The Phi Delta Theta Canadian Foundation elected a new slate of directors at its annual meeting in February 2025. Without including the recent establishment of the British Columbia Gamma Chapter, every Canadian chapter is now represented on the Board of Directors. The Board now includes representatives from ten chapters.

“Having full Canadian chapter representation is a critical milestone for the Canadian Foundation in its efforts to connect with the Canadian Fraternity’s alumni base of 6,300 living brothers,” said Foundation Chairman Rob McInnes, Dalhousie ’85. “Rounding out our Board has been a long-standing goal for the Foundation,” noted Brother McInnes. “As an all-volunteer Foundation, we rely on our dedicated and engaged fifteen-member Board to deliver every initiative the Foundation undertakes, so I’m delighted to welcome some new bench strength to our ranks.”

Newly elected directors include Tobin Davis, Dalhousie ’95; Warren Jones, Dalhousie ’84; and Sanjay Sodha, York ’94.

The Canadian Foundation also elected Milan Vyas, McMaster ’94, as its vice chairman. Brother Vyas, who joined the Board in 2024, will lead the development of the Foundation’s long-term strategic plan. This plan aims to position the Foundation as a premier leadership development entity for Canadian university undergraduates.

Normand Paquette, Carleton ’93, was elected as secretary of the Canadian Foundation.  Norm has enjoyed a twenty-five year career at Rogers Communications and was, most recently, its director of integration.  He was elected to the Foundation’s board in 2024 and is the first director to represent the Ontario Epsilon chapter.

The Foundation extends its gratitude to three retiring directors: Mike Brady, Jeffrey Fox, and Devin Mahesh. Brothers Brady and Fox dedicated many years of service to the Foundation, holding the positions of secretary and treasurer, respectively.

In 2024, the Canadian Foundation celebrated its 50th anniversary. Since its founding in 1974, it has awarded more than $500,000 in academic and leadership development scholarships to undergraduates at Canadian universities with Phi Delta Theta chapters.

To mark this milestone, the Foundation launched the Undergraduate Achievement Scholarships (UAS) in August 2024. Four individuals from three universities received inaugural UAS awards. The UAS program invites Canadian alumni and undergraduates to nominate incoming freshmen who plan to attend a Canadian university with a Phi Delta Theta chapter, demonstrate academic excellence, and show interest in leadership development. Male nominees are also referred to the local chapter for potential recruitment.

On April 22, 2025, the Canadian Foundation will be announcing a record year for awards disbursements with more than $43,000 in scholarships to be granted to 19 Canadian undergraduates.  The Canadian Foundation encourages undergraduates and alumni to tune-in to its 2025 Awards Presentation Event on YouTube at 7 p.m. Eastern time.

To learn more about the Canadian Foundation, and to make a tax-deductible contribution, visit phideltatheta.ca

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Sean P. Gallaway, Western ’91

Devin G. Mahesh, York ’05

Normand E. Paquette, Carleton ’93

Justin F. Reitsma, Manitoba ’01

Milan J. Vyas, McMaster ’92

The Canadian Foundation also thanks the following three alumni who have retired from the Board of Directors following several years of dedicated service to the Foundation and the Canadian fraternity:

• Chris Thompson – Ontario Gamma #6 (McMaster University)
• Ken Ransby – Manitoba Alpha #522 (University of Manitoba)
• David Wood – Ontario Beta #458 (Western University)

We are grateful for the service and support of both our newly-elected and retiring directors.

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Neil was initiated into the Ontario Alpha Chapter (Bond #699) and graduated from the University of Toronto in 1978. Living in Woodbridge, Ontario with his wife Judy, Neil is now retired after a lengthy and successful career in retail technology and project Management. Neil enjoys traveling and, with the pandemic largely passed, travel is back on his agenda.

Since graduating, Neil has remained actively involved with Phi Delta Theta including:

Over twenty years on the Toronto House Corporation including ten years as treasurer and eight years as president

Organized the annual Toronto Founders Day banquet for seven years

Co-chaired the Host Committee for the 1986 Biennial Convention held in Toronto

Served as treasurer for the Toronto Housing Fund drive held in the 1980’s

Served as a committee member of the Nova Scotia Alpha (Dalhousie) Housing Fund drive (1995–1997)

Board member of the Canadian Foundation (2001–2003)

We welcome Brother Park back to the Canadian Foundation’s board after a ten-year absence, and we look forward to his active involvement in advancing the goals of the Foundation. Meanwhile, the Canadian Foundation expresses its great appreciation to Brother Harris for the years of service he has given to the Board as treasurer.

