RCAF Honorary Colonels Biographies
Honorary Colonel Andrew Abbott
Andrew Abbott spent 25 years in the investment business as an institutional equity trader. During his career, he spent time with Merrill Lynch and McNeil Mantha in Toronto, and in Calgary with Peters & Co, Newcrest Capital, and Acumen Capital. In 2002, Andrew helped to create with eight other partners, Tristone Capital, a Calgary-based specialty energy brokerage house. Tristone expanded into the United States, England, and Buenos Aires before being sold in 2009, to Macquarie Bank of Australia. Recently, in 2015, Andrew joined Matco Financial as part of their Independent Review Committee for their series of mutual funds.
A strong supporter of the Canadian Armed Forces, Andrew is a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Commander’s Advisory Council. Prior to this, Andrew was Honorary Colonel for 1 Air Maintenance Squadron for a six-year term ending in 2014. Through his affiliation with the RCAF, he attended and graduated in 2010, from the National Security Programme (NSP), Class #2, at the Canadian Forces College and is one of the first private citizens to partake the curriculum. While at the NSP Class #2, he commenced a master’s degree which he completed following the term and received a Masters of Arts; in Security, Defense Management and Policy. Subsequently, he became a member of board of directors, of the Canadian Forces College Foundation in 2015.
Andrew is a long-time volunteer in the Calgary area community, he is a prostate cancer survivor and became a director for the not for profit; Prostate Cancer Centre in Calgary in 2014. For over twenty-five years, he has volunteered on the Chuckwagon Committee at the Calgary Stampede, in addition he has assisted with hosting members of the Canadian Armed Forces on Stampede Park for more than ten years. Additionally, he is a Federation International de Ski (FIS) Level 3 volunteer for ski racing in Canada, was Chief of Race for Slalom events at The World Junior Ski Championships at Panorama in 2022. He was named in 2022 as the Honoured Volunteer for The Canadian Rockies Ski Hall of Fame.
Passionate about aviation, Andrew is a private pilot, with time in gliders, float planes, and taildraggers. He has participated on the Raid Latécoère, tracing the Aéropostale route in West Africa. He was also on the charity board of directors of Hope Air.
Happily married to Carolyne, they reside in Canmore, Alberta with their dog Java, but can be found traveling the world.
Andrew, aka, Double A, is excited and honored, to be named as the Honorary Colonel of 409 Tactical Fighter Squadron, at 4 Wing Cold Lake. "Midnight is our Noon." Go Nighthawks!
Honorary Colonel Gaston Bedard
Mr. Bédard was appointed as the first Honorary Colonel of the newly formed 2 Expeditionary Readiness Centre, 2 Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagotville, QC in June 2015. This unit is known as 2 Air Expeditionary Training Squadron (2 AETS) since the restructuring of 2 Wing in July 2018.
Honorary Colonel Bédard is the Vice President of Desjardin Credit Union of Quebec while also serving as the Director General/President of the Council for Quebec-based Cooperatives and Mutualities. He was born in Cap-de-la-Madeleine and graduated from the University of Quebec at Trois Rivieres first with a degree in Computer Science followed by a Master’s degree in Economics. Following graduation, Honorary Colonel Bedard served in various positions at a number of Desjardin branch offices before moving to the head office in Quebec City in 2009. Early in his career he also served for three years with the 12th Canadian Armoured Regiment in the Primary Reserves.
Honorary Colonel Bédard serves on several boards and foundations. He is a long-time member of the governance and administrative committees for technology resources and real estate, chairman of the board for the University of Quebec Hospital Centre and administrator for the foundation for the Institute of the Elderly in Montreal. Honorary Colonel Bedard also serves as administrator of funds to promote long term development in Quebec and student scholarships. Since 2012 he has administered the interdisciplinary centre for research and development for cooperative enterprises.
Honorary Colonel Jean-Daniel Bedard
Originally from Cowansville, M. Jean-Daniel Bedard has been a McDonald's Franchisee since 2003 but was involved in the family business for the last 32 years. He owns five local McDonald's restaurants in the Saguenay region and completed a business management training program at the Chicago Hamburger University.
Family is M. Bedard's top priority. He has been married to his wife, Julie, since 1999, and is a very present father to his two children, Eve (15) and Jean-William (20).
In his spare time, he enjoys applying his skills to carpentry, construction and sports in general, hockey in particular. His commitment to hockey started when he was 4 years old and made him reach junior AA level, where he played for the National de La Baie and les Saguenéens de Chicoutimi. To this day, he still plays 3 times a week to stay in shape and maintain a good social life. When he is not playing hockey, he can be found downhill or cross-country skiing, golfing or hiking.
He is very involved with the local community. His involvement includes but is not limited to volunteering during the 1996 Saguenay floods to prepare meals for the victims, sponsoring the Bagotville International Airshow multiple times, raising money ($100,000) for the 500 day golf tournament (helping children in need to attend summer camps), acting as honorary chairman for the Wines, Beer and Spirits in 2009 and 2010, honorary president of ADHIS 2011, and organising halloween activity for multiples sclerosis association in 2015.
With his business, he is involved in the McHappy Day program, and raised approximately $300,000 for various local and national charities. $100,000 was also given to the Chicoutimi hospital (fondation de ma vie) for the purchase and maintenance of equipment in the children's department.
His business also sponsors multiple local sports events and teams.
M. Bedard has been and continues to be a pillar of the Saguenay community.
Honorary Colonel Don Boitson
HCol Don Boitson has been involved in the Canadian Aerospace Industry for over 30 years in various Operations, Program Management, and Business Development roles.
HCol Boitson is responsible for the operations of Magellan’s 10 North American operating divisions and has been employed with Magellan at the Winnipeg location since 1988 in progressively more senior roles. In 2003, HCol Boitson was appointed Vice President and General Manager of Magellan Aerospace, Winnipeg, responsible for all aspects of business development, manufacturing, and procurement. He became the Vice President North American Operations on March 16, 2016. In 2019, Don left Magellan to take on the role of COO for DeHavilland Canada. He returned to Magellan as Vice President North American Operations in February 2023.
HCol Boitson is a Professional Engineer and member of the A.P.E.G.M., having graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1985 with a B. Sc. in Eng. (Mech.).
He resides in Winnipeg, MB with his wife Andrea and has three adult children. He enjoys participating in sporting and outdoor activities, cooking, and gardening.
Outside of work, Don is active in various community and professional activities. Don had been a long-time member of the Board of Directors of the Manitoba Aerospace Association serving as both a member and past president.
Honorary Colonel Luc Boivin
Mr. Luc Boivin was appointed Honorary Colonel of 433 Tactical Support Squadron of 3 Wing Bagotville in November 2016 and, since August 2024, has served as Honorary Colonel of 3 Wing Bagotville in Quebec.
Originally from La Baie, in the Saguenay region, Mr. Boivin comes from a family with deep roots in business and agriculture since they arrived in the area.
After completing secondary school at the Chicoutimi Seminary, Mr. Boivin pursued college studies in economics and management at Cégep de Chicoutimi and later studied Marketing at the Université du Québec in Chicoutimi. He also completed training in dairy processing at the Institute of Agri-Food Technology in Saint-Hyacinthe.
Mr. Boivin joined the family business in 1994 as Vice-President of Finance, Marketing, and Business Development. In 2001, he led the acquisition of Saint-Fidèle Cheese Factory in Charlevoix, where he continues to serve as a shareholder and board member. He also founded Biolactis Production in 2008, establishing an innovative, environmentally friendly plant that processes whey from Boivin Cheese and other Quebec cheese factories. Since 2008, he has served as General Manager of the company. In 2017, he acquired Lemaire Cheese Factory and became the company’s CEO. In 2021, the company acquired Pépite d’Or Cheese Factory in Saint-Georges de Beauce as well as the Poutine d’Or restaurant chain.
Throughout his career, Mr. Boivin has been actively involved in the economic development of his region. He served as President of the Saguenay Center of local development, Chair of the Advisory Committee for Canada Economic Development, on the Board of FIER Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, and as Chief finance officer and Board Member of the public company Arianne Phosphate Inc. He has also been a board member of the Quebec Food Processing Council, the Regional Manufacturers’ Association, Promotion Saguenay, and served as Chair of the Board of the Fjord Funeral Cooperative. Elected in the 2009 and 2013 municipal elections, he served as a city councillor for Saguenay, where he was Vice-President of the Executive Committee and contributed to numerous committees.
Mr. Boivin remains on the board of St-Fidèle Cheese Factory, the Quebec Dairy Industry Council, the Canadian Dairy Processors Association, and Cégep de Chicoutimi.
Mr. Boivin has three children: Florence, 23; Félix, 21; and Juliette, 12. He enjoys family time, is passionate about sports, and has a love for hockey, often found in arenas both as a player and a coach. He also loves outdoor activities and spending time at his cabin near the Pipmuacan Reservoir, where he enjoys fishing and snowmobiling with family and friends.
Honorary Colonel Dominique Bouchard
Mr. Dominique Bouchard was appointed Honorary Colonel of 2 Operational Support Squadron in Bagotville in November 2022. He is the 1st person to hold this position. Originally from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, Mr. Bouchard was born and raised near Canadian Forces Base Bagotville. He maintained a life-long interest and respect for the military and from 2011 to 2015, Mr. Bouchard had the privilege of being appointed the Honorary Colonel of 439 Search and Rescue Squadron at 3 Wing Bagotville.
From 1980-2013 Mr. Bouchard held various technical and managerial positions with Rio Tinto Alcan, culminating in his last position as President of Quebec Iron and Titanium. A year after retiring from Rio Tinto Alcan, he began a new job as vice-chancellor, Finance and Administration, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) and remained in this position for three years ending in 2017. He then became a consultant, mentoring the leadership of various public and non-public organizations.
Mr. Bouchard still consults but since 2017, he is also the Executive Chairman of Arianne Phosphate Inc. With his team, he is working on a phosphate mine project located north of Lac Saint-Jean.
Mr. Bouchard has always been very involved in the community, either on the boards of charitable organizations or as president of fund-raising campaigns. A model to emulate, he commits himself to giving back to the community. Currently, he is the Chairman of Centre Québécois de Recherche et de Développement de l’Aluminium (CQRDA), Chairman of the Monseigneur Léonce Bouchard Foundation, which provides shelter, clothing, and meals to homeless and food-insecure members in the Chicoutimi area. Moreover, he is the director of many other boards such as the Bagotville Air Defence Museum and is also on the Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et Services Sociaux (CIUSSS) Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean board.
Mr. Bouchard has been married to Mrs. Denise Tremblay for 42 years. Together they have three children, Jean-Benoit, David and Andréanne. They also enjoy spending time with their three grandchildren, Florence, Louis-Félix and Charles-Olivier.
Honorary Colonel Laval Boulianne
Mr. Laval Boulianne is a multifaceted businessman who devotes most of his days to advancing the companies he acquired over the past 45 years. Visionary, hardworking and wise manager unafraid of challenges, Mr. Boulianne is an Almatois who has left his mark in the region.
He began his career in the late 60s as the owner of a hairdressing salon, a nightclub and a ladies’ clothing store while employed with Abitibi-Price. In 1976, he became a sales representative and then sales director for the “Lac St-Jean” printing plant.
During that time he also established himself as an influential player in the regional written press. In the 80s, along with his brother Jeannot he became the owner of the two major local newspaper in Lac St-Jean; “L’Étoile du Lac” in Roberval and the “Lac St-Jean” in Alma. He subsequently acquired three other newspapers: “L'Écho de La Tuque”, “La Voix du Sud” and “La Voix de Bellechasse”. His career in publishing ended after two years as the executive vice-president at “La Maison de la Presse” from 1989 to 1991. In 1988, he became co-owner of Nolicam in Chicoutimi, which expended in 2002 with the addition of a division on car rental and in 2006 with the addition of Axcio division (formerly Solutions L.B.) specializing in long-term outsourcing. In 2005, the company acquired the “Entrepôts Sécur”, specializing in the rental of storage space. Proud of his origins, to this day Mr. Boulianne remains the co-owner of the Jacques-Gagnon Complex (major real estate complex), the “Hotel Universel”, the restaurant “Le Pacini” and the Travelodge hotel located in the Place Sacré-Coeur (housing several commercial spaces).
In 2002, Mr. Boulianne made a dream come true with the acquisition of his first car dealership, Saguenay Volkswagen. He subsequently expended this side of the business with the acquisition of Saguenay Mercedes-Benz in 2009 and Alma Volkswagen in 2011. In 2017, after more than three years of hard work, he successfully reached the end of a long-standing project by becoming the co-owner of the Hotel Delta Saguenay. Proud to be able to say that this institution now belongs to regional owners and always on the lookout for new projects, Mr. Laval Boulianne and his partners maintained their momentum by opening a Boston Pizza restaurant inside the hotel. Mr. Laval Boulianne's group is a major employer in the Saguenay Lac-St-Jean region with more than 700 full-time employees.
Mr. Boulianne was appointed Honorary Colonel of 3 AMS on May 9, 2019.
Honorary Colonel Mike Bullis
Mr. Bullis has the distinction of being the first 419 “Moose” Squadron Honorary Colonel nominee with direct historical family ties to the squadron’s WWII origins. His father, retired Flying Officer Hubert (Hank) Bullis (24 August 1918 – 25 April 2016) was, at his passing, the oldest surviving WWII Mooseman.
Mr. Bullis was born in Kingston, Ontario in September 1949, and moved to Claresholm, Alberta, when his father (F/O Bullis) was posted there in January 1952 as a Senior Flying Instructor at RCAF No. 3 Flying Training School. Following several military moves within Alberta, F/O Bullis took his release from the RCAF in May 1956 in Edmonton. The family lived there for two more years, and then spent ten years in Dawson Creek, BC, finally settling in Calgary in October 1968, where Mr. Bullis still resides.
Following three years of post-secondary education, Mr. Bullis began working within the electrical and mobile communications industries. Since March 1983, he has worked as the Sales Manager-Western Canada for Carte International Inc., a Winnipeg-based manufacturer of high voltage electrical transformers. He was one of the original participants when the management team created a buyout plan from the owner, a venture capital fund, and took ownership in July 1996. Over the next few years he became the company’s second largest shareholder. Mr. Bullis is also one of five Carte employees who jointly hold Canadian and US patents on a very specialized transformer design.
