Saturday, November 2, 1996 12:30 - 1:45 p.m. Max Bell Auditorium

Climbers and business people alike refer to risk as something that has to be managed. Climbing is largely about assessing and managing of risk and in the case of adventure, there are a number of players who share the risks; the adventurers themselves, the adventure travel company, the guide, the rope manufacturer, the helicopter pilot, even the national park or the private land where the adventure takes place. When great risks are taken and managed successfully, everyone wins. The adventurer has a wonderful experience, the company has another success story, the manufacturer's products performed well. But if something goes wrong, and there is injury or death, there is a mad scramble to establish fault, blame, responsibility, or payment.

The seminar "Whose Risk Is It?" brought together a diverse group of people who represent a range of experiences in this game of risk; from those who are selling to those who are buying, and from those who are suing to those who are rescuing.

Panelists included: David Beggs, President of Yamnuska Mountain School; Claire Israelson, Public Safety Specialist for Parks Canada; Geoff Powter, a psychologist with a passion for risk activities; Marty von Neudegg, marketing director and legal counsel for Canadian Mountain Holidays; Richard Bangs of Microsoft adventure magazine; and Jim Miles, a lawyer who has successfully litigated against adventure companies in favor of clients who have experienced accidents.