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Foundation Chairman Rob McInnes recognized the decades of service to both Phi Delta Theta and the Canadian Foundation that Loree and Paul have achieved.

“Grant and Allan both personify what our Fraternity is all about, and they have certainly fulfilled their Phikeia oath by transmitting the Fraternity not only, not less, but greater than it was transmitted to them,” said McInnes. “The Canadian Foundation has benefited greatly by the selfless service that these two dedicated alumni have contributed, and we are grateful for their years of volunteer service.”

The Canadian Foundation is pleased to announce that Tyler Yamiolkowski, Alberta ’12 and Marc Ballantyne, Alberta ’08 have been elected as directors to the Canadian Foundation’s board of directors.

Tyler Yamiolkowski

Tyler is an initiate of the Alberta Alpha Chapter, Bond #1122, initiated January 9, 2010. He graduated from the University of Alberta in 2012 with a science degree in kinesiology and a BBA from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). He is a CPA and is currently pursuing his Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) designation and expects to complete it in 2023.

He currently lives in Edmonton, Alberta where he is senior manager at Kingston Ross Pasnak LLP in business valuations and litigation support.

Fraternally, Tyler was house manager while an undergraduate, and he served on Alberta Alpha’s chapter advisory board for eight years, primarily as academic advisor. He currently serves on the chapter’s house corporation and is working with them on a major fund-raising house renovation campaign. He has been recognized as Alumnus of the Year and has attended the Fraternity’s 2014 Las Vegas General Convention.

Tyler has also served as the financial agent (treasurer) of a Conservative Party of Canada Electoral District Association in Edmonton from 2017-2019. Tyler joined the Canadian Foundation board as treasurer in August 2022.

Marc Ballantyne

Marc was initiated at the Alberta Alpha Chapter as Bond #1081 on January 4, 2004. After graduating in 2008 with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering, he received his MBA from Cornell in 2021. He is a professional engineer and has worked at Labatt Breweries of Canada since 2010. Currently, he is the general manager of Atlantic Breweries, heading up the Oland Brewery (Halifax) and the Labatt Brewery (St. John’s, NL).

Marc lives in Bedford, Nova Scotia and is currently a member of the North End Business Association in Halifax. In Phi Delta Theta, Marc was chapter president at Alberta Alpha and, from graduation until 2012, was a member of its chapter advisory board.

Marc has experience in business turnaround, data analytics, and performance initiatives implementation, which should suit him well as chair of the marketing and communications committee of the Canadian Foundation.

Marc joined the Canadian Foundation board in August 2022.

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In those early days, it was not uncommon for the Canadian Foundation to receive $8,000 to $10,000 in annual donations from a few dozen alumni. Awarding three or four scholarships totaling $5,000-$6,000 was a great year. In contrast, with Grant as a board member this year, the Canadian Foundation raised over $110,000 from more than 120 alumni. Grant’s tenure on the board has seen quite a positive change for the Canadian Foundation.

Grant was initiated into the Ontario Alpha Chapter at the University of Toronto on November 30, 1966, and graduated with a bachelor’s in commerce. He rose through the ranks of the investment industry, joined the board of directors at RBC Dominion Securities, and eventually moved to the private client group, where he is currently a senior portfolio manager & wealth advisor with the Denham Loree Wealth Management Group.

Grant has enjoyed a long association with the Fraternity in a volunteer capacity. He was the Alpha North Province President from 1984–89 and an Ontario Alpha House Corporation member from 2016–17. His deepest involvement in Phi Delta Theta has been as a director of the Canadian Foundation, where he served as its chairman for many years. He remains a board member of the Canadian Foundation and heads the Foundation’s Investment Committee.

Brother Loree has certainly lived his life in the Fraternity according to the principles upon which it underpins its whole brotherhood: to transmit the Fraternity to those who follow; not only, not less, but greater than it was transmitted to him.

To characterize Grant as a leader in the business world and Phi Delta Theta is an understatement. He has been a mentor to many undergraduates and alumni. His quiet presence and influence on others lead them to do their best in their endeavors, and his friendships with countless Phis across this country and throughout the Fraternity are boundless.