From 2006-2012, Mr. Bullis and his wife, Diane, were members of the Calgary Health Region (forerunner to Alberta Health Services-Calgary) Patient and Family Safety Council, advocating for improved patient and family involvement with medical professionals in hospital settings, something not previously available. Over the years, the Bullis’ have done presentations to hundreds of medical professionals at all levels across Canada. Their efforts, along with those of their fellow volunteers, brought considerable change to how the medical profession interacts with not only those in their direct care but their families as well.
In 2019, the Bullis Family established the Hubert (Hank) Bullis Awards of Merit, an annual award given to two junior ranking military members at 4 Wing who have been nominated by their chain of command for exemplifying the characteristics of leadership, loyalty, and going beyond the call of duty.
The Bullis’ have two daughters; Katie, an Advanced Care Paramedic, and Claire, a Marketing/Communications Specialist. Both daughters and their families live in the Calgary area, and Mike and Diane enjoy considerable quality time with their three grandchildren.
Honorary Colonel John Burzynski
Honorary Colonel John Burzynski was born in Gagnon, Quebec and grew up in Moncton, New Brunswick. He is a professional geologist with degrees from Mount Allison University and Queen’s University. As an exploration geologist, he worked in Eastern Canada, the United States as well as Central, West and East Africa on gold, base-metal and diamond deposits over the course of 20 years.
A co-founder of Osisko Exploration in 2003, he and his partners grew the company from a bankruptcy sale acquisition in 2004 into Canada’s largest gold producer, the Canadian Malartic mine in Quebec, which is currently the tenth-largest gold mine in the world. The company was sold in 2014 as a result of a hostile takeover battle. Having taken the original company from a starting value of $1 million and realizing $4 billion on the forced sale, they started up again the following day and recreated a group of new companies, with an aggregate value today of $4 billion. John launched the new Osisko Mining in the fall of 2015 and it has grown from an $8 million starting value to $800 million today. Osisko Mining’s high-grade Windfall gold deposit in northern Quebec is one of the world’s largest and fastest moving gold exploration and development projects.
John is a strong supporter of the Canadian Armed Forces and our military heritage. A member of the Royal Canadian Military Institute and the Canada Company, John founded and leads the OEX Recovery Group’s Raise the Arrow project, a privately funded programme in partnership with the Royal Canadian Air Force and Ingenium, to search for and recover the Avro Arrow free-flight test models that were launched into Lake Ontario in the mid-1950s. One of the prototype models was recovered in the summer of 2018 and is currently on display at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum (CASM) in Ottawa. The programme has also raised awareness of the Arrow project and provided significant funding for both CASM and the National Air Force Museum of Canada (NAFMC) in Trenton, Ontario.
John is also a strong supporter of Toronto’s SickKids Hospital, Mount Allison University as well as the CASM and NAFMC. He sits on the board of directors of five public companies and on the advisory committee to the Ontario government’s natural resources sector. He is a fellow of the Geological Association of Canada and has been a long-time member of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC).
Among a number of awards from his industry peers, John was recognized along with his Osisko co-founders as Mining Persons of the Year in 2009 by the Northern Miner. He received the Bill Dennis Prospector of the Year Award in 2007 from the PDAC as well as the Discovery of the Year Award in 2006 and 2017 from the Association de exploration minière du Québec.
Members of his family served in Canadian and British medical units in both the First and Second World Wars. His 96 year old father is a surviving Second World War veteran—a sailor with the Free Polish Navy who participated in the D-Day landings, where he provided supporting fire from the light cruiser ORP Dragon for Canadian troops moving inland from Juno Beach.
Honorary Colonel Colleen Calvert
Colleen joined the Canadian Forces from her hometown of Edmonton Alberta 1974 at the age of 17 as one of the first trail blazing female airframe technicians. Over the span of her military career she worked on many aircraft types at numerous bases including Shearwater (2 tours), Cold Lake, Cornwallis (recruit instructor), Borden and Moosejaw Saskatchewan. Colleen's 21-year career saw many firsts; she completed her career in 1995 as the senior female Aviation Technician in the Canadian Forces.
Upon retirement from the Canadian Forces, Colleen realized her passion to continue to work with the CF especially CF families. Colleen went to work with military families in the Voluntary -not for profit sector at the Shearwater MFRC. In 1999, she assumed the duties of Executive Director for the Halifax MRFC. Colleen has also worked with a large number of not for profit organizations and has represented the Canadian Forces family support program at International and National conferences. In 2005 she was appointed by the MDN to the CF Ombudsman's Advisory committee where she served for five years.
As the Executive Director, Colleen provided responsive and innovatice family support programs to Maritime Forces Atlantic and 12 Wing members and their families. Under Colleen's leadership the Halifax & Region MFRC has been recognized as leaders and innovators in many areas of family support, for example family violence initiatives, marketing, deployment support, program development and outreach to reserve force members and their families in rural areas. In addition they became one the first Family Resource Centers to become professionally accredited.
Colleen has been awarded an Admirals commendation for outstanding leadership in family support of HMCS Chicoutimi, the Admirals Cup for the top unit in MARLANT in 2005, an Admirals commendation for outstanding support of families during Op Apollo. She is the recipent of the Canadian Forces Decoration, Canada 125, and the Queens Diamond Jubilee. She was invested as a Dame in the International Knightly Order of St George in 2015 and promoted to Dame Commander in 2021. She was appointed Honorary Col for 12 Air Maintenance Squadron in 2019. Colleen's love for adventure has seen her jump out of airplanes, scuba dive, survive a flight with the Snowbirds, earn her private pilot's license and learn to play the trumpet. After 42 years of work in and out of uniform she and her beautiful wife Sheila are now happily retired.
Honorary Colonel Aleesha Camp
HCol Aleesha Camp formally accepted her new position with 429 Sqn on 12 April 2023. She is a lifelong resident of Quinte West and graduated from Queen’s University with degrees in Commerce and Law. During her undergraduate, she worked at 8 Wing Trenton and her affiliation with 8 Wing and 429 Sqn only grew stronger through her spouse Jeff Baldwin, who was a pilot in the earlies cadres of 429 Sqn’s C177 Globemaster era.
HCol Camp is the founder of Quinte West law firms – Camp and Burgess and Elston Camp. She is an active supporter and volunteer for numerous organizations including the Boards of The Children’s Foundation, Loyalist College, and is the Chair of the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation.
HCol Camp’s role is to be a bridge to the community, to raise the profile of the Sqn, and to act as an advisor, both individually and as a link to the broader network of HCol’s. HCol Camp is a pillar of the local community, is familiar with 429 Sqn’s operations and lifestyle, and is a great support to Sqn members and their families.
Honorary Colonel Joyce Carter
Joyce Carter is President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA), which operates, manages, and develops Halifax Stanfield International Airport (Halifax Stanfield). Joyce first joined HIAA as Vice President, Finance in 1999, after beginning her career in audit and assurance, and then later, real estate development. She became HIAA’s Chief Financial Officer in 2006, Chief Strategy Officer in 2008, and President and CEO in 2014.
Since joining HIAA, Joyce has been actively involved in Halifax Stanfield’s growth and expansion, including the long-term recapitalization of HIAA’s $700 million airport infrastructure improvement program, and oversight of HIAA’s strategic plans, 10-year capital and financial plans, and annual business plans.
She also led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic – the most challenging situation HIAA and the aviation industry has ever faced. Her focus now is guiding the airport and HIAA through recovery, to ensure we are well positioned to take advantage of opportunities ahead in support of regional economic development, growth, and sustainability.
Joyce is committed to supporting and advising our industry through various board memberships, including serving as: a Board Member of the Airports Council International (ACI) World Governing Board from 2017-2022; Board Member of the ACI North America (ACI-NA) Board of Directors from 2018 to 2021; current member of ACI-NA Governance Review Committee; current Board Member and Past Chair of Canadian Airports Council, the first woman to hold that role; and past President and current Board Member for the Atlantic Canadian Airports Association.
She also sits on CUA’s Board of Directors, the Joint Regional Transportation Agency Advisory Board, My East Coast Experience Advisory Board, and is a member of the Nova Scotia Tourism Strategy Oversight Committee. Joyce believes its critical to use her position as a female CEO to support, mentor, and inspire other women.
She is a member of Women in Aviation International and Women in Aerospace Canada, participates in Young Women’s Leadership sessions, and takes part in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Mentorship Program where she shares her knowledge and expertise with female RCAF members for personal and professional growth.
Joyce has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Saint Mary’s University, is a graduate of Chartered Professional Accountants Nova Scotia, and in 2012 received the Fellow Chartered Professional Accountant (FCPA) designation, the institute’s highest honour. She obtained the Institute of Corporate Directors ICD.D designation in 2015, and an Ambassador Award from Discover Halifax in 2018. Joyce was also named one of Atlantic Canada’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Business in 2023, and named one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs by Atlantic Business Magazine four years in a row, from 2017 to 2020. She was Gold Winner of Business Leader of the Year by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce in 2019.
Honorary Colonel Dominique Chagnon
Born in Montreal to a military family, Mr. Chagnon began his career with the Saint-Lambert Fire Department in 1989 where he served as a part-time firefighter for 20 years. In 1991, he completed his firefighter training at the Institut de protection contre les incendies du Québec (IPIQ) in Laval. Over the course of his 34 year career, he responded to more than 33,000 emergency calls in support of the citizens of the greater Montreal area.
In 1992-1993, already very involved in his community as a volunteer, he participated in two humanitarian missions; the first in Homestead, Florida, following Hurricane Andrew and then again in the American Midwest during the Mississippi Floods while working with the Canadian Red Cross in collaboration with F.E.M.A. (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
In 1994, he began working for the Montreal Fire Department as a Field Operations Officer. In 2022, Mr. Chagnon got promoted to the rank of Battalion Chief with the Montreal FD as Commander of CAN-TF6 (Canadian Task Forces) HUSAR.
From 1995 to 1998, he completed numerous courses with the Fire Institute of the United States as well as the Baltimore City Fire Department Training Academy with whom he has collaborated with on the development of new techniques and equipment over the course of the last 20 years. In 1996, he participated in an exchange program with the Fire Department of Strasbourg, France.
It was in 2009 that his relationship with Canadian Forces Base Bagotville began, where he quickly becomes a valued friend and member of the military community. He is always present at base ceremonies and social events and was a key partner in the 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 editions of the Bagotville International Air Show. Mr. Chagnon provides a unique presence and a moral support that is well appreciated by all members of the Bagotville community.
Always eager to help others, Mr. Chagnon brings with him over 36 years of active community involvement and volunteer work. In 2020, his contribution was recognized by the Honourable J. Michel Doyon, Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec, and accordingly, he was awarded the Medal of Exceptional Merit.
In 2017, he became a member of the Quebec Veterans Foundation’s (FQV) board of directors, where he holds the position of President. In 2020, since his involvement with the FQV, over 3.9 million dollars has been distributed in the military community and diver's health programs.
Since 2009, he has been an active supporter and volunteer for Dreams Take Flight, accompanying children with special needs on unforgettable trips to Walt Disney World. A few years ago, the program got extended to the military bases in Quebec, allowing participation of military children.
Since his nomination as Honorary Colonel, Mr. Chagnon has become a board member for the Fondation des Amis de l'Aviation Royale du Canada (FAARC). Together they have been invested in the well-being of the families of CFB Bagotville, as well as 430 and 438 Squadrons.
Dominique Chagnon and his wife, Stephanie Martimbault, are proud parents to Maude, Jérémi, and Edouard.
Honorary Colonel Paulette Connery
Ms. Connery has been tremendously active in the local community throughout her entire professional career, volunteering extensively with the Rotary Club, Chair of the Ways and Means Community fundraising for infrastructure development in the Delta Beach, MB area and past director of the Portage Plains United Way.
From 2009-2018, Ms. Connery was a board member and subsequent chairman of the Southport Aerospace Centre Inc Board of Directors. A not-for-profit property management and development organization that strives to ensure the facilities provided to Southport tenants fit their unique requirements and needs.
Amongst a range of community affiliations, in 2019 Ms. Connery was elected a director of the North American Youth Exchange Network (NAYEN), a Rotary affiliated network designed to promote youth exchanges around the world.
Ms. Connery has two grown children, three wonderful grandchildren and loves to volunteer, travel, play golf and bridge.
Honorary Colonel Rob Cunningham
Mr. Rob Cunningham was born in London England. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design and immigrated to Canada in 1995. His career as a computer game entrepreneur in Vancouver spans 23 years, beginning as Co-Founder and Creative Director of Relic Entertainment. Relic gained world-wide attention for developing hit franchises including Homeworld, Dawn of War and Company of Heroes. The company earned many industry awards including Game of the Year and the highest Metacritic score of all time in the genre of Real Time Strategy. The studio was sold in 2004, after growing the company to over 180 staff.
In 2007 Mr. Cunningham established the eatART Foundation, a non-profit collective of artists and engineers dedicated to inspiring and educating artists and the public through creative energy applications. eatART fabricates large, mechanical art projects and participates in events world-wide.
Mr. Cunningham founded Blackbird Interactive in 2010 starting with just four employees working out of his garage. Thanks to the outstanding BBI leadership team, the company now has over 200 talented staff. The studio has five major projects in production spanning multiple genres and platforms, over $85M in contracts and a modern facility designed to inspire company members based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Mr. Cunningham has a passion for vehicles, aviation and anything that moves under power. This passion serves his interest in travel and exploration, and a desire to learn about new cultures and ways around the world. He enjoys road trips, boat adventures, hiking, camping, astronomy, world history and storytelling.
Honorary Colonel (Lt-Gen Ret) Allan DeQuetteville, CMM, CD
Lieutenant General Al DeQuetteville was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 412 Transport Squadron, in Ottawa ON in May 2015.
Honorary Colonel DeQuetteville graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree and is a graduate of the US Air Force Test Pilot School and of the National Defence College. He served as Commander of Air Command and the first modern Chief of the Air Staff for two years until his retirement in 1998, culminating a distinguished 37 years career in the Canadian Armed Forces. As a fighter pilot he commanded at every level including becoming the Commander Officer of the first CF-18 Hornet squadron – 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training (OT)) Squadron in Cold Lake, AB and as Base Commander of 4 Wing Baden, Germany. He is the recipient of the Order of Military Merit (Commander) and the United States Legion of Merit (Commander).
Honorary Colonel DeQuetteville followed his military career by serving as Vice-President-Canada for the Boeing Company until 2007, responsible for the Ottawa office and for strategic planning and business development functions in Canada for all Boeing’s operating groups. He served as Honorary Colonel of 410 Tactical Fighter (OT) Squadron until 2007. Honorary Colonel DeQuetteville is a Fellow of the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute, a member of the Defence Advisory Board, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Corps of Commissionaires (Ottawa Division) and a member of the Airpower Advisory Committee of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association.
