OTTAWA – Swimming Canada is pleased to announce it has signed an official Memorandum of Understanding with Masters Swimming Canada.

MSC President Carol Fitzwilliam and Executive Director Doug Hannum, as well as Swimming Canada President Cheryl Gibson and CEO Ahmed El-Awadi, have signed the MOU. It is effective immediately through Aug. 31, 2018, and may be renewed or expanded upon as the organizations seek to work together more efficiently.

Guiding principles include mutual trust and respect; good communication and open dialogue; and seeking of opportunities to share services. The organizations will work together to promote masters swimming, focus on the needs of masters swimming, and are also working towards an agreed-upon dispute resolution process.

“This is the first agreement of its kind between the two organizations and has been several years in the making,” El-Awadi said. “We have many similar goals, but also specific unique needs. Ultimately it’s about working together to support swimming in Canada from the development stages all the way up to our masters participants.”

“We are pleased to have the agreement finalized. This represents a tremendous opportunity for both organizations to work together to increase the participation of masters swimmers across the country,” Hannum said. “We look forward to working together on combined initiatives in rapid fashion.”

Swimming Canada supports masters swimming in numerous ways, from registration to coach and officials training and certification, to sanctioning, insuring and assisting with events. Swimming Canada is also the liaison with Aquatics Canada, FINA, and various levels of government.

The MOU acknowledges that each organization “is integral to the operation of masters swimming in Canada as they work together.”

Effects of the MOU will be seen in tangible ways such as increased sharing of communications, regular formal interaction between senior staff, and presence at each other’s events including Annual General Meetings.

“This milestone is an important first step to expanding our relationships,” El-Awadi said. “Now that we have formalized the relationship between the organizations we can continue to improve how we work together.”