It is for this reason that the Canadian Foundation’s Board of Directors has unanimously voted to recognize the Foundation’s preeminent award winner in the leadership category henceforth as the Grant Loree Canadian Phi Delta Theta Foundation Leadership Award.

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After a six-year hiatus from campus, the Ontario Alpha Chapter has returned to the University of Toronto. Originally founded on May 28, 1906, Ontario Alpha has initiated 1,033 men. This past weekend, the chapter’s roster of initiated members continued to grow with the re-installation of the chapter.

On February 16, 2021, the men of Ontario Alpha participated in one of the Fraternity’s virtual initiation ceremonies that have been introduced during the pandemic. Phi Delta Theta’ Executive Vice President and CEO Sean Wagner presided over the initiation ceremony. Ontario Alpha’s members joined the ceremony from all over Canada and even India for the unique opportunity. As is the case for all of those participating in the virtual initiation ceremonies, the new brothers will experience an in-person ceremony when conditions improve.

The installation ceremony was held on Zoom on February 20, 2021, and gathered Chapter Advisory Board members, Ontario Alpha alumni, other Canadian chapter undergraduates and alumni, General Fraternity staff and volunteers, and friends. Re-Founding Ontario Alpha President Shahbaz Khan shared, “As young men in a growingly unnerving and lonely world, I am glad we all have each other. I’m also personally and deeply thankful for my older brothers Corbin Lovelady, Andrew Norrie, and Graham Erskine, who have helped me through it. And last, we are legends, no, we are absolute kings, no, we are legends that are absolute kings that are fraternity brothers in the Bond, in the best Fraternity in the whole wide world.”

Current Ontario Alpha President James Wright shared, “Some of my most important memories as a man have been made in the presence of brothers who everyday practice that which the Fraternity was founded on. I hope that the experience I have had, and will continue to have, will be transmitted to every man who joins us in The Bond at the University of Toronto. I have no doubt that Ontario Alpha will continue in this strong trajectory through this pandemic and redefine fraternity at UofT.”
The Fraternity’s General Council President Dr. Chris W. Brussalis mentioned, “This is truly a great day. We are so excited to be here and to have the Ontario Alpha Chapter recognized as a chapter again. Undergraduates, please do not forget to congratulate and thank your parents for supporting you on this Phi Delta Theta path. I’d also like to thank our alumni. It truly is our great alumni volunteers who are the glue that holds organizations like ours together. We all took an oath as a Phikeia, and that is to ‘transmit the Fraternity to those who may follow after, not only, not less, but greater than it was transmitted to me.’ It’s the outstanding alumni that we have here who have really walked the talk. Recognize and embrace their efforts, and before you know it, you’ll be next. You’re going to be the future alumni leaders mentoring and guiding those brothers who follow you.”

Ontario Alpha now looks to their next big goal, winning the Fraternity’s 2022 Housser Trophy, which is awarded annually to the most outstanding Canadian chapter of Phi Delta Theta. The future is bright for the Ontario Alpha Chapter at the University of Toronto!

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Snapshot of Phi Delta Theta in Canada:  

• Ontario Delta (York) won the Housser Trophy as most outstanding Canadian chapter for the first time.
• Quebec Alpha (McGill) was re-installed as a chapter in November 2019.
• Ontario Alpha (Toronto) was inducted as an emerging chapter in November 2019.
• British Columbia Gamma (UBC Okanagan) in Kelowna was inducted as an emerging chapter in February 2020.
• Ontario Eta interest group (Queen’s) currently is currently working toward emerging chapter status this fall.

Canadian Foundation Update:

• We are a CRA-registered charity mandated to promote scholarship and leadership among emerging university leaders in Canada. Primary revenues are from Canadian alumni; donations are 100 percent tax-deductible.
• Since 1974, the Foundation has awarded over $330,000 to 298 undergraduates at campuses where we have a Canadian chapter.
• In 2019, we disbursed a record $28,000 to twenty-eight Canadian undergraduates at ten campuses (including nine leadership awards).
• The Canadian Foundation has worked with alumni at the University of Manitoba to establish the Manitoba Alpha Leadership Award—the goal of raising $300,000 for a dedicated fund is almost complete. We awarded our first Manitoba Alpha Leadership Award this year.