Honorary Colonel DeQuetteville and his wife Susan reside in Manotick, ON, enjoying golf and hiking.
Honorary Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel Steven Deschamps, CD, (Retired)
Lieutenant-Colonel Steven Deschamps began his military career as an Air Cadet at 325 Squadron in Cornwall, ON, in 1969. He was awarded the Lord Strathcona Medal of Excellence and attended both the Senior Leaders and Glider Pilot Course. He also attended Outward Bound Mountain and Leadership course in Keremeos, BC, and was awarded the cadet para-rescue wing.
LCol Deschamps joined the Cadet Instructor List in 1974 and had a pivotal role in the overhaul of the Senior Leaders Course in Cold Lake, AB. He enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces in 1979 as a pilot and was subsequently posted to 10 Tactical Air Group, 3 CFFTS, and 2 CFFTS. His last regular force posting was at NDHQ Ottawa in 1982 as a Public Affairs Officer. In 1982, the then Lt. Deschamps was honourably, but compulsory, released under a policy that has come to be known as LGBT Purge.
In 1992, seeking to correct the injustices of 1982, LCol Deschamps sought to re-join the Cadet Instructor Cadre after a Federal Court decision was issued declaring the purge policy illegal under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
LCol Deschamps was re-enrolled in the CAF in 1992 as the Training Officer at 103 Thunderbird Squadron at the rank of Lt. Documents from NDHQ indicate he was the first known homosexual to be re-enrolled in the CAF. While at 103 Squadron, he pioneered the creation of the Computerized Aircraft Simulation Centre which has become a model for other Air Cadet Squadrons to provide real pilot simulation.
In 1996, LCol Deschamps became CO 103 Thunderbird Squadron and thereafter held the position of CO at 858 Skookumchuk Squadron and 848 Royal Roads Squadron. He was also the Exchange Officer for the International Air Cadet Exchange to Australia in 1993 and 1998.
In 1999, LCol Deschamps was appointed Staff Officer Information Management of RCSU(P) HQ at CFB Esquimalt. In that role, he was directly responsible for the implementation of information systems for cadets on the West Coast. In the late 90s, he was also a Co-Leader of the Electronic Action Team of the "Way Ahead Process", led by NDHQ.
LCol Deschamps was promoted to his current rank on 1 May 2006 when he was appointed CO of Albert Head Air Cadet Summer Training Centre. He was appointed Chairman Regional CIC Branch Advisory Council and assumed duties in the fall 2010.
He retired from the RCAF in 2013. LCol Deschamps is the Founding President of the CIC Branch Association of BC which provides education and social opportunities for serving CIC officers.
Outside of the Cadet program, LCol Deschamps has been Director of Public Affairs for Algonquin College in Ottawa, a spokesman and developer for IBM Canada, and Vice President of OpenText Corporation. He has also worked with BC Systems Corporation, directing the move for the provincial government from mainframes to personal computers in the 80s.
LCol Deschamps was awarded the Canada Pride Citation in 2020 by the Government of Canada "in recognition of his valuable service to Canada and the hardship endured as a result of the historical policies and practices in connection with the LGBT Purge".
He is a pilot, advanced scuba open water diver, and volunteers in various capacities with the Air Cadet movement in BC. LCol Deschamps currently serves as President of the CIC Branch Association of BC and resides in Victoria, British Columbia.
Honorary Colonel Jacques Duchesneau, CM, OOM, CQ, CD
Mr. Duchesneau is the Inspector General of the City of Saint-Jérôme, Honorary Colonel of 438 Tactical Helicopter Squadron (THS) of the Canadian Armed Forces, a Senior Executive Fellow of the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, and Vice President of the Comité Mémoire (Polytechnique Montréal), which works to combat violence against women.
Honorary Colonel Duchesneau began his career in 1967, enlisting in the Primary Air Reserve with 438 THS, the same squadron for which he is an honorary colonel today. In 1968, he became a police officer with the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). He continued his career with the SPVM, rising through the ranks until he held the position of Director of Police of the SPVM from 1993 to 1998.
From 2002 to 2018, Mr. Duchesneau was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority. He then became Director of the Anti-Collusion Unit for the Department of Transport from 2010 to 2011. Having dabbled in politics throughout his career, he took the leap and became the Member of the National Assembly for Saint-Jérôme from 2012 to 2014.
Throughout more than 50 years of career, the majority of which was in senior management positions, Honorary Colonel Jacques Duchesneau has established a solid expertise in the areas of law enforcement, aviation security and anti-corruption. He has demonstrated strong leadership during several events that have marked the history of Quebec: the December 6, 1989 massacre at the École Polytechnique de Montréal; the Quebec Biker War; and the 1998 ice storm that hit Montreal. He has also served on a dozen boards of directors and was a member of the Governor General's Advisory Committee for Meritorious Service Decorations (Civil Division).
Mr. Duchesneau is a graduate of the Directors Education Program at McGill University and holds a Master of Public Administration from the École nationale d'administration publique. He also completed a PhD in War Studies at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston.
Mr. Jacques Duchesneau is a Member of the Order of Canada (C.M.), an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces (O.O.M.), a Knight of Justice of the Order of St. John (KStJ), a Knight of the National Order of Quebec (C.Q.) and of the National Order of Merit (French Republic 2006) as well as a recipient of the Canadian Armed Forces Decoration (C.D.).
Honorary Colonel Jessica Dumas
Jessica is a professional speaker, confidence coach and podcast host. She has been recognized for her professional expertise as a recipient of the Manitoba 150 Women Trailblazer Award from the Nellie McClung Foundation for 2021, Ace Burpees Most Fascinating Manitobans for 2019, the 2017 Future Leaders of Manitoba and the CBC's Top 40 Manitobans under 40 for 2015. She has a 2017 TEDx talk called The Journey to a Woman's Identity.
Jessica's career started in customer service and took a turn to restorative justice where she realized her love for facilitation. She earned a certificate in restorative justice and mediation but her love for innovative facilitation styles inspired her to attend the Rotman School of Business and obtain a certificate in Advanced Business Design Facilitation, as well as several other expert facilitation certificates with the Winnipeg Transition Centre and the University of Winnipeg.
She started Jessica Dumas Coaching and Training in 2013 after she got her coaching certificate from the Certified Coaches Federation, she has since taught in the areas of Workplace Communication, Customer Service, Indigenous Awareness, Confident Speaking and Facilitation Basics. Jessica's volunteer contributions have gained her wide respect across Manitoba and Canada.
She has served as Chairperson for both the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and the Indigenous Chamber of Commerce and continues to sit on numerous committees and boards at the executive level. She is a powerful role model and advocate for women’s empowerment, leading others to overcome challenges by developing personal strengths, vision and self-confidence.
Honorary Colonel Suzanne Farag
Suzanne was born in Hamilton, Ontario, and raised in Montreal where her father, sister, and extended family reside. She is a first generation Canadian whose parents emigrated from Egypt. She is fully bilingual and speaks Arabic.
Honorary-Colonel Farag completed her Bachelor of Science, Major Physiology, from McGill University in Montreal. She went on to attend Law School at the University of Ottawa, graduating from the National Program, obtaining both her Civil Law (LL.L) and Common Law (LL.B) degrees.
Called to the bar in 2007, Honorary-Colonel Farag is a member of the Law Society of Ontario. Her legal career began in private practice where she focused on the area of Corporate-Commercial Law, Estates Law, and Municipal By-law Enforcement litigation.
Honorary-Colonel Farag transitioned to the public sector in 2011, practicing in the areas of Criminal and Family Law. As a lawyer with Legal Aid Ontario, she advocates for marginalized clients from different cultural backgrounds.
Honorary-Colonel Farag is actively involved as a Board member with various community agencies. She has also spearheaded different initiatives relating to child and youth advocacy and the underprivileged in society.
In her free time, Honorary-Colonel Farag enjoys spending time with friends, volunteering, and spending time with her dog who she adopted from the local animal shelter.
Honorary Colonel Jonathan Fischer
Mr. Jonathon Fischer grew up in Cobourg, Ontario. After graduation from high school Jonathon moved to Bielefeld, Germany, to complete a machine tool apprenticeship. Eager to acquire new skills and keep up with technological evolution, Jonathon continued his studies in Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing, metrology, manufacturing programs as well as a variety of communications, management and director courses.
Early in his career Jonathon began his management training at Omnitech, Florida. Strategy and business development became Jonathon’s strong suit. Putting his expertise to good use he joined Mold-Masters in 1987, a small privately held Canadian company. Over the next 23 years Jonathon advanced from mid-level management to Executive Vice President, and eventually CEO. During his tenure with Mold-Masters, Jonathon led the expansion of the company into a global force – overseeing the opening of factories in Europe, North & South America, as well as Asia. By 2007, the company employed over 2,500 people in more than 55 countries with over 1000 patents pending & received. In late 2010, Jonathon retired from Mold-Masters to pursue his life passion: philanthropy.
In 2012 he co-founded the Jonathon D Fischer Foundation with his wife Christine Avanti-Fischer. Acting as Chairman, Jonathon is now realizing his lifelong dream of helping people around the world. Jonathon's Foundation is focused on raising funds and awareness to counter human trafficking, promote animal rights, clean water access, as well as education and medical access for those in underdeveloped countries. Under Jonathon's stewardship Mold-Master has received multiple worldwide accolades, including China's 2010 Enterprise Innovation and Ringier Technology Innovation awards, Europe's 2010 Plastpol Gold Medaille, and Canada's 2007 Manufacturers & Exporters NRC Best Practices Award.
On a personal level Mr. Fischer is the recipient of multiple awards, including the David Foster Foundation 2022 National Humanitarian Award and the 2019 American Icon Award for Innovative Philanthropy. Mr. Fischer is an avid sportsman, having completed over 30 full and 1/2 marathons, as well multiple triathlons (including 2 x Ironmans). A keen supporter of the Canadian Armed Forces, Mr. Fischer completed the 2019 Battlefield Bike Ride (Normandy, France) to raise awareness for veteran physical and mental health. Mr. Fischer is also an accomplished mountaineer, having summited Africa's highest and Europe's second highest mountain peaks.
Jonathon also enjoys skiing, scuba diving, squash and golf as well as spending time with his kids Alexandra and Tatiana Fischer, and wife Christine Avanti-Fischer.
Honorary Colonel (LCol Ret) Carrie Fortier, CD
Lieutenant-Colonel Carrie Fortier (retired) was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 4 Construction Engineering Squadron, Cold Lake, AB in July 2018.
Honorary Colonel Fortier, born in Brandon Manitoba, enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1983 under the ROTP program. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering from the University of Ottawa in 1987. Her first posting was to the Construction Engineering section in North Bay. During her military career, Honorary Colonel Fortier served in a number of Staff and Operational tours of duty all related to Military Engineering. Her final posting was as Wing Logistics and Engineering Officer and CO 8 MSS in Trenton, ON.
Her military career was followed by employment as a General Manager at CFHA followed by a short period with the Public Health Agency of Canada as their Executive Director of Safety, Security, Procurement and Real Property. Honorary Colonel Fortier returned to DND to lead the Real Property transformation initiative and her final position as Director General Infrastructure and Environment Engineering Services. Officially retired, she now concentrates on building her dream retirement home on the lake.
Honorary Colonel Crystal Froese
Mrs. Crystal Froese was born and raised in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan which she also proudly declares as the home of the tallest Moose in the world and home of the famous Canadian Forces (CF) Snowbirds, 431 Air Demonstration Squadron.
Crystal comes from a family with strong ties to the Canadian Armed Forces. Her grandfather, Thomas Shiers, served in WW II with the Royal Canadian Engineers. A veteran of D-Day, he landed on Juno Beach and fought the way across France and Belgium. He was a Holland Liberator and spent the end of the war in Germany. Her parents both enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces and met in 1962 during their time in Halifax and Cornwallis Nova Scotia. It is from her family that Crystal learned the value of the spirit of service which she has carried with her in all areas of her life.
Crystal has always volunteered and served in her community. While living in British Columbia she was the Vice Chair of Economic Development Commission, Vice Chair of the SS Sicamous Heritage Park and was a director on the Penticton Tourism Board and Board Director of the Ironman Canada Triathlon.
Crystal and her husband of 24 years, Kirby, owned an award-winning winery while in British Columbia. Mrs. Froese held the position of Executive Director for two Okanagan Wine Regions and started her own event and communication company before returning to her hometown in 2011. As entrepreneurs, Crystal Froese and Kirby are currently the owner/operators of Moose Jaw’s first artisan cheese manufacturing facility, Coteau Hills Creamery.
Crystal is a past President of Business Women of Moose Jaw, Co-Founder of Beautif-i-Moose Jaw (a city-wide litter clean up initiative), 2018 Co-Chair SSFA 55+ Moose Jaw Provincial Seniors Games, Member of (PEO) Philanthropic Educational Organization, Co-Founder of Our Voice Our Province event (empowering women to become leaders) and she is the current President of the Moose Jaw South Hill Community Association. She was recently recognized by the Moose Jaw and District Chamber of Commerce as a nominee for Moose Jaw Citizen of the Year and is a recipient of the PRISM Influential Award.
Crystal Froese was first elected to serve as a Moose Jaw City Councillor in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. She was also elected as a Prairie South School Division Board Trustee and is serving a 4-year term. Crystal combines her University of Regina education in Local Government Authority and Public Relations with over 15 years of business experience in communications strategies for government, small business and non-profit organizations. She currently serves on eight boards and committees through her work with the city and school board.
Crystal loves being back in her home province where she is actively participating in its growth and progress. When she is not working or volunteering, she can be found training for her next half marathon adventure on the beautiful trails and pathways throughout Moose Jaw.
Honorary Colonel Darlene Gates
HCol Darlene Gates is currently the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at MEG Energy in Calgary, AB and will be nominated to the board as the next President and Chief Executive Officer on 7 May 24.
Prior to joining MEG Energy in 2021, she was appointed President for ExxonMobil Alaska Production in March 2018. Before assuming that role, she served as the Operations Manager for Imperial Oil’s Cold Lake and Conventional Operations in western Canada.
