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Canadian Stratigraphy Commission - Progress report, October 1, 2009
By: Dr. Martin Head (Brock Univ), Chair
I am pleased to report again on progress. This updates my report of September 1, 2009. The
Commission (see Appendix 1) is filling slowly but surely, slowly because geologists are hard to track down during the summer months and many are busy at the start of the academic year.
I noted in my previous report that, as I see it, the stratigraphy Commission's overall purpose is to serve and represent the Canadian Earth Science Community’s (as represented in the CFES/FCST member organizations) interests in stratigraphy. One of our first challenges will be to construct a
(CFES/FCST authorized) geological time scale poster -- i.e. one featuring Canadian content as far as possible. This might include showing earlier stratigraphic schemes used in Canada alongside their currently accepted international equivalents. This would also involve reviewing the geological time scale itself to determine the preferred scheme from a Canadian perspective.
I expect a publication of some sort would accompany the chart. Future tasks of the Commission might well include the identification and selection of potential Canadian parastratotypes. By assimilating Stratigraphic expertise from around Canada, the stratigraphy Commission would serve as an authoritative advisory body to the CFES/FCST Board.
As mentioned earlier, it is my broad intention to include a representative for each geological period.
Michael Melchin (St. Francis Xavier) has agreed to be Vice-Chair of the Commission, as well as serve as representative for the Silurian. Mike already serves as Chair of the Silurian Subcommission of the
International Commission on Stratigraphy. Below is list of Commission members thus far. Once the
Commission is fully filled, we will construct a website (under the CFES/FCST site) with a brief biography of each member, and begin our work in earnest. The Commission is fortunate in having already an extremely strong representation of world leaders in Stratigraphy.
Canadian Stratigraphy Commission
Chair, Martin J. Head (Brock University)
Vice-Chair: Michael J. Melchin (St. Francis Xavier University)
Secretary/Webmaster: TBA
All correspondence to: Dr. Elisabeth Kosters, managing director CFES/FCST, 210 Main Street,
Wolfville NS, Canada B4P 1C4, ph 902-542-6125, ekosters_cfes@magma.ca

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Archean and Paleoproterozoic (TBA)
Mesoproterozoic (Rob Rainbird, GSC–Ottawa)
Neoproterozoic excluding Ediacaran (Rob Rainbird, GSC–Ottawa)
Ediacaran (Guy Narbonne, Queen's University)
Cambrian (Brian Pratt, University of Saskatchewan)
Ordovician (Godfrey Nowlan, GSC–Calgary)
Silurian (Mike Melchin, St. Francis Xavier University)
Devonian (Alan Pedder, GSC–Calgary [emeritus])
Carboniferous (TBA)
Permian (Charles Henderson, University of Calgary)
Triassic (Michael J. Orchard, GSC–Pacific)
Jurassic (Paul Smith, University of British Columbia)
Cretaceous (TBA)
Tertiary (Martin Head, Brock University)
Quaternary (John Clague, Simon Fraser University)
Classification (TBA)
Geochronology (TBA)
I am currently awaiting responses on most of the unfilled positions, and we may also include specific representation from the mining/petroleum industries (one representative for each). The concept of a Canadian stratigraphy commission has been very well received. No colleague has yet declined a place on this commission.
I welcome feedback from the CFES/FCST board.
Respectfully submitted,
Martin J. Head
Chair, Canadian Stratigraphy Commission
All correspondence to: Dr. Elisabeth Kosters, managing director CFES/FCST, 210 Main Street,
Wolfville NS, Canada B4P 1C4, ph 902-542-6125, ekosters_cfes@magma.ca

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APPENDIX
The name "Canadian Stratigraphy Commission" is proposed over the initial working name
"CFES Stratigraphic Committee" (which does not really do justice to a subject so central to geology), based on equivalent national/regional organizations elsewhere, including:
American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature
Argentine Commission on Stratigraphy
Australian Stratigraphy Commission
Austrian Stratigraphic Commission
National Commission of Stratigraphy of Belgium
Brazilian Geological Society Stratigraphy Commission
National Commission on the Stratigraphy of China
Czech Commission for Stratigraphy
Estonian Commission on Stratigraphy
Stratigraphic Commission of Finland
German Stratigraphic Commission
Italian Commission of Stratigraphy
Lithuanian Commission on Stratigraphy
The Geological Society of London (UK) Stratigraphy Commission
South African Commission on Stratigraphy
INQUA Commission on Stratigraphy and Chronology
International Commission on Stratigraphy, etc.
(the above based on a quick Google search)
All correspondence to: Dr. Elisabeth Kosters, managing director CFES/FCST, 210 Main Street,
Wolfville NS, Canada B4P 1C4, ph 902-542-6125, ekosters_cfes@magma.ca