Our appeal to You:

• In 2019, the Canadian Foundation saw a record number of donations from alumni as well as a record number of awards granted. Given the high cost of university tuition and housing—and in this age of COVID-19—the financial strain on undergraduates is bigger than ever and we need to be a part of the solution facing our emerging leaders. We can only do so with the financial support of our Canadian fraternity alumni.
• Our all-volunteer board has succeeded in keeping the Canadian Foundation’s annual administrative expenses extremely low (under $1,500) which allows us to direct almost all of our annual donations directly to leadership development initiatives and awards.

To those who contributed in 2019—thank you! Now is the time to help the Canadian Foundation so that we can continue to strengthen our Fraternity across Canada. Please make a tax-deductible contribution today (and receive a tax receipt instantly) via CanadaHelps at www.PhiDeltaTheta.ca.

Yours in the Bond,
Rob McInnes, Chairman
Phi Delta Theta Canadian Foundation

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The Quebec Alpha Chapter was originally founded at McGill University in 1902 and on November 23, 2019, the chapter was re-installed to its rightful place in Phi Delta Theta after being inactive for almost 14 years. The weekend’s initiation and installation ceremonies were conducted by the Fraternity’s Executive Vice President and CEO Robert A. Biggs.

The installation ceremony was held at the Thomson House with friends, family, and alumni in attendance. Province President Phil Cantrill shared his continued support for the group and his pride in their ability to make it this far. Brother Biggs shared stories from his 40+ years of service to Phi Delta Theta and how the newly-initiated members can translate those lessons to their future successes.

Quebec Alpha’s newly-elected chapter president, Patrick Bisson mentioned, “Now that we’re re-installed, the work does not end or get easier. Our vision going forward is to dedicate ourselves with the same intensity to securing our legacy at McGill University.”

Founded in 1821, McGill University is one of Canada’s best-known institutions of higher learning and one of the leading universities in the world. With students coming to McGill from over 150 countries, the student body is the most internationally diverse of any research-intensive university in Canada. McGill is recognized around the world for the excellence of its teaching and research programs.

The future is bright for Phi Delta Theta in Canada with the addition of another strong chapter.

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The Phi Delta Theta Canadian Foundation and several alumni of Manitoba Alpha are delighted to announce the formation of a dedicated endowed Manitoba Alpha Leadership Fund.

The fund will recognize outstanding undergraduate leaders of Manitoba Alpha and will allow alumni and friends of Manitoba Alpha to dedicate their donations to the fund to benefit undergraduate Phis at the University of Manitoba.

To date, the fund has commitments of over $125,000 and has a goal of $300,000 which would allow awards to be granted on an annual basis to qualified candidates who are leaders in their chapter, on campus, and in the community. Contributions to the fund – to be administered by the Canadian Foundation – are tax-deductible.

“The Canadian Foundation is pleased to work with a core group of Manitoba Alpha alumni to establish the fund and we see this as the first of other dedicated funds that can be established for other Canadian chapters,” says Rob McInnes, Chairman of the Canadian Foundation. “The appeal of dedicated funds is that alumni can direct their donations to the Canadian Foundation into a fund that will directly benefit undergraduate leaders at their own chapter.”

One of the driving influencers in bringing the Manitoba Alpha Leadership Award to life is Canadian Foundation Director Ken Ransby (Manitoba ’69). He notes, “Phi Delta Theta is making an important transformation to a fraternal organization that emphasizes leadership development and this endowed fund is intended to provide ongoing support for that.” Ken worked with John Zaplatynsky (Manitoba ‘68) and Ian Craigon (Manitoba ‘72) to design the fund.

Learn More About the Manitoba Alpha Leadership Award

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Brother Ono was a Phikeia at the University of Chicago during his time as an undergraduate student, but he did not initiate. He is now finally a brother of the Fraternity he pledged many years ago. The British Columbia Alpha Chapter is proud of Brother Ono’s achievements, and we look forward to Brother Ono’s connection with our chapter, the Fraternity and Greek life at large.