A native Albertan, she holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Victoria, and began her career with Imperial Oil in 1995 as the Leduc area reservoir engineer. HCol Gates progressed through many technical, managerial, and operating positions in Western Canada, including the first female Operations Superintendent in Imperial Oil’s history. This led to taking on several global leadership roles within ExxonMobil. These included: the Hibernia and Sable Subsurface Engineering Manager in St. John’s, Newfoundland; the Strategic Planning Manager for ExxonMobil Development Company in Houston, Texas; the Operations Technical Engineering Manager in Hannover, Germany; and she led the Operations Integrity Assessment in Doha, Qatar. HCol Gates sat on the Board of Directors for the United Way of Anchorage, Alaska, Oil and Gas Association, and Alaska Chamber of Commerce.
HCol Darlene Gates is the proud mother of three wonderful boys and has been married to her husband, Derek, for over 28 years.
Honorary Colonel Lofti Ghattis
Mr. Lotfi Ghattas was appointed Honorary Colonel of 2 Air Expeditionary Wing in Bagotville in September 2018. He is the 2nd person to hold this position. In 2015, he had been appointed Honorary Colonel of 2 Air Component Coordination Unit (2 UCCA), a 2 Air Expeditionary Wing unit located in Bagotville, Québec. As an Honorary Colonel, he has participated in numerous military exercises and ceremonies to morally support members of the 2 UCCA and 2 Wing.
Honorary Colonel Ghattas was born in Bizerte Tunisia and immigrated to Canada in 1979. He is a graduate of the University of Laval in the Science and Engineering program as a Civil Engineer and subsequently completed a baccalaureate program at the University of Tunis in Mathematics. Honorary Colonel Ghattas began his professional career as the director of the Centre international pour l’éducation et le transfert de technologie before joining London Life, a member of the group of companies of Power Financial Corporation, as director and fiscal planning advisor. In 2007, he joined Kinlogix as Vice-President Finance, an IT company offering cloud-based solutions for medical communities, before occupying his present position as Chief Executive Officer of CPU Group, an IT company that is ranked in the top 20 private technology companies in Canada.
Honorary Colonel Ghattas is fully engaged in community activities, particularly in youth training and education programs. He joined the Fondation du Cégep Limoilou in 2011 to assist in a fund-raising campaign to provide student bursaries. Similarly, in 2004, he became the administrator and treasurer of the Fondation des Camps Odysée with the aim of providing funding for youth training and education. Honorary Colonel Ghattas served for ten years as treasurer of the association for children’s diabetes and in 2014 volunteered as the governor of the campaign to finance the Séminaire Saint François.
Professionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors for the Association Québécoise des technologies and recently joined the Fondation des amis de l’Aviation royale du Canada as the administrator and treasurer. In January 2015, Honorary Colonel Ghattas was inducted as a member of the Ordre de la Croix des fusiliers de Sherbrooke. Honorary Colonel Ghattas has a long-standing interest in cave exploration. He formed a spelunking club in Tunisia in 1977 that is renowned for discovery of grottos near his birthplace as well as in the Pyrenees in France and in Kentucky in the USA.
Honorary Colonel Greg Hamel
Mr. Greg Hamel was nominated for selection as Honorary Colonel of 1 AMS Squadron at 4 Wing Cold Lake in August 2020.
Greg Hamel was born in Edmonton and raised in Cold Lake, Alberta. Throughout his life he has contributed to his family business, Hamel Meats, which was started by his father, Gus Hamel in 1962. Hamel Meats is Cold Lake's most famous business with a customer base that extends around the World. Greg's entire life has been dedicated to the success of his community and he uses his family business and international following to the benefit of many others including the Canadian Armed Forces.
Throughout his business career, Greg and his family have become vital contributors to the local community. He actively supports local sports teams, schools, organizations, members of 4 Wing Cold Lake, and the broader CAF with his participation, donations, and sponsorship. In the last three years alone, Mr. Hamel has donated over 3,000 packages of beef jerky to Operation Santa Claus, an organization which provides care packages for deployed CAF members around the World. In a similar gesture, his business provided support and contributions to CAF members in Operation LASER who were deployed to Long Term Care Facilities in eastern Canada in 2020. In 2009, Mr. Hamel supplied beef jerky for the shuttle Endeavour’s voyage to space, the consumption of which garnered positive international news coverage and congratulations. Every autumn, for the past 10 years, Mr. Hamel has facilitated and led a major community fundraiser by sponsoring a golf tournament at the Grand Centre Golf and Country Club, an event that is always wellattended and successful.
Mr. Hamel won the regional Business of the Year Award in 2018. Mr. Hamel is keenly aware of the dedication and hard work required to run a successful business; to keep it growing, contemporary, and relevant. He also believes that being aware of his employees’ strengths, challenges, and concerns is vital for success. His people-oriented leadership and respect for the CAF's mission are perfectly aligned with our values and priorities.
Greg and his wife Chiara have 7 children and 8 grandchildren. They have all made their homes in and around the City of Cold Lake.
Honorary Colonel Wayne Hay
Honorary Colonel Wayne Hay was born in Collingwood, Ontario and moved to Barrie in 1965 as a young child. He attended Barrie North Collegiate Institute and Georgian College for Marketing and Advertising in the late 1970’s. Honorary Colonel Hay joined the family business, Hay’s Travel, in 1980 after spending four years at The Barrie Examiner, the local newspaper.
In 1984, Honorary Colonel Hay received his real estate license from the Ontario Real Estate Association and began his career in commercial and industrial real estate with Ed Lowe Real Estate in the Barrie area, followed by 19 years with Royal LePage. He has been working with RE/MAX Commercial for the past six years.
Honorary Colonel Hay opened Hayco Property Management in 1990, a family-run business that manages commercial and industrial properties within Simcoe County. In 2015, Honorary Colonel Hay’s son, Zach, joined the Hayco team and has also become involved in fundraising for the local community. Honorary Colonel Hay’s daughter, Jocelyn, is working with Georgian International in Barrie and continues to dedicate her efforts to the Barrie and Muskoka YMCA.
Honorary Colonel Hay’s community involvement stems back to the early 1980’s when he was vice-president of the Barrie and District Association of Realtors Inc as well as being Chairman of the Economic Development Committee for the City of Barrie for four years. More recently, Honorary Colonel Hay has been heavily involved with the Downtown Barrie Business Improvement Area (BIA) as a board member and Chairman for six years.
Honorary Colonel Hay’s commitment to improving Barrie’s downtown is most evident in his dedication to the Meridian Place and Memorial Square project. From its conception, through the many consultation stages of its development, and culminating in a vibrant downtown gathering place for the whole Barrie community, Honorary Colonel Hay was tireless in his determination to see it to completion. A core focus within Meridian Place was the preservation of the historic role of Memorial Square, and the creation of the Urn Wall to recognize the sacred soil patriated from Vimy Ridge, through the efforts of Honorary Colonels Jamie Massie and Barry Peacock.
Honorary Colonel Hay travelled with his family on two occasions to the battlefield of Vimy Ridge, France with the Borden Legacy Group and was honoured to participate in dedicating the soil for the Urn Wall at Memorial Square as well as for the Legacy Wall at Canadian Forces Base Borden.
Most recently, Honorary Colonel Hay was heavily involved in bringing back the Barrie Air Show on Canada Day 2019, with the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds team and CF-188 Hornet Airshow team, as well as hosting the Sponsorship Dinner.
Honorary Colonel Hay has lived, worked in, and dedicated himself to the Barrie area throughout his adult life. Knowing and connecting a broad network of people in the region to work together as a force for positive change, in addition to having an extensive knowledge of its land, development, services, and potential promise, Honorary Colonel Hay has made, and continues to make, a valuable and lasting contribution to his community.
Honorary Colonel James (Ming Shing) Ho
Mr. James Ho was born in Taipei, Taiwan and came to Canada as a student in 1972. After obtaining his Landed Immigrant status in 1973 Mr. Ho became a Canadian citizen in 1977. Mr. Ho was able to merge his passion for broadcasting and promotion of multiculturalism when Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved his acquisition of an AM radio station in Vancouver. As the owner/operator of Mainstream Broadcasting Corporation, he continues to operate the Vancouver based CHMB AM1320 as a multicultural station. Entering its forty-eighth year, CHMB is Vancouver's oldest ethnic radio station. During 2001, Mr. Ho led an investors group in the successful application to the CRTC for a license to operate Vancouver’s last over-the-air TV station. In 2002, Channel M began operations under the group’s direction until it was later sold, in 2008, to Rogers Media who continues to operate it under the banner of OmniTV Vancouver.
Mr. Ho obtained his Executive MBA from the Richard Ivey Business School of the University of Western Ontario as a member of the Class of 2000. As a long serving businessman in the Vancouver community, he has continued to promote multiculturalism throughout and has since played active roles on the boards of numerous community, government and multicultural committees. In March 2007, he received the “Person of the Year” by the Interfaith Brotherhood Society and in 2012 was awarded Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Key positions of note he has held throughout the years include Director of Vancouver Aquarium; Trustee Foundation of Simon Fraser University; Campaign Cabinet Member and Director of United Way; Member of Advisory Council- Multiculturalism to BC Multicultural Minister (95-97); Member of Premier Clark's Chinese Advisory Board; Member of Diversity Advisory Committee to the Chief Constable of the Vancouver Police Department and Member and the RCMP Commissioner’s Advisory Committee on Visible Minorities, Ottawa.
At present Mr. Ho remains as Trustee of the National Arts Centre Foundation, Ottawa and Member of the Advisory Council on Diversity to the Commander: Joint Task Force – Pacific.
Mr. Ho is happily married to Emily, his lovely wife of thirty nine years. They have three sons together and have recently become doting grandparents for the first time.
Honorary Colonel Lianne D. Ing
Lianne Ing is President and CEO of Bubble Technology Industries (BTI). Founded in 1988 and located in Chalk River, Ontario, BTI is a 100% Canadian-owned and operated small business with world-renowned expertise in the field of radiation and explosives detection. With a multi-disciplinary staff of over 50 people, the company provides products, services, and contract R&D for over 400 customers in 25 countries, with key clients including the US Department of Homeland Security, US Department of Energy, the Canadian Department of National Defence, the Canadian Space Agency, NATO forces, and a wide range of law enforcement and other national security agencies. The company’s innovative technologies have flown on over twenty space missions and have been used to secure high-profile events, including US Presidential inaugurations, Papal visits, global political summits, multiple Super Bowls, NASCAR events, the World Series, and the Olympics. In 2022, BTI was inducted into the US Space Technology Hall of Fame, and they are currently a key partner in the design team for Canada’s first lunar rover, anticipated to carry scientific payloads to the moon in 2026.
Since joining the company in 2003, she has served as Manager of Business Development, Vice President of Business Development, Vice President and now President of the company. She has successfully led the company’s entry into international defence and security markets through both contract R&D and product sales channels. In addition, she has developed and negotiated partnering agreements with multiple Fortune 500 companies and has created collaborative technology development teams with stakeholders from government, industry and academia.
Ms. Ing serves on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of the Chamber’s Small & Medium Enterprise Committee and International Strategic Advisory Committee. She also serves on the Public Services and Procurement Canada Supplier Advisory Subcommittee on Supplier Relationship and Performance Management, providing inputs to the Government of Canada on innovative ways to manage and engage with its supply base.
Ms. Ing has been an invited speaker and panelist at various events for professional associations, government programs and committees, and charitable organizations, including the Canadian Nuclear Association, Professional Engineers of Ontario, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Speaker Series, Build in Canada Innovation Program Forum, Eastern Ontario Development Program Forum, and Destination Imagination (promoting creative thinking for students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
Ms. Ing has served as the Honorary Colonel of 427 Squadron since 2018. During her tenure, she has been actively engaged with the squadron’s leadership and personnel. She has flown with the squadron during Maritime Special Operations training exercises; participated in Special Operations Common Environmental Training (SOCET) activities; was an invited speaker at the squadron’s Special Operations Tactical Aviation Course (SOTAC) Leadership Symposium; supported annual Remembrance Day ceremonies in Cobden, Ontario, where the 427 Cenotaph is located; participated in community outreach events; supported squadron fundraising initiatives, such as the National Defence Workplace Charitable Campaign (NDWCC); and attended multiple squadron events for building esprit de corps, including Family Days, squadron barbecues, Christmas celebrations, and the annual Gathering of the Lions.
She is also a regular contributor to ROAR, the 427 Squadron Association’s newsletter. Her relevant professional experience in the defence industry has also enabled her to support the squadron with perspectives on issues relating to leadership, organizational culture, Government procurement, supplier relationships, performance metrics, human resources, and support of military families.
Honorary Colonel Angela James
Born and raised in Toronto, Angela pursued sports from a young age, excelling in hockey. She was a member of the Canadian Women's Hockey team for 10 years, winning a remarkable 4 World gold championships and 4 International Pacific Rim championships. Mrs. James is an honoured member of Canadian Sports and has been inducted into several Halls of Fame, including Canadian Sports and Black Sports Hall of Fame. Most notably, Angela James, in 2008 was one of the first females in history to be inducted in the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), and in 2010, one of the first three females inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Angela James was named to the Order of Hockey in Canada in Feb 2011 and was recently appointed Officer of the order of Canada (OC) in the 2022 Canadian honours.
Angela James has worked with a number of great athletes and championship teams throughout her athletic career. She is a dynamic, energetic and knowledgeable individual with extensive coaching and playing experience in minor hockey and sport across the country. She is currently employed by Seneca College in the department of Athletics and Recreation as Senior Sport Coordinator. Angela James is also co-owner and General Manager of the Toronto Six of the Premier Hockey Federation. With her background in leadership and team building, Angela James embodies the Viking Spirit at 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and is a valued member of the RCAF.
Honorary Colonel Julie Ann Lange
Honorary Colonel Julie Ann Lange, is the Branch manager of ScotiaMcLeod in Belleville, ON.
Honorary Colonel Lange was born in Montreal, QC and graduated from Ryerson University with a degree in Journalism. Prior to joining ScotiaMcLeod in 1998 she was Vice-President with RBC Dominion Securities. She is a member of ScotiaMcLeod Chairman's Council, a Fellow of the Canadian Securities Institute and Director and Branch Manager. She is a Certified Investment Manager, and a Portfolio Manager.
Honorary Colonel Lange is an active volunteer with the Quinte Regional Children's Foundation and is the founder of their "Helping Hands" program to provide support to parents of high-risk children. She received the prestigious Guardian Angel award from the Foundation. She is an active supporter of United Way, the Christmas Sharing program and the Canadian Cancer Society. Honorary Colonel Lange also serves as Chair of the Quinte Regional Hospice and advisor to the local Alzheimers Society.
