ASQ Software Division Region 4 Report for 4Q2007
by Chris FitzGibbon

This column provides members with information on relevant association meetings, conferences and other events in Canada. Be sure to visit the Software Division website for updated information: http://www.asq.org/software/. If you have information that you would like to share with fellow ASQ Software Division members, or you would like to get involved with the Division, contact me at chris@orioncanada.com or (613) 563-9000.

National
There is a great opportunity to grow the ASQ Software Division membership in Canada. For only $US29, your colleagues can share the many benefits (http://www.asq.org/software/benefits.html) and strengthen the Canadian presence in the Division. Please pass on this great opportunity to any software practitioners you know.

Western Canada
The meetings of the Software Quality Assurance Vancouver User Group (VanQ) are held at the Burnaby campus of the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). The complete schedule of events is available from their website: www.vanq.org.

The Calgary-based IEEE/ASQ Discussion Group for Software Quality posts the schedule, registration information, meeting location and upcoming topics on its website (www.software-quality.ab.ca).

Eastern Canada
The Toronto Association of Systems and Software Quality (TASSQ) has dinner meetings during the last Tuesday of each month, typically at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. The TASSQ was established in 1993 as an organization for Quality Assurance professionals. It is comprised of members with an interest in software quality, whether they work for a large corporation, a small software house, or whether they are independent consultants. Additional information on upcoming events is available on their website: www.tassq.org.

The Toronto Software Process Improvement Network (SPIN) has resumed and posts information on its website (www.torontospin.com).

The Montreal Software Process Improvement Network (SPIN) also has meeting information and some French language software quality content on its website: http://www.spin-montreal.org/.

The Ottawa Software Quality Association (OSQA) has been absorbed by the Ottawa SPIN. Monthly meetings are typically held at the Travelodge Hotel & Convention Centre in Ottawa. Additional information is available on the Ottawa SPIN website: www.spin.org.

The Information Systems Audit and Control Association’s (ISACA) Ottawa Valley Chapter has a schedule of upcoming events on their website: www.isaca-ottawa.ca.