36 — Sunday, September 13, 1992 - North Shore News

Seaing into the future

ONE MIGHT find it
strange that Broc Bracon-
nier heads one of five major
marine training institutions
in Canada and the only one
west of Ontario.

By Surj Rattan
News Reporter -

After all, what does a prairie
doy know about the sea?

However, when looking over
Braconnier’s past, it is anythizg
but strange that this native of
Medicine Hat, Alta. should be the
chief executive officer and presi-
dent -of the North Vancouver-
based Pacific Marine Training In
_ stitute (PMTD. :

@ NAME: Broc Brecoanier

@: AGE: 56

@ OCCUPATION: Chief execu-

tive _ officer/principal of Pacific

Marine Training ‘ustitute.

@ RESIDENCE:

eouver. .-

@ BORN: Medicine Hat, Alta.

@ FAMILY: Wife Eileen, two

children. oo.

@ EBUCATION: Bachelor of
applied science degree in electrical

en rreering from the Unviersity of

He joined the Royal Canadian
Navy in 1954 as an ordinary
seaman and served on Canadian
warships on. both the east and
west coasts. :

In 1960, he was selected as an
officer candidate to attend the
University. of Alberta and, after
graduating with a bachelor of
applied science degree in. elec-
trical engineering, was promoted
to the rank of sub-lieutenant.

Braconnier then served as an
operations officer aboard the
HMCS Nipison and HMCS
Assiniboine.

After several other navy
’ postings, he assumed command of
‘the HMCS Annapolis before retir-
ing as a commander in 1981 to
take up the positions of vice-prin-
cipal and registrar at PMTI.-

Braconnier may have been born
on the Prairies, but the sea is in
his blood.

He says the maritime industry
attracts 2 lot of candidates from

the Prairies and from northern

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PACIFIC MARINE Training Institute boss Broc Braconnier heads the only marine training institute west of Ontezio.

“A lot of people don’t realize
there would be a fair number of
mariners inland, you’ve -got your
inland waterways, lakes and
transportation systems in the
Northwest Territories. .

“You have mariners who are
living in the Interior and working
up north, off shore or deep sea,’’
says Braconnier.

The purpose of PMT1 is to:

@ assist the marine industry in
maintaining effective and produc-
tive shipping operations by
enhancing the seafarer’s ability to
maintain a ship and operate it
safely and efficiently;

@ provide an opportunity for a
young person to take up a career
at sea by offering specialized
counselling, education and train-
ing;

@ prepare the seafarer to contend
with unforeseen emergencies at sea

by conducting practical training
exercises both in and out of the
water using standard shipboard
emergency equipment; and
© develop and offer programs in
the transportation and handling of
dangerous goods that will serve
not only B.C.’s long-range needs
but also those of western Canada.
While he admits that some sec-
tors of the maritime industry,
such as shipbuilding, may be ex-

periencing depressed conditions, -

raconnier says other sectors are
still going strong.

“You can look at other areas
where there is great activity, such
as the shipping figures for the
Port of Vancouver or the expan-
sion of the B.C. ferry fleet.

“PMTI must retain the capacity
to provide maritime training, but
most of all we must be prepared
to respond to potential future

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growth in other areas.

“Over the past few years I have
been attempting to guide the in-
Stitute into this new role, one of
adjusting to the training needs of
industry and the maritime com-
munity as a whole,”’ says Bracon-
nier.

PMTI opened its doors on the
North Vancouver waterfront in
1981. ,

While it is a post-secondary in-
stitution governed by the B.C.
Ministry of Advanced Education,
Training and Technology, it also
receives federal assistance. _

This year Transport Canada
announced that PMT! will receive
$3% million worth of additional
equipment. - .

Braconnier says that one of the
things that mekes PMTI such. a
successful institution is the quality
of people the provincial govern-
ment appoints to its board of
directors.

“‘As a marine institute, PMTI is
fortunate to have an excellent
cross-section of expertise on the
board of governors. ;

. ‘Traditionally, the minister of
advanced education, training and
technology has always appointed
members with marine
backgrounds or some association

-with marine-related activities.

“This permits the governors to
focus on our unique mandate and
to provide positive direction for
the institute,’’ says Braconnier.

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