Honorary Colonel Lange was the HCol to 436 (T) Squadron during 2015 to 2019. She is a proud supporter of Canada's military as the daughter of a Second World War veteran and grand-daughter of a Great War veteran.
Honorary Colonel Lange and her family reside on a farm in Quinte West.
Honorary Colonel T.J. Lawson, CMM, CD
Thomas James Lawson was born and raised in Etobicoke, Ontario. In 1979, Lawson graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, majoring in Electrical Engineering. In 1981, Lawson completed wings and fighter training. He was then posted to CFB Baden–Soellingen where he flew the CF-104 Starfighter. He returned to Royal Military College in 1985 to complete a Master of Science in Engineering, specializing in Electrical Engineering, and then served as a lecturer with the Electrical Engineering department staff.
In 1988, Lawson was promoted to Major and was posted to Montgomery, Alabama, to attend the United States Air Force Air Command and Staff College. While posted in Alabama, he completed a Master of Public Administration at Auburn University. In 1991, he was posted to CFB Cold Lake and completed CF-18 Hornet training. He then returned to CFB Baden-Soellingen to fly operationally. After the base closed, Lawson returned to CFB Cold Lake as a CF-18 instructor where he was in charge of the Fighter Weapons Instructor Course.
Lawson was posted in 1996 to National Defence Headquarters as a career manager and promoted to lieutenant-colonel. In 1998, he was appointed commanding officer of 412 Squadron, where he flew the CC-144 Challenger until 2000. Lawson was then placed in charge of career management for Air Command and he completed the United States Air Force Air War College.
In 2003, Lawson was promoted to colonel and held various staff positions with the Air Force before joining the CF Transformation Team in 2005 and leading the stand up of the Strategic Joint Staff. In 2006, Lawson was posted to CFB Trenton and completed a year in command of that base before being promoted to Brigadier-General and appointed Commandant of his alma-mater, the Royal Military College of Canada.
Lawson was promoted to major-general and appointed Assistant Chief of the Air Staff in 2009. Lawson was promoted in 2011 to lieutenant-general and appointed deputy commander of NORAD in Colorado Springs.
In 2012, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the appointment of Lawson as Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS). During his time in command, he oversaw the completion of the Canadian mission in Afghanistan, Canadian operations within the international coalition against ISIS in the Middle East, and the Canadian military response to Russian agrression in Ukraine. He completed his term as CDS in 2015.
Lawson now works as a strategic advisor for several international firms and holds Director or Vice-Chair positions on several Boards.
Honorary Colonel Kristin Long
Kristin Long was born in Pointe-Claire, QC and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Geography from the University of British Columbia. She began her aviation career in 1994 as a Flight Attendant at Air Canada while attending UBC. She went on to pursue her pilot licence and an Aviation diploma from the University of the Fraser Valley. Following graduation from flight college, Kristin moved to Winnipeg to fly for Perimeter Airlines (now Perimeter Aviation). She logged over 4,000 flight hours on the Metroliner flying to northern communities across Manitoba before being hired by WestJet Airlines in 2004. Kristin is currently a Captain on the Boeing 737 based out of Calgary.
Kristin is the founding president of Northern Spirit, the Winnipeg Chapter of Women in Aviation, International and Committee Chair of Girls in Aviation Day – Winnipeg. She actively mentors and encourages girls and women to pursue careers in aviation and aerospace. Kristin is also the Chair of Women of Winnipeg, an organization that provides opportunities for women in Winnipeg identified as leaders in the community.
Kristin is an active supporter of the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada and volunteers for various organizations and boards.
Kristin lives in Stonewall, MB, with her husband and two children.
Honorary Colonel Melanie MacKinnon
Ms. MacKinnon is a nationally recognized Indigenous nurse leader (Bachelor of Nursing/96), published author and sought after national/international speaker on cultural safety, recruitment and retention best practices, and organizational design.
She is a proud member of Misipawistik Cree Nation (Grand Rapids) with paternal roots in Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Cross Lake) and she grew up in Wabowden, Manitoba. Throughout her career, she has served in many distinct roles within the health sector.
She is currently the Head and Executive Director, Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing
(Ongomiizwin), Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba. As a healthcare executive and advocate, her work has informed regional and national policy shifts and generated new program mandates that look to improve and protect the health and well-being of the communities she serves.
Prior to joining the University of Manitoba, Ms. Mackinnon owned and operated Medicine Creek Solutions, a national healthcare consulting practice. Through her business and clinical operations acumen, she has generated more than ½ a Billion dollars for innovative health services, programs, and capital projects with First Nation, Metis, and Inuit beneficiaries.
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs appointed Ms. Mackinnon their regional health lead and through her co-leadership with multiple First Nation and mainstream health organizations, they created a crisis response the rest of the country learned from and reflected as per their unique circumstances. In that time, Ms. Mackinnon worked directly with members from the Canadian Armed Forces in the testing and community outbreak response as well as the vaccine roll-out, of which Manitoba First Nations had the highest vaccine uptake in the country. This work has been publicly honoured by the Manitoba Chiefs in Assembly in 2023.
Other notable recognitions for excellence in service include; National Indspire Award - Health recipient (2022), WXN Most Powerful - Top 100 Women in Canada (2021), the Circle of Excellence Award, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (Manitoba Region), Indigenous Services Canada (2021), the Co-Game Star National Hockey League (NHL) Healthcare Heroes Award (Winnipeg Jets - 2021), the co- recipient of the Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Campbell Outreach Award (2021 -The university’s premier award in recognition of outstanding outreach activities by a member of the university), and the recipient of the Frontier School Division Life-Time Achievement Award (2021).
Honorary Colonel Peter MacIsaac
Mr. Peter MacIsaac is an esteemed business leader. They are currently a McDonald’s Franchisee and President of Angus G. Foods Inc. As a result of their dedication to their team, they earned the Outstanding Restaurant Award with McDonald’s Canada. Mr. MacIsaac has also successfully fulfilled other important roles in the past which include: District Manager, Manager Team Tim Horton’s Area Training Manager and Director of Field Services for TDL Group Inc, Field Accountant for Hansa Geomin Consult and High School Teacher for the Halifax Regional School Board.
Mr. MacIsaac was born in Pictou, NS and is the father of two children. Their local community is of utmost importance to them, sponsoring local youth sports teams and heavily involved in various youth programs. As a result of their benevolence, Mr. MacIsaac earned both the Dartmouth High School Outstanding Community Involvement Award and the McDonald’s Canada Street Fighter Award.
Honorary Colonel Rory MacKinnon
Honorary Colonel (HCol) Rory MacKinnon and his family have owned and operated McDonald's restaurants in the Alliston, Angus, Schomberg, Caledon and Orangeville areas since 2004. Having grown up in Burnaby, British Columbia he then completed his education in Ottawa, Ontario. HCol MacKinnon began his career with McDonald's as a member of the crew at the St. Laurent Blvd location in Ottawa in 1974 and remained with McDonald's throughout his post-secondary education and then into Restaurant Management training followed by employment with the Head Office where his career spanned the disciplines of Management Training, Operations and Field Service, Restaurant Development as well as Marketing and Information Technology.
HCol MacKinnon was part of the team that opened McDonald's in the SkyDome in 1989, and also created the first 108 McDonald's restaurants in Walmart locations across Canada in 1994. During his career with McDonald's he has been the recipient of numerous awards, notably the President's Award in 2003 and the Ronald Award in 2014. HCol MacKinnon continues to serve on many National Owner Operator Leadership Forums.
HCol MacKinnon is very active in several communities serving on many of the community Business Improvement Associations, Chambers of Commerce and local Hospital Fundraising committees. He has been the recipient of the Chamber of Commerce Community Development Award in 2012, the South Simcoe Hall of Fame Award in 2013, and the Paul Harris Fellowship for service to Rotary in 2014. His restaurants have received numerous awards from McDonald's corporation for Operational Excellence.
In addition to HCol MacKinnon’s business acumen his passion is the bagpipes, which he began playing at the age of 10. He first learned to play the bagpipes as an Air Cadet in Burnaby, BC. HCol MacKinnon is the Pipe Major of his local pipe band in Tottenham "The Clans of Tecumseth Pipes and Drums" and in addition to various performances and parades he is also the duty piper for local Remembrance Day ceremonies. He has traveled from Scotland to Shanghai to perform with various bands and is extremely proud of the honour to be the piper for the patriation and repatriation of the sacred soil from Vimy Ridge to the CFB Base Borden Legacy Monument and the Barrie Cenotaph.
HCol MacKinnon, his wife Marlene and three children live in Alliston, Ontario.
Honorary Colonel Tracie Marsh-Fior
Tracie Marsh-Fior, Director, Planning and Change Management at Canadore College, has over 20 years business management experience in both the private and public sector. As Director, Planning and Change Management, Tracie leads the planning and change management effort across the College. This role is dedicated to implementing appropriate change management and infrastructure processes in support of the strategic alignment of the College.
As Chief Operating Officer at Pilot Diamond Tools, Tracie was responsible for the overall operations at Pilot – a company established in 1969, servicing the mining supply sector. Tracie achieved impressive business results while fostering a respectful, healthy, and inclusive workplace.
Prior to her position at Pilot Diamond Tools, Tracie spent 13 years in the higher education sector. In her position as Dean of Trades, Technology and Part-time Studies at Canadore College in North Bay, Tracie was responsible for apprenticeship, trades, technology, community justice, police services, and part-time studies, as well as overall management responsibility of the Innovation Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping (ICAMP) and the college's Commerce Court Campus. ICAMP received the Northern Ontario Business Award for Entrepreneurial Community of the Year in 2013.
Tracie has served on the Board of Directors for the North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce, The Business Centre, Nipissing-Parry Sound, OntarioLearn and the Almaguin Choral Society. Currently, Tracie is a Director and Treasurer for the Board of Directors of MineConnect, an association representing Northern Ontario’s mining supply and services cluster.
Born in Welland, Ontario to a police officer father and a registered nurse mother, Tracie has a true appreciation for those who serve and is aware of many of the sacrifices that military personnel and their families make. Tracie has a BA in Administrative and Commercial Studies/Finance and Economics from Western University as well as her MBA (Marketing Concentration) from Laurier University.
Honorary Colonel Diane McCurdy
A harrowing accident introduced Diane McCurdy to 442 Search and Rescue “City of Vancouver” Squadron at 19 Wing Comox. On a sightseeing flight over rugged British Columbia, the helicopter she was riding in crashed, and Diane and the other two people aboard personally experienced the squadron’s mission and skills.
That near-calamitous event in 2010 fostered her advocacy for the search-and-rescue mission and the RCAF, which is evident in her participation in a number of business community stakeholder visits to 19 Wing and other military locations. In November 2014, she was appointed the squadron’s Honorary Colonel, and in that position continues to use her business leadership to promote their vital work.
Honorary Colonel McCurdy is an internationally renowned financial planner, author and speaker whose aim in life is to help people of all income levels understand money and use it wisely. Born and educated in Winnipeg, MB, she showed an entrepreneurial spirit from the start. She began by buying, renovating, and selling older homes, before renovating a caboose to house her co-owned ice cream store. From there she founded McCurdy Financial Planning Inc. (the term “financial planning” was rarely used at the time). It became one of the largest independent firms of its kind in Canada.
Honorary Colonel McCurdy is internationally recognized as a speaker, moderator, and commentator. She has had a 10-year long engagement on Global BC TV, and appeared in magazines and publications including The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Money Sense, and Maclean’s amongst many others. In 2009, she was a platform speaker for the Advisor Magazine’s initial women-only annual seminar in Toronto, leading to her direct involvement in expanding the seminar program in Vancouver. In 2013, her personal finance book, How Much is Enough became a bestseller in Canada. Its later, US edition is used as a reference book within medical schools such as Johns Hopkins. In her industry she has assumed numerous leadership roles, including teaching at international conferences across Canada and the US. The exclusive industry association The Million Dollar Round Table recognized her as the first woman in Canada to reach the Top of the Table, its highest level.
Honoree BMO Celebrating Women Award 2016. Received Canada’s Most Powerful Women Award in 2017 & 2019. Amongst a range of community affiliations, Honorary Colonel McCurdy is an active member of the International Women’s Forum; on the board of directors for the National Art Centre; an inaugural member of the BC Children’s Hospital’s Planned Giving Committee; and a volunteer/staunch supporter of many other charities. Honorary Colonel McCurdy and her family reside in Vancouver.
Honorary Colonel Laura Money
Laura Money is Executive Vice-President & Chief Information Officer of Sun Life. In this role, Laura oversees all aspects of Information Technology including strategy, architecture, infrastructure, development and applications. She is passionately committed to advancing digital transformation and innovation to support Sun Life’s Clients and business partners.
Prior to Sun Life, Laura held senior IT roles at a major Canadian bank. In these roles, Laura led the technology development and support of corporate functions and enterprise-wide capabilities and transformations, working with diverse teams to support Clients and business partners. She also oversaw and delivered the initiatives required to transform key client processes across all channels.
Laura has over 30 years of experience in Canadian, American and British Financial Institutions, having worked with Accenture in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K., and in several executive business and technology roles at two Canadian banks.
Laura graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Industrial Engineering, earned an MBA from INSEAD and recently completed the Rotman/ICD Director’s Education Program to earn her ICD.D designation.
Laura serves as board member for Canadian Cancer Society – Ontario, and is Vice President of the University of Toronto Schools Alumni Association. Laura represents Canada internationally as a member of Age Group Team Canada for Standard Distance Triathlon. She is also an avid marathon and ski mountaineering racer. Laura has three children and lives with her husband in Toronto.
Honorary Colonel Corina Moore
Corina Moore, President and CEO of Ontario Northland - a transportation agency, is a proud Northerner with a hands-on leadership style focused on the long term sustainability of the organization.
Corina’s early career traces a journey around the globe in business process engineering and optimization in the telecommunication and technology industries.
As President and CEO she is a fearless leader, responsible for the radical transformation of Ontario Northland into a renewed, strong and stable organization. Her efforts have resulted in unprecedented positive changes for the North; hiring over 200 new employees, adding over 20 new rail freight customers, expanding motor coach services for the first time in the company’s history and obtaining long-term investment from the Province.
Her passion and appreciation for new ideas have transformed the company’s culture into one of innovation. She takes her customers and employees satisfaction seriously, resulting in their dedication and commitment to the organization.
