Peter Halliday Award for Service

This award recognizes CDA members for their valued contributions and outstanding commitment to the advancement of the Association. The award is offered annually to one or more members of CDA and honours the memory of Peter Halliday, P.Eng.

Meet, Bob Patrick, 2023 recipient:

Bob Patrick, P.Eng
After receiving his MSc (Geotechnical) from Newcastle University, Bob spent 43 years as a consulting engineer. This work started in Calgary, then continued in Vancouver, Nipawin, Regina, and Auckland. His ‘final’ move, in 1991, was to join EBA Engineering Consultants (later Tetra Tech Canada) in Nanaimo, where he worked until 2022.

Most of Bob’s work involved the investigation, design, construction, and performance monitoring for new earthfill dams or the remedial works on existing dams.This experience led to Dam Safety Reviews and eventually to being a member of Dam Safety Review Boards.

Involvement with CDA started with membership in the mid-1980’s and attendance at several annual conferences. In 2014 Bob was elected as BC Director and then in 2016 as Vice President, which led to a year as President and another as Past President. During his time on council he took part in various committees. His most lasting accomplishments include initiating and chairing the Membership Committee and updating the Vision and Mission statements.

Meet, Caius Priscu, 2023 recipient:

Dr. Caius Priscu, P.Eng, is Co-Founder and Principal Geotechnical Engineer with Priscu and Associates Consulting Engineers Inc., based in West Vancouver, BC, Canada. He has over 30 years of experience in the mining and water resources industries across the world, specializing in mine waste management, dam safety and portfolio risk management for tailings and water retaining dams, corporate Governance, standards, and policies. Dr. Priscu has participated in projects and in Independent Tailings Review Boards (ITRBs) for operations located in Canada, US, Australia, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Ghana, Slovenia, Spain, Mongolia, Philippines, and Romania. He holds an M.Sc degree in Hydraulic Structures from the Civil Engineering Institute of Bucharest, Romania, an M.Eng in Civil (Geotechnical) Engineering and a Ph.D in Mining Engineering, both from McGill University in Montreal, QC. In 2022, he was accepted to become an Honorary Member of the Technical Sciences Academy of Romania.

Over his entire career, Caius has been a tireless and passionate volunteer and true supporter of many technical not-for-profit organizations, including the Canadian Dam Association (CDA), MAC Tailings Working Group, CIM, CGS, and the SME Tailings Working Group. He is a past member of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) tailings working group (TWG) and its working subcommittees, participating in the development of the ICMM Tailings Management Good Practice Guide (2021), and the ICMM Conformance Protocols for GISTM Implementation (2021).

Within the CDA, he was the Technical Chair of the 2008 CDA Annual Conference held in Winnipeg, MB; CDA Director for Manitoba (2008 to 2011), member of the CDA Scholarships Review Panel (2008 to 2011) and Chair of the same from 2019 to date. He has also been Chair of the Honours and Awards Committee of the CDA from 2019 to 2021.

When not volunteering for CDA, Caius has supported wholeheartedly and represented the Chilean National Committee on Large Dams (ICOLD Chile) from 2014 to 2020 as past Committee H Dam Safety representative for Chile (where he used to live), and contributed to the development of ICOLD Bulletins 175, 189, and 197. He is an Honorary Member of the Romanian National Committee on Large Dams (ROCOLD), currently representing Romania on Committee L Tailings Dams and Waste Lagoons.

Dr. Priscu is also an Adjunct Professor with the Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering at the University of British Columbia, where since January 2021, he enjoys mentoring students, sharing knowledge, and teaching Mine Waste Management courses.

The previous recipients are: 

  • 2004 - Clare Raska
  • 2004 - El-sayed Ismail
  • 2005 - Marion Houston
  • 2005 - Joe Groeneveld
  • 2006 - Yousef Hammamji  
  • 2006 - Mona Bechai
  • 2007 - Tony Chislett
  • 2007 - Will Jolley
  • 2008 - Perry Mitchelmore
  • 2009 - Andy Zielinski
  • 2010 - Johanne Bibeau
  • 2011 - W.G. (Bill) Duncan
  • 2011 - Alan Boom
  • 2012 - Garth Haack
  • 2012 - Bob Barnes
  • 2013 - Michel Dolbec
  • 2014 - Andy Small
  • 2015 - Allan Kirkham
  • 2016 - Gilles Bourgeois
  • 2017 - Tony Bennett
  • 2018 - Terry Oswell
  • 2019 - Richard Gervais
  • 2020 - Bill Chin
  • 2021 - Anthony Rattue
  • 2022 - Chad LePoudre

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter Halliday Award - Nomination Form

Who was Peter Halliday, P.Eng?

Peter completed his engineering degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador in 1980 and started his career at Newfoundland Power. As a longtime employee of Newfoundland Power, Peter was a person who could be relied upon to get the job done, no matter how great the task. He thoroughly enjoyed the work and cherished the company and people that he worked with. Peter’s ability to work with people, while displaying professionalism at all times was indeed a talent that was recognized by all whom he came in contact with. Peter was the true essence of a volunteer. Whether the need was national, provincial, municipal or neighborhood, he was quick to step forward. He had the ability to attract and coerce others into organizations he was involved with. Peter was a founding member of his city’s Sports Alliance, which raises funds so thousands of kids can participate in amateur sport. He also served as it’s President for a term. He spent countless weekends and evenings working for “Habitat for Humanity”. He didn’t volunteer because he had to, he did it because he loved to. He not only brought himself along but was able to attract many others with his enthusiastic and colorful demeanor.

As a Professional Engineer, Peter served at the executive level of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland. He also served on a number of committees within the association. Peter’s introduction to the National Dam Safety community started in 1991 when it was suggested that he might be a good fellow to get involved in the local organizing committee for the upcoming Canadian Dam Safety Association (CDSA) Conference to be held in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Peter brought enthusiasm, experience, great ideas and of course, his incredible sense of humor to the organizing committee. The committee and conference were simply the first steps for Peter in the CDSA as he quickly became involved in the Dam Safety Guidelines and later joined the Executive. At that time there were two national dam organizations, the CDSA and Canadian Commission on Large Dams (CANCOLD). Many saw the need for amalgamation and under the leadership of the Presidents of both organizations, it was decided to attempt to find common ground. Peter stepped forward and was instrumental in, not only forging the “terms of union” but also in writing the original bylaws for what we all know today as CDA. It seemed to be a natural progression that he become later the President of CDA, a position he held with distinction in late 1990’s. Peter was serving as Past President of CDA at the time of his passing in 2001.

Peter was someone who always came forward and someone from whom you could seek advice and be assured that he would point you in the right direction. His ability to put things in perspective came naturally. He had a way of bringing out the best in people and his enthusiasm and work ethic were an inspiration to all who had the pleasure of meeting him. Peter’s lasting memory will be that of a true mentor and dedicated volunteer to both the community, and to the CDA.

 

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