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This year's conference theme, "occupation on the edge," makes me think about our national professional association, the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT), being on the edge of a new round of strategic planning, starting this fall, and on the edge of celebrating 100 years in 2026. We are fortunate, as an association, to know our "big picture" vision, which has remained largely unchanged for years: to ensure that occupational therapy is accessible and valued across Canada. We continue to make progress toward that vision, yet we still have a long way to go. I want to celebrate our success in 2026. What does that success look like, and what is needed to achieve it?
I believe the answer is focus: on our big picture vision, on aligning with society's priorities as identified through government, and on creating the measures that prove our success is irrefutable.
I have asked for and received plentiful submissions for the Great Ideas Portfolio, for which I am grateful. I have also been struck by how practice-specific the majority of suggestions are. We, as occupational therapists, seem immersed in our dayto-day worlds, and while this is likely due to the realities of our employment, we perhaps haven't stepped back often enough to look at that bigger picture-how our profession is seen by the public and those in government and health care, the people who set priorities and fund them, who can help us progress on our vision of accessibility and value for Canadians.
The submitted "great ideas" are all over the map, which is understandable-occupational therapy is complex. We have a broad scope of practice, which is perhaps our greatest advantage and our largest drawback. How do we determine a path forward?
As an association serving the profession and its advancement, CAOT needs to chart a course that is relevant, progressive, and viable. But we simply can't be all things to all people.
We must focus...