Over the next few years, Corina’s focus will be to continue delivering strong and reliable transportation services that are vital to the people of Northern Ontario while adding new customers, enhancing service delivery and making processes even more efficient.
Corina was recognized by Railway Age as one of ten women who are visionaries in the rail industry in North America. She is also the first woman to appear on the front cover of Railway Age Magazine since its inception in 1856. She is a graduate of Waterloo University in Systems Design Engineering and Business Administration and Management.
A married mother of three, when Corina isn’t at the hockey rink, she can be found spending time with her extended family, travelling, volunteering or enjoying time at the lake with her children.
Honorary Colonel Stuart Murray, O.M.
HCol Stuart Murray, President & CEO of The City of Human Rights Education, was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 17 Wing, in Winnipeg MB, in December 2017.
Honorary Colonel Murray was born in Lestock, SK and studied Science at University of Manitoba, Architectural Drafting at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and Architectural Science from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
Preceding his current employment, HCol Murray served as the inaugural President & CEO of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Prior to joining the CMHR, he was the CEO of the St. Boniface Hospital Foundation and enjoyed a number of years in politics including serving as leader of a political party in Manitoba, Canada and being twice elected to the province’s legislature. Before being elected to public office, he served as the Tour Director to Canada’s prime minister and was President & CEO of Domo, a Western Canadian gasoline company with some 80 retail outlets.
An active member of the arts and cultural sector his entire career, HCol Murray was tour manager of one of the most successful rock and roll acts of the 1970’s and served as media director of a national opera company.
HCol Murray has received the Order of Manitoba, the Order of the Buffalo and both the Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, commemorative awards honouring significant contributions and achievements by Canadians. HCol Murray and his wife Ashleigh reside in Winnipeg. They have two daughters, one son-in-law, and are very proud grandparents.
Honorary Colonel J’lyn Nye
J’lyn Nye was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, Edmonton, AB in July 2015.
Honorary Colonel Nye was born in Smiths Falls, ON and raised in Belleville and Sault Ste. Marie. She graduated from Confederation College in Thunder Bay, ON with a Broadcasting Radio and Television Diploma.
Honorary Colonel Nye began her broadcasting career at CKPR Television in Thunder Bay where she spent seven years as the 6 o’clock News Anchor. She subsequently spent another ten years on television with Global TV in Regina, SK and Edmonton, AB. She left television to pursue her career in radio in 2008, spending 15 years on the radio airwaves in Edmonton. Recently, she left broadcasting and is now using her Communications expertise as the Director of Digital Media & Marketing with the Edmonton Police Service.
Honorary Colonel Nye is also a published author, having co-written the biography of Peter Pocklington, “I’d Trade Him Again: On Gretzky, Politics and the Pursuit of the Perfect Deal.”
Honorary Colonel Nye has been a long-term supporter of the military, veterans, and their families on a number of fronts. Amongst a long list of her involvement, she serves as Honorary Patron since 2010 of the Edmonton Military Family Resource Centre, writer and master of ceremonies of the Alberta Remembrance Day Service at Edmonton Van Vliet Center, and master of ceremonies of the annual Lest We Forget Concert. She is also a sought after keynote speaker and emcee.
Honorary Colonel Nye has been recognized within her profession and for her community involvement. In 2004, she was awarded the Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Documentary “International Category” for "Return to Normandy", a documentary on the opening of the Juno Beach Centre in France, as well as the Alberta Solicitor General’s Award for "Cold as Ice" series on crystal methamphetamine.
In 2010, she was named as one of Edmonton’s Top 40 under 40. She has also been twice nominated as one of Edmonton’s Women of Distinction for her volunteer work and was honoured with the Support Group Award by the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
J'lyn has been honoured with the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation and the Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee medal for her service to 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and the Edmonton military/veteran community.
Honorary Colonel Lorraine O'Quinn
Mrs. Lorraine O’Quinn was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 8 Air Communication and Control Squadron (8 ACCS) of Canadian Forces Base Trenton, ON in January 2020.
Originally from Corner Brook NL, HCol O’Quinn is a highly respected business professional in the local community. Operating a very successful Real Estate team within Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty, her team has ranked within the top 1% of all Royal LePage across Canada since 2009. HCol O’Quinn is also very well known as a community leader, extremely dedicated to raising funds and awareness for a variety of local charities.
Since 2007, HCol O’Quinn has been committed to giving back to the community. She was a wish granter for Make-a-Wish Foundation of Eastern Ontario, providing hope, strength and joy to some very deserving children. She has initiated and coordinated multiple fund raising events for Three Oaks Shelter Foundation supporting abused women and their children, and has also participated in three separate 100+km hikes with Charity Challenge Canada in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.
HCol O’Quinn also organized an event and raised much needed funds to support the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation.
HCol O’Quinn was a military spouse for 25 years when her husband retired from the Canadian Forces, and her son has also served in the Canadian Armed Forces. Through her family ties with the military, HCol O’Quinn is quite familiar with military life. She is well aware of the importance of a strong bond between members of the CAF and their civilian communities.
Honorary Colonel Patrice Ouellet
Honorary Colonel Patrice Ouellet was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, at Valcartier, QC in November 2017.
Honorary Colonel Ouellet has spent the last 25 years of his career in the automotive industry. He is currently helping leaders and entrepreneurs reach world-class performance in their professional and personal life through his firm, 48 heures par jour. Honorary Colonel Ouellet was Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Toyotoshi Group. Under his management, the Group was named among the best places to Work in Canada for five years by the Great Places to Work Institute. He is an expert in car dealership operations management and individual high performance. He has also worked as a consultant with multiple car manufacturers in North America.
Honorary Colonel Ouellet has been a governor for the Jeune chambre de commerce de Quebec (JCCQ) for over 8 years and is very involved at different levels in the Quebec business community.
You can read and hear Honorary Colonel Ouellet on social media and traditional media discussing leadership, high performance and productivity.
Honorary Colonel Ouellet has a Bachelor degree in Psychology (BA), a graduate Diploma in Administration (DA) with distinction and a Master in Business Administration (MBA). He is also a graduate from the New York Institute of Photography in professional photography.
Honorary Colonel Gregory Parker
Mr. Gregory Parker was born and raised in Trenton, Ontario. Mr. Parker's family was heavily involved in the local business community, having operated a multi-generational manufacturing business. His family also has a long history of military service with his great-grandfather serving in World War I and his grandfather serving in World War II.
Greg was a physically active youth, heavily involved in sports and athletics from a young age at both the local and provincial level. This ultimately resulted in him being awarded a scholarship to attend Connecticut College and pursue his hockey career, during which time he also obtained an Economics degree. Subsequently, Greg attended law school at the University of Ottawa where he obtained his Juris Doctor; he currently practices law in the Quinte Area as a partner at Baldwin Law, with a focus on business and real estate. Mr. Parker is already active in supporting our members, and has done so on numerous occasions, as an approved third party supplier registered with BGRS.
In addition to his legal practice, Greg has maintained his passion for sports, acting as a player agent representing amateur and professional hockey players at the local and national level across Canada.
A devoted husband and father to two young daughters, Greg has consistently committed to organizations and campaigns across the Quinte Region to benefit everyone within the community regardless of background, ethnicity or status, with a significant nexus towards the benefit of youth in the area. He remains a strong advocate and supporter within the community to this day.
Despite his still relatively young age, Greg has previously held some high profile roles with local charities and organisations in the Quinte region, including former Director for the Quinte Healthcare Corporation, Past-President for the Kiwanis Club of Trenton, and past Chair of the YMCA Strong Communities Campaign with an emphasis of improving the prospects and community for youth across the Quinte Region; he wishes to continue to serve his community and is excited to offer his personal and professional experience and expertise to 426 (Transport) Training Squadron and CFB Trenton at large.
Greg has the ultimate aim of improving the workplace for our military men and women where possible, and raising awareness and support for those members from within the military community across the Quinte Region and beyond.
Honorary Colonel Mélanie Paul
Mélanie Paul has been with the Mashteuiatsh family business for 19 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in social work from Laval University and made the leap into entrepreneurship by joining the family business in 2002. After taking several management courses at the University of Québec in Chicoutimi (UQUAC), she enrolled at the Beauce School of Entrepreneurship in 2013. Mélanie Paul was the first indigenous entrepreneur to graduate there in 2015.
Mme Paul is extremely involved and has acted in various capacities in recent years. In 2006, she was appointed as commissioner by the Council of Piekuakamiulnuatsh Takuhikan in order to analyze the various social issues and to propose a comprehensive community intervention plan including strategies and priorities relating to social distress and particularly on the issue of suicide.
From 2005 to 2008, she acted as vice-president of the Ilnu Economic Development Corporation, and from 2008 to 2013, she was co-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Roberval, QC. In 2015, Mélanie Paul also accepted to be an ambassador for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region as part of the Prosperity Quebec campaign of the Quebec Employer’s Council.
Mme Paul was appointed president of the Indigenous Roundtable by the Couillard government following the regional economic summit in 2015. In collaboration with several regional economic players, she worked on the development of a guide to good practices for the establishment of partnerships for sustainable business between communities and the regional environment.
In May 2018, she won the Entrepreneur of the Year award from the Conseil du Patronat du Québec.
In November 2020, she was recognized as a businesswoman who is changing the world according to the UN's sustainable development goals, by Femmessor, which retained 100 women in Quebec.
Proud mother of three children, Guillaume 26 years old, Aurélie 20 years old and Mélina 15 years old, she aspires to transmit to them the values which have guided the First Nations for millennia, solidarity, mutual aid, sharing, self-respect, others and nature.
There is a common thread running through all of her involvement, which is to change people's perceptions. When she gets involved, Mélanie Paul does not hesitate to say that she is Indigenous, to show that the First Nations are there, that its members can succeed in business and work in partnership with non-Indigenous people, because being an Aboriginal person is not a constraint, it is an IDENTITY.
Honorary Colonel Mark Phillips
Originally from Lionel Town, Jamaica, HCol Phillips and his family originally settled in Ontario. Shortly after, he was looking to incite his adventuresome spirit and sought opportunities on the west coast of Canada. After over twenty years in the west, he moved back to Ontario in 2003 choosing Trenton as “home” and the place to raise his family. He began by opening a “Central Canada” distribution center for Mystical Distributing Company Ltd. Today he is President of the company, having been involved in the fireworks business now for thirty-four years, building Mystical into the largest fireworks distributor in Canada, selling products from coast to coast. With a worldwide footprint and distribution network, his company also owns a manufacturing facility in Cambodia, South East Asia, a sales office in West Lothian Scotland, and a warehouse in Utah, United States.
HCol Phillips entrepreneurship extends to several other local businesses, either as an owner or a partner, including; a home construction and land development company called Wooler Homes, a real estate company franchise called Property Guys, an online sales company called Shehlev Retail Brokers, and Trenton Self Storage, a company that builds and operates self-storage units.
A very active member of the community, HCol Phillips is a past Rotarian and a lifetime honorary member of the Kiwanis Club. He sits on the committee of the YMCA Strong Kids campaign and is a strong supporter of many local causes, including involvement with the local hospice, and both the Trenton and Belleville Hospital Foundations. HCol Phillips currently serves as a board member on the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation. Well known and highly respected throughout the local business community, in 2020 he was nominated, and subsequently received, Businessman of the Year, and was also awarded a lifetime membership to the local Chamber of Commerce. More recently he received the 'Guardian Angel' award, presented by the local Children's Foundation.
HCol Phillips likes keeping himself mentally and physically fit by spending the early part of his mornings at the YMCA working out and playing squash. In his spare time, he enjoys entertaining his friends and travelling with his family.
Honorary Colonel David Proudfoot
Honorary Colonel David Proudfoot was born and grew up in Kentville, Nova Scotia, the youngest of four children. He was born and raised by his dedicated parents, a WW II Veteran {Volunteer 1943} and accomplished academic and Research Scientist Frederick Proudfoot, and a Registered Nurse Phyllis Proudfoot (nee Conrad). Honorary Colonel Proudfoot engaged in community sports and academic achievement, which was nurtured by a home environment that encouraged independent and critical thought, debate, hard work and resolve.
Honorary Colonel Proudfoot graduated from the Acadia University Fred C. Manning School of Business (1977) (Dean's List Scholar) and Dalhousie University Law School (1980), and worked with the RCMP before articles and entering the work world. Honorary Colonel Proudfoot served as a Canadian University Students Overseas (CUSO) Cooperant with the Government of Botswana under the auspices and direction of US Aid, followed by a year as political assistant (Atlantic Canada) to the federal Minister of Industry and the federal Minister of Regional Economic Expansion.
In 1986 Honorary Colonel Proudfoot entered the practice of law with McGrath Alexander McKenzie in Windsor NS with regular and numerous appearances in Family Court, Provincial Court and Supreme Court, marshalling and protecting clients' interests and rights in family law, criminal law and litigation matters. In 1991, Honorary Colonel Proudfoot was made partner at which time the firm acquired the Greenwood law office that Honorary Colonel Proudfoot operated from 1991 through January 2021, logging over 15,000 files; he sold his law practice to the firm Nathanson Seaman Watts.
From 2019 through 2022, Honorary Colonel Proudfoot served as Custodian of the Parker Richter law firm at the request of the Nova Scotia Barristers Society, and to date continues to liaise with Nathanson Seaman Watts in the management of specific legal issues as they arise.
Honorary Colonel Proudfoot has been married to Social Worker Susan Proudfoot for the past 35 years, and they are the parents of two daughters now working in the business and health care fields. Honorary Colonel Proudfoot takes pride in friendships he has maintained since boyhood, through law school and the workplace.
Honorary Colonel Robert Quartermain
Honorary Colonel Robert Quartermain, Professional Geoscientist with degrees from UNB and Queen's, was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 19 Wing Comox, BC in July 2019.
HCol Bob Quartermain was born in St. Stephen, N.B. As a mining entrepreneur he has worked in most provinces of Canada and 18 countries globally, over his 43 year resource career.
As President of Silver Standard, the company grew from two employees and a value of $1.8 Million in 1985, to over 1,000 employees and a market value exceeding $2 Billion. In 2010, HCol Quartermain started Pretivm Resources, and with an exceptional management team, Pretivm developed and now operates Canada’s newest high grade and profitable Brucejack Gold Mine, located 65 kilometres north of Stewart BC. The mine employees 1,000 personnel with approximately 30% of its labour force from regional First Nations communities and is a significant contributor to the economy of Northern BC.
