From the Grand Master

Brethren,

By staying home our province has flattened the curve and probably gotten through the first wave of COVID-19. But the virus is not gone. We must continue to be wary of the 3 Cs: closed spaces, crowded places and close contact. Re-opening too early in other places around the world has led to a resurgence of infections. Waiting to see the impact the opening of schools in September would seem to be wise. With the incubation period of this virus, we won’t be able to assess that impact until it’s almost October.

Some jurisdictions are going ahead and hoping nobody dies. Others, like Scotland, have simply called off meetings until January 2021 at the very earliest. Taking into account the conditions in our province and our neighbours, and our underlying philosophy of thinking of the health and safety of our brethren first, we will take a balanced approach.

The cancellation of all Masonic meetings and events in the Province has now been extended until AT LEAST October 31, 2020. We will continue to monitor and adjust as the situation evolves.

So, it is suggested that, while waiting to be able to re-open, lodges have virtual education sessions on their regular lodge night, followed by a social chat on-line. Grand Lodge will be setting up GoToMeeting accounts for each district. Your DDGM can then set up a schedule for each lodge to use it in turn. It makes the most sense to have it on your regular meeting night. In the few cases where two lodges in the district meet on the same night, they will have to negotiate an alternative. Or perhaps they could both meet together – an opportunity rarely experienced in former times! The COO will be sending the details to your DDGMs.

Stay healthy and remain concerned about the health of those around you.

David J. Cameron
Grand Master