over the past year, I have also learned to adapt to new interactive, virtual communications technologies such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and GoToMeeting.  Using these technologies, I have actually expanded my network of personal and business contacts, both nationally and internationally, and stayed in touch with friends and family.  While a special trip to Denmark and Scandinavia to visit family and cruise the Baltic Sea was cancelled, our family enjoyed exploring New Brunswick in new and different ways and had three great mini “bubble” trips last summer to Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.  I also discovered the simplicity and incredible therapeutic value of walking (which will be the focus of a separate blog entry…).

I would like to finish off with a common reference I have heard over the past 12 months – be kind, be patient and be safe.  Also take a moment to reflect on the challenges being faced by our University and Community College students, many of whom come from across the country and around the world to study in Atlantic Canada or are attending classes virtually from home.  These incredibly talented young women and men represent our region’s future!