His passion for the RCAF started in 1970 at 527 Simonds Squadron in Saint John, NB. He obtained a cadet pilots license in 1973. His vocation as an exploration geologist has allowed him to blend his passion for camping and adventure, with flying to remote areas of the globe in search of minerals.
He enjoys skiing, sailing, scuba diving and hiking in addition to gardening on Keats Island. He recently co-chaired UNB's successful It Begin's Here campaign raising $125 Million; he is Founding Director of the ARC Foundation focussed on social justice issues, a director of Panthera preserving large cat habitant globally, a director of Geoscience BC, a contributor to the new Vimy Ridge visitor centre and created the Quartermain Earth Science Centre at UNB in Fredericton.
HCol Quartermain was recognized as Mining Person of the year for 2017 by MABC, received the CIM Vale Inco medal for leadership in the mining industry, the Murray Pezim Award for Perseverance in Mining Finance from AMEBC and holds an Honorary Doctorate degree from UNB.
Members of his family have served in the RCAF and are currently serving in the CAF. Honorary Colonel Quartermain is honoured by the appointment and privilege of serving as Honorary Colonel for 19 Wing.
Honorary Colonel Greg M. Radu
Dr. Radu is associate dean and professor of psychiatry in the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University and a practicing psychiatrist at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. He is the immediate past president of the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Dr. Radu was born and raised in Romania and came to Canada more than twenty years ago after earning his Medical Doctorate at Carol Davila University in Bucharest. He has been living in St. John’s and became a Canadian Citizen in 2006. While completing his five-year Specialty Training in Psychiatry at Memorial, he earned a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Liverpool and completed advanced training and certifications in Mind-Body Medicine and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Albert Ellis Institute in New York City and the Beck Institute in Philadelphia. He received Certification in Psychiatry and Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada in 2009 and started as an academic psychiatrist at Memorial University the same year. He pursued further subspecialty training and completed fellowships in Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy at New York University and the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute.
In 2010, he both founded and became director of the psychotherapy training program in the Faculty of Medicine, a position he held for eight years. In that role, he developed a comprehensive clinical training program in twelve forms of psychotherapy for resident physicians specializing in psychiatry at Memorial. The program received national recognition and Dr. Radu was elected by his peers as chair of the Canadian Psychiatric Association’ Section of Psychotherapy in 2011. He achieved tenure and promotion to associate professor at Memorial in 2015. In 2018, he was appointed assistant dean of Student Affairs for Medical Doctoral learners. In that capacity, he led the restructuring of existing programs and services in the areas of wellness, mentorship, career advising, scholarships, awards and learning environment, and expanded operations to resident physicians training in all specialties offered at Memorial. He inaugurated the new office of Learner Wellbeing and Success in 2020 while being the lead of the COVID-19 Well-Being Task Force in the Faculty of Medicine that supported safety and wellbeing of all learners, faculty and staff. He was promoted to associate dean of medical Learner Wellbeing and Success at Memorial in 2020 and was appointed chair of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada’s Committee on Student Affairs in 2021. He was promoted to full professor of Psychiatry in 2022.
Dr. Radu started as provincial psychiatric consultant with the Ministry of Health in 2017 and served as chair of the provincial psychiatry services advisory committee for three years. He received the Public Service Award of Excellence from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador as member of the Towards Recovery Team, for the implementation of the provincial mental health and addictions action plan Towards Recovery. He is also the recipient of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Provincial Mental Health Leadership Award and the Pottle Award. Dr. Radu has been a Senior Medical Advisor with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador since 2021.
Dr. Radu has held visiting professorships in the United Kingdom, Finland, Lithuania and New Zealand and served as chair of the European Psychiatric Association’s Section of Psychotherapy for two consecutive terms until 2022. He has delivered presentations, well-being workshops and health professions’ leadership courses in more than 20 countries. He has been a regular faculty for the Essential Skills in Educational Leadership and Management (ESMELead) course offered by the Association of Medical Education in Europe and for the Centre for Medical Education/APMEC, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
Honorary Colonel Judy Rafuse
Judy Rafuse is a life-long resident of Annapolis Valley having grown up on a beef farm in Prospect, Kings County.
Upon graduation from Central Kings Rural High School, she entered the workforce and continued to improve her education through evening classes. Judy worked for many years a Speedy Propane (Irving propane) as an administrative assistant and then as Office Manager. After that she spent 17 ½ years in Radio with Annapolis Valley Radio in a number of roles throughout the years.
Judy was hired as the Executive Director of Eastern Kings Chamber of Commerce in November 2005 and has helped the chamber grow to now include the area Hantsport to Eastern Annapolis County and changing the name to Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce. AVCC currently has over 400 members and their employees.
Judy has been recognized throughout her career on numerous occasions receiving awards such as a Public Speaking Award as well as being the Employee of the Year with the AVR.
Judy still lives in Prospect, next door to where she grew up with her husband Kevin. They have two grown children and four grandsons.
Honorary Colonel Michael Ravenhill
With over 35 years of management experience in the tourism, hospitality, real estate development and the entertainment industry, Michael has extensive experience training some of North America’s finest tourism and hospitality properties. In his early years, his business QSR Concepts set the service standards for Tourism British Columbia in all the visitor information centers across the province. Training and evaluating 118 visitor info centers and staff resulted in tourism BC’s program being recognized as one of the leading and most respected visitor info center networks in the world.
Michael’s passion for people and his ability to see opportunities where others will see difficulties has resulted in him being highly respected as a transformational leader and change agent. His knowledge of the multiple industries and his willingness to share his insights with others keeps him in great demand. In 2005, Michael was contracted as the Vice President of Customer Service for the world's largest sustainable development, Loreto Bay. This was an 8,000 acre, 6,000 home master-plan development in the Baja of California with 5 miles of ocean front, hotels and restaurants. Michael implemented general company wide systems, policies and procedures, customer service standards and an international supply chain. After one year, Michael was promoted to President of Village Homes Division. Responsible for all aspects of the development from construction schedules, staffing, master planning, architectural and design, financials, timelines, customer service, sales and marketing.
Michael is also a firm believer in developing young entrepreneurs and new business ideas, expanding and restructuring existing businesses with a strong emphasis on, ROI, strategic planning, customer service, sales and marketing. His continual thirst for helping young business entrepreneurs with their new ideas has seen him increasingly become the principle investor in a wide variety of new business startups. In addition to business acumen, Michael is known for his commitment to giving back to a wide variety of charitable organizations both locally, nationally, and internationally (Canadian Cancer Society, Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock, Young Life, David Foster Foundation, etc).
He started as a volunteer for the David Foster Foundation in the late 80’s and shortly thereafter became a director of the board and then President, at which time he took the foundation from a provincial charity to a national foundation assisting families of children needing major organ transplants throughout Canada. In January 2009 Michael was appointed CEO. Since then, he has re structured the entire foundation operations’ and procedures, opened a second foundation office in Toronto, expanded the staff and board of directors to include prominent Canadians from across Canada. He has developed an endowment fund and initiated the life legacy program to ensure the foundation is sustainable for decades to come. Michael developed and implemented the “Sponsor a Family Campaign” which has become the largest single fundraising initiative for the foundation in 32 years, raising over 20 million dollars in the past 3 years.
Michael is a proud supporter of Canada’s military as a son of a World War II Royal Air Force veteran. He has been married to Cassandra for 28 years,a father to 2 daughters and a proud grandfather. The Ravenhill's divide their time between their hometown of Victoria, BC and Phoenix, Arizona.
Honorary Colonel William (Bill) Ricketts
After graduating from high school in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Honourary Colonel (HCol) Ricketts joined the Canadian Forces in 1974 to attend the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. Finishing with his Mechanical Engineering Degree in 1978, he then completed Air Navigator training in 1979 at Winnipeg, Manitoba.
HCol Ricketts then started a military career that was primarily focused on operations. His first tour started in 1980 with 409 Squadron in Comox, British Columbia, flying in the CF-101 Voodoo fighter aircraft as part of Canada's commitment to NORAD. He was then posted in 1983 to Colorado Springs, USA, working in Space Operations in Cheyenne Mountain. Upon promotion to Major in 1986, he oversaw the establishment of training for combat crews for the worldwide network of space surveillance sites. Upon return to Canada in 1987, he attended the Command and Staff College in Toronto.
In 1988, HCol Ricketts started his next phase of his military career in the long range patrol community with a move to Greenwood, Nova Scotia and a posting to 405 Squadron. He served as a Tactical Navigator on the CP-140 Aurora, before serving the Squadron as the Flight Commander and Deputy Commanding Officer. In 1992 he was posted to Maritime Air Group Headquarters in Halifax, where he planned the first extensive operational deployment of the Aurora with multiple aircraft and crews flying out of Sicily, Italy for operations in the Adriatic Sea. Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1993, he remained in headquarters to oversee the training and operational readiness of Aurora aircrew across the country. In 1996, he was appointed Commanding Officer of 405 Squadron and then, in 1998, Wing Operations Officer for 14 Wing Greenwood.
HCol Ricketts retired from the Canadian Forces in 2000 and moved to Halifax to begin a career in private industry. He first joined Satlantic Inc, a high tech company designing sensors for oceanographic research as their Vice President (VP) for Operations, and then as President. Looking to return to aircraft operations, he joined IMP Aerospace and Defence in 2005 as the VP overseeing the Canadian SAR Helicopter Program, responsible for all the administrative, financial, maintenance, engineering and logistical support for Canada's fleet of Cormorant aircraft across the country. He was very fortunate to stay with IMP and work with the Air Force in this position until 2017 when he retired after a 43-year career with the military and with industry.
Honorary Colonel Tammy Dee Roberts
Tammy Dee Roberts, originally from Northern Manitoba, has called the Northwest Territories (NWT) home since 1993. Choosing to be a stay-at-home mom led her to become a committed professional parent, providing emergency and long term care to over 250 NWT foster children and youth with mild to extreme learning and behavioral disabilities. Today, she continues to provide long-term care to individuals that have been prenatally exposed to drugs and alcohol as a foster and adoptive parent. Tammy cultivated her parenting skills through training and life experiences, which has enabled her to deliver Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder training locally, territorially and nationally.
She has been and continues to be a support to many children and families across the north and because of this, was recognized with the Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 for her contribution to the community. More recently, she was a finalist of the National Lynn Factor Stand Up For Kids Award in 2019 that is presented annually by the Children's Aid Foundation of Canada. Tammy has been the Executive Director of the Foster Family Coalition of the Northwest Territories since 2009 and works tirelessly to provide support and programs to benefit children and their families across the territory. She prides herself on creating a strong team so her employees feel valued. Tammy recently took on the role of Executive Director of another non-profit organization, The SideDoor Ministry, which aims to end homelessness for youth in the city of Yellowknife. She attributes her strength, independence and flexibility from being a spouse of a serving CAF member. A true northerner who sets an example by doing.
Honorary Colonel Sandra Rossignol
Mrs. Sandra Rossignol was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 425th Tactical Support Squadron in July 2020.
Honorary Colonel Rossignol completed her college studies in Media Arts and Technology (ATM) in 1991, which enabled her to work in the media industry for 15 years. At the same time, she pursued university studies in organizational communication, marketing, and administration. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the Université du Québec à Montréal (TELUQ) in 2008.
In 2005, she transitioned from journalism to public relations. She became the Communications Officer and Business Mentoring Coordinator at the Local Development Center of the City of Saguenay (CLD). During this period, she developed a passion for regional economic development, mentoring young entrepreneurs, and organizing events for the business community.
In 2011, Honorary Colonel Rossignol became a Regional Communications Advisor for the Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec, where she worked for nearly 7 years. Her main responsibilities included managing internal and external communications, supporting the president and regional vice-president with communication, public relations, and press matters, and managing and utilizing sponsorships and donations for the Desjardins Movement.
In 2017, she was appointed Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the Chambre de commerce et d'industrie Saguenay-Le Fjord. In this role, Honorary Colonel Rossignol ensures proper representation for the approximately one-thousand-member businesses and organizations of the CCISF. She is also involved in various working committees, including the Advisory Committee of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (FCCQ), the Follow-up Committee of the Niobec Mine (Saint-Honoré), and the Micoua-Saguenay Economic Impact Maximization Committee (Hydro-Québec). In 2019, she was elected President of the Regional Council of Labor Market Partners - Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean (Emploi-Québec).
Honorary Colonel Rossignol has nearly 30 years of professional experience. She has been married for nearly 30 years to Éric Dufour, with whom she has two grown children, Fabrice and Delphine.
Honorary Colonel Sonia Simard
A native of Roberval in Lac St Jean, Ms. Simard is the descendant of a family involved in business in her community since the founding of the region. She is also of Innu descent on her maternal side. After completing her high school studies at the high school in her community with flying colors, Ms. Simard continued her studies in Montreal at the Collège de Rosemont in hearing aids. She graduated in 1989 and is registered with the Ordre des audioprothésistes du Québec. In addition, she completed training at the Collège du Vieux Montréal in Quebec Sign Language (LSQ). Ms. Simard worked in a clinic for 4 years in the region and joined her colleague Mr. Serge Landry joined the Groupe Forget banner with his partner. Associate owners since 1992, they employ more than 65 people in nine offices in Saguenay Lac St-Jean, namely Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi Nord, La Baie, Jonquière, Roberval, St-Félicien, Normandin, Dolbeau, Chibougamau.
For more than 20 years, Ms. Simard was the treasurer of AQEPA Saguenay, an NPO that ensures the integration of hearing-impaired children. She organized various activities for children and meetings and conferences for parents. Also her company encourages in various ways events such as the Traversée du Lac St-Jean à la nage, the Dragons de Jonquière race, the Village sur Glace de Roberval and various festivals in Saguenay Lac St-Jean. Groupe Forget has also been very involved with the seniors (FADOQ) of Saguenay Lac St-Jean for more than 30 years, whether in various sponsorships or for Les Jeux et Salon des Aînés. She still holds the position of v-p at Groupe Forget Audioprothésistes and also takes care of the treasury and general administration aspects while continuing to do private practice.
Spouse of Donald Gagnon for 31 years, she is the mother of three children: Sophie, 27, a graduate in human sciences at Champlain College in Lennoxville, a graduate of Concordia University in primary preschool education who played women's hockey on the university team of the Concordia Stingers. She also participated in the 2017 jeux des Sourds et Malentendants in addition to returning with the gold medal; Kim, 25, a graduate in natural science from Champlain College in Lennoxville, a graduate of the University of Sherbrooke also in accounting and now CPA and Patrick, 21, a carpenter who returned to studies in architectural technology following a major accident in 2019.
Ms. Simard loves reading, outdoor walks, camping and family get-togethers.
Honourary Colonel D. Spiring
As the former chief strategy officer and general counsel of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), Dayna was charged with leading a group of senior-level employees, financial advisors and lawyers in preparing the federally controlled entity for privatization, which sold for $550 million in 2015 (the CWB was valued at just $100 million in 2012). Dayna’s supplemental responsibilities during her 10-year tenure at the CWB also involved facilitating government and stakeholder relations during a period of intense public scrutiny and debate. As well, Dayna spearheaded all marketing and communications efforts at the CWB and served as its corporate secretary.
In addition to Dayna’s extensive professional experience, which includes five years as an associate at Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson LLP in the early 2000s, she is a passionate Winnipegger with a drive to volunteer. She led the team that brought the Gold Medal Plates competition to Winnipeg. Currently the Chair of the Winnipeg Football Club’s board of directors, she is the first woman to have her name engraved on the coveted Grey Cup, after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers historic win in 2019. She is only the second woman to serve on the Canadian Football League’s board of governors.
Dayna earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Manitoba. Earlier, she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree (honours) from the same institution, majoring in political science. In 2015, Dayna participated in the Directors Education Program within the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, obtaining the ICD.D designation.
Honorary Colonel Jennifer Sullivan
Captain (retired) Jennifer Sullivan, CD, MBA, is the Vice President Corporate Safety and Security at Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE). She joined MLSE in January 2018 after a 28-year career in aviation.
Jennifer and her team of over 350 are responsible for all aspects of the safety & security operations program at MLSE. MLSE is the parent company of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the National Basketball Association’s 2019 NBA Championship winning Toronto Raptors, Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts as well as numerous development teams. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Jennifer’s additional responsibilities included working with public health at all levels of government on a path to the safe return of sport to Toronto and Canada.
Prior to joining MLSE Jennifer held senior positions at both the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) and the Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) including the opportunity to lead the Vancouver airport community in the planning and delivery of an enhanced security program during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Before embarking on her career in airports, Jennifer spent 15 years in the Canadian Forces primarily as a Navigator on the CC-130 Hercules transport aircraft at 436 and 429 Squadrons in Trenton, Ontario. In this role she developed an appreciation for military service, an understanding of the challenges of deployments, and insight into the complexities of flying. A-TAT qualified, Jennifer was the 429 Tactical Operations Officer in the early 2000s, a strat and TAT instructor, and a 436 Sqn flight safety officer.
Jennifer also participated and supported many missions including Rwanda, Afghanistan, East Timor, Bosnia/Croatia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Haiti and Kosovo through the airlift of personnel, equipment and supplies. These missions, along with many Boxtops, UN and Open Skies missions, Maple Flag/Red Flag and JRTC training exercises, with a few long-range trainers were part of Jennifer’s 3,000 hours on the CC-130 until 2002 when she left the regular forces for civilian life.
Jennifer has a Bachelor of Administration in Political Science from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.
Honorary Colonel Fred Sutherland
Lieutenant-General Sutherland attended le Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean and subsequently graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Political Science and Economics. While at RMC, he received several academic and athletic awards; in addition, he captained the varsity hockey and football teams.
In 1966, LGen Sutherland completed his pilot training. He served as an Advanced Jet Instructor on the T-33 Silver Star until 1969 and then was posted to Central Flying School as an examining officer. In 1973, he completed an MBA from the University of Western Ontario and was promoted to major. Between 1973 and 1975, LGen Sutherland served as a staff officer with the Directorate of Air Requirements at National Defence Headquarters. In 1975 he completed operational training on the CF-104 Starfighter at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta. In 1976, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and posted overseas to attend the Royal Air Force Air Warfare Course. That same year he was appointed Commanding Officer of 439 (Tiger) Squadron at CFB Baden-Soellingen, Germany. Returning to Canada in 1978, he served as the Executive Assistant to the Commander of Air Command.
In 1980, he was promoted to colonel and posted to NDHQ as the Director of Air Operations, Training, and Nuclear Weapons. During this tour, he also served as the Honorary Aide-de-Camp to His Excellency the Governor-General. He assumed command of CFB Cold Lake in July 1982, where he oversaw the implementation of the CF-18 Hornet. In 1984, he was promoted to brigadier-general and seconded to the Privy Council Office in the Foreign and Defence Policy Secretariat. LGen Sutherland was promoted to major-general in July 1986 and assumed the appointment of Chief of Personnel Development at NDHQ. In July 1989, he was promoted to lieutenant-general and assumed command of Canada’s Air Force.
In August 1991, he was appointed and served as the Vice-Chief of Defence Staff until his retirement from the Canadian Forces. Upon leaving the Canadian Forces, LGen Sutherland was employed as the Deputy Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism for the Province of Manitoba. Prior to assuming his current appointment as a Senior Mentor at the Canadian Forces College, he spent two years as Corporate Vice-President Human Resources with McCain Foods Ltd. In July 1984, he was appointed to the Order of Military Merit in the grade of Officer and promoted to the grade of Commander in January 1989.
He was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 431 Air Demonstration Squadron – The Snowbirds in 1993 and served in that appointment until 2010. In 2009, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Military Science by the Royal Military College of Canada and presented with the Meritorious Service Medallion by the Chief of the Defence Staff. In 2014, he was appointed as Honorary Colonel of 4 Wing Cold Lake. That same year, he was appointed as Chairman of the Royal Military College of Canada Board of Governors. In June 2016, he was awarded the fourth clasp to his Canadian Forces Decoration, in recognition of having completed 52 years of uniformed service.
Appointed as Honorary Colonel of 431 Air Demonstration Squadron again in 2018 he will continue serving in that role until the RCAF's 100th celebration.
Honorary Colonel Isabelle Thibeault
Mme Isabelle Thibeault is originally from La Baie and obtained her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Université de Montréal in 1997. While nearing completion of her certificate as a specialized primary health care practitioner at the University of Ottawa, she decided to pursue her graduate studies in Quebec. She has been actively involved in the development of advanced nursing practice in Quebec and was one of the ounding members of the Association des Infirmières Praticiennes Spécialisées du Québec (AIPSQ) in 2005. In 2006, she completed a master’s degree in nursing and a specialized graduate diploma at Université Laval, graduating with the first cohort of specialized nurse practitioners (SNPs) in Quebec and becoming the first in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean. She was listed on the honour roll for her exceptional contribution to the development of the nursing profession.
During her 23 years as a nurse, Mme Thibeault worked for a little over three years in a small, remote Indigenous community for the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay, where she was also involved at the board of director level. She is currently an SNP in adult care for the medical microbiology and infectious diseases department at the CIUSSS of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and the Chicoutimi Hospital, and she is regional coordinator for the integrated network of patients with hepatitis C and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Saguenay–Lac- Saint-Jean.
While performing her professional nursing activities, Mme Thibeault has been a professor in the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Sherbrooke since 2011. There, she teaches ethics for the doctor of medicine degree in the medical training program in Saguenay.
Mme Thibeault is very involved in her community and has been part of the medical team for the Grand défi Pierre Lavoie since 2014 as well as for the Club de Boxe de Chicoutimi, the boxing club where she trains. She was the executive director of the Course des Dieux in 2019. For six years, Mme Thibeault was involved in organizing that major obstacle course in the Saguenay region where close to 1,000 runners pushed themselves to the limit every year and all proceeds were donated to the Chicoutimi Hospital’s Fondation de ma vie. Her two daughters, Claudia and Marilyn, play basketball. Mme Thibeault is also involved as a member of the board of directors of the Chicoutimi basketball club.
Mme Thibeault was the recipient in April 2018 of the “Une femme d’exception” award, which is presented during the Salon de la femme du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean to a woman from the region who distinguishes herself through her commitment, leadership, creativity and determination, who is passionate and action-oriented, and who inspires and positively influences her personal and professional environment.
Sports are a major part of Mme Thibeault’s life, and she is actively involved in hockey, softball and boxing. She currently resides in Chicoutimi.
Honorary Colonel Scott Tod
Scott Tod serves as the Chief of Police with the North Bay Police Service. Prior to his time with the North Bay Police Service, Chief Tod served for 33 years with the Ontario Provincial Police service. Scott joined the OPP in 1982 and served in a variety of roles at detachments in northeastern Ontario and at OPP Regional Headquarters and General Headquarters. His service includes such duties as patrol officer, in-service training, fraud investigations, Major Crimes and Executive support.
He was appointed as the OPP Deputy Commissioner, Investigations and Organized Crime, in November 2010 and provided leadership and command of specialized police functions and criminal investigations, including Organized Crime, Intelligence, Behavioural Sciences, Anti-Terrorism, Drug Enforcement, Cybercrime, Professional Standards, Alcohol and Gambling enforcement and Forensics Identification.
In 2006, he received the Award of Excellence from the Commissioner of the Competition Bureau of Canada for his work in the area of mass marketing fraud with National Mass Marketing Fraud working group. Chief Tod has been a member and Chair of many provincial, national and international committees regarding Counter Terrorism, Organized Crime and Cybercrime. He was a member and Co-Chair Chair for the Canadian Integrated Response to Organized Crime, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) Counter Terrorism and National Security Committee and remains the Co-Chair of the CACP ECrimes Committee.
Scott and Nancy have been married for 39 years and are proud of the accomplishments of their children. In his time away from work Scott enjoys travelling with his family and making many weak attempts at the game of golf. He is fortunate to be surrounded in his life with a wonderful family, great friends and the companionship of Ben his brown Labrador retriever.
Honorary Colonel Renee van Kessel
Honorary Colonel Renee van Kessel is the principal of the corporate-commercial law practice van Kessel Law, based in Toronto, Ontario. With over 29 years’ experience in both private practice and as in-house counsel, her expertise is in business law, real estate and mortgage regulatory compliance, commercial leasing, marketing, privacy, employment and procurement law.
HCol van Kessel has provided strategic guidance and legal advice to private and public corporations, partnerships and governmental organizations in a multitude of industries and sectors. Her current clients include national and international real estate brokerages and asset managers, operators of national loyalty programs, and partnerships and businesses in a variety of sectors, from start-up ventures to established enterprises.
Prior to establishing van Kessel Law, HCol van Kessel launched Cohen LLP in 2002 with her law school classmate, and together they grew the firm into a thriving business over quadruple its size, with three offices in two provinces. Before private practice, HCol van Kessel was in-house counsel to some of Canada’s most recognized brands, including the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), Owl Magazine and the AIR MILES® Reward Program. She articled at McMillan on Bay Street in Toronto.
Called to the Bar in 1995, HCol van Kessel is a member of the Law Society of Ontario. She received her Bachelor of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School, and her Bachelor of Arts Honours in Political Studies at Queen’s University in Kingston.
HCol van Kessel was honoured to be invited to attend the National Security Programme at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, where she studied National Security and Defence Policy on a part-time basis from 2008-2012, while maintaining her law practice full time. She completed her Masters of Public Administration in June 2015 with her thesis on Water Scarcity and Conflict.
HCol van Kessel also volunteers, advises and sits on the boards of various not-for-profit organizations, including the Canadian Forces College Foundation, Canada Company, the Canadian International Council, and the Royal Canadian Air Force Foundation. Annually, she teaches the “Art of Negotiation” to composers at the Canada Film Centre in Toronto as part of the Slaight Music Residency Program.
Honorary Colonel Wendy Vrooman
Honorary Colonel Wendy Vrooman holds a BSc in Biology with Distinction from Mount Saint Vincent University and is joined by her mother and two nieces as alumni. She feels fortunate to have paired her love for science and passion for business early in her career.
She spent 8 years with Precision BioLogic holding positions in Sales and Sales Management where she focused on actively listening to customers to improve their experiences with the company and to provide meaningful feedback into product development. Creating cross-functional strategies to drive the business forward and negotiating large, complex contracts are a few of the achievements of which she is most proud.
Wendy was initiated into the world of retail sales with Ascenta where she spent 4 years developing new lines and channels of business. Researching, creating the appropriate contacts, and developing them into meaningful partnerships allowed her to drive profitable new lines of business for Ascenta.
She then went on to join the team at Sandler Training Maritimes, where she soon became a partner. Having been trained earlier in her career in Sandler’s Customer Service, Sales Mastery and Strategic Management programs, she enjoyed sharing her experiences and training her clients in these skill sets. It was while she was at Sandler that she discovered the start-up community and her love for entrepreneurialism was ignited, and she became determined to make a bigger impact on developing companies and the region.
To further this mission, she launched her own company, Arc Ignites Sales Inc. Through Arc she works closely with a handful of clients at a time to help them develop and execute their sales strategies. She also continues to explore her love for training through engagements with University of New Brunswick’s Master of Technology Management and Entrepreneurship, the Wallace McCain Institute, Energia Ventures, Lab 2 Market, and the Centre for Women in Business, to name a few. She proudly serves on the board of Alderney Landing and acts as liaison to the Craig Gallery, and serves on the advisory boards and as a mentor to several early-stage companies.
Honorary Colonel Vrooman is grateful to share life with her two children, Connor and Nina, a wonderful partner Andre and his two children, Alexandra and Justin. Rounding out the family is the beloved family dog, Jackson. She loves being outside in nature hiking local trails or on her bike and finds peace and spiritual growth through her 20+ years of practicing yoga.
Honorary Colonel Wendell C. Wiebe M.Ed. B.A.
Wendell C. Wiebe has been the Chief Executive Officer of Manitoba Aerospace Inc. since April 2016, following the Manitoba Aerospace Human Resources Council (MAHRC) merging with Manitoba Aerospace Association (MAA). Previous to the merger, Mr. Wiebe was the Executive Director of MAHRC, a position he had held since 2009.
Prior to joining MAHRC, Mr. Wiebe was employed by Magellan Aerospace, Winnipeg, for 17 years. His initial position was as the Manager of Staff Development where he was instrumental in creating an employee training and development system. On a number of occasions, his department was recognized for its innovative programs and collaborative approach. After 10 years of being responsible for the Training function, Mr. Wiebe was promoted to Director of Human Resources. Mr. Wiebe was Magellan Aerospace's representative on the MAHRC Executive for 17 years and served as the Chair from 1999-2004.
He has been involved in adult education for over 30 years and holds a Masters of Education from the University of Manitoba. A highlight of his career was being asked to contribute to a book about adult literacy. The focus of his chapter was outlining the business case for the establishment of a workplace literacy program. The book, titled Adult Literacy Now, was published in 2000.
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