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Winners of the 2015 Canadian Foundation scholarships are:

• Jas Sahota – Western – $3,500 (J. Fred Green Award)
• Mohamed Abo Aoun – Manitoba – $2,750
• Matthew Barker – Alberta – $1,500
• Liam Reeve – British Columbia – $1,500
• Cole Maranger – Dalhousie – $750
• Alexander Clark – York – $750
• Christian Borgen – British Columbia – $750
• John Abed – Western – $750
• Stephen DiCristoforo – York – $750
• Andrew Norrie – Western – $500
• Stuart Mills – Dalhousie – $500

Jas Sahota – Western – J. Fred Green Award

Brother Sahota received the Canadian Foundation’s top honour in 2015 (the J. Fred Green Award). He was in his third year of study, majoring in Physiology at Western University in London. He is on the university’s Dean’s Honour List with an 88% average. In addition to focusing on his academic studies, Jas was a founding father of Ontario Beta and one of the original colony members in September 2013. In the colony, he held the Social Chair and Scholarship Chair position and current sits as the scholarship chair of the chapter. In addition to being the president of the London Bridges Community Service Group, Jas has also been involved with several service based organizations on campus and in the London community, including: Ronald MacDonald House, Boys & Girls Club, Best Buddies Canada, Leadership & Academic Mentorship Program. Jas also works on campus as a research assistant in the Numeral Cognition Lab as he strives towards medical school. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $3,500 scholarship.

Mohamed Abo Aoun – Manitoba

Mohamed was in his second year of a Honours Biopsychology degree with medical school aspirations. Mohamed maintains a 4.3 GPA (4.5 GPA scale) and has already received both the Academic Proficiency Scholarship and the William L. Dyker Memorial Scholarship through university. In addition to joining Phi Delta Theta, Mohamed was also co-president of the Psychology Student’s Association, a member of the Canadian Federation of Students – Manitoba, and a member of university’s debate society, among other campus and community organizations. Balancing his commitment to the Fraternity and his volunteer organizations, Mohamed also finds time to work on campus as a tutor for international students in a variety of science-based courses. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $2,750 scholarship.

Matthew Barker – Alberta

Brother Barker worked hard to maintain his high academics in a B.Sc. double major Biological Sciences & Psychology degree while being a key leader in his chapter as recruitment chair for the first semester, then being elected chapter president in November 2015. Barker has been recognized for his academic success in previous years through the university, including receiving the Jason Lang Scholarship in 2013 and 2015. Barker is a regional member of the Canadian Mental Health Association, has previously held leadership positions in organizations on campus, and is the current VP of Public Relations for the University of Alberta Interfraternity Council. In November 2015, Barker was also awarded membership in the Iota Omicron (University of Alberta) chapter of the Order of Omega, an international fraternity and sorority leadership honours society. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $1,500 scholarship.

Liam Reeve – British Columbia

In his third year of an International Relations degree, Brother Reeve balanced a high standard of academics with his Fraternity responsibilities, volunteer opportunities and work. In the community, Brother Reeve volunteers at a local soup kitchen, and on campus he holds the position of VP Finance for the Arts Undergraduate Society, which represents and serves the 12,000+ arts students at UBC. In the chapter, Brother Reeve completed his year term as VP before being elected the chapter president in November 2015. Brother Reeve has aspirations to attend a summer conference in Europe which centers on studying abroad and getting a chance to interact with the European Union. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $1,500 scholarship.

Cole Maranger – Dalhousie

Brother Maranger has completed his second year of a Kinesiology degree while maintaining a strong academic record for which he received a scholarship from Nova Scotia Alpha after his first year of study. In the Fraternity, Brother Maranger finished his term as VP before being elected chapter president in November 2015. Outside of the Fraternity, Brother Maranger was a member of the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship and a volunteer with the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians. Brother Maranger also works as a medical assistant with the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves. In only two years of university and being a member of the Fraternity, Brother Maranger has already held three executive officer positions and continues to be a strong role model for all members in the chapter. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $750 scholarship.

Alexander Clark – York

Brother Clark completed his final year of History degree, maintaining strong academics while serving as a key leader in the chapter for several years. Joining the Fraternity in 2011, Brother Clark has held several officer roles in the chapter in helping the chapter rebound towards new heights. Outside of the chapter’s community involvement, Brother Clark volunteered in the Emerald Hill Mission soup kitchen during summers in Australia and volunteered on the Australia Paralympic Committee. On university campus, Brother Clark was one of the founders and the current VP of the ‘Fight for ALS’ society, a society that the chapter started at York University to raise funds and awareness for Phi Delta Theta’s official philanthropic cause. Brother Clark balances all of his involvement with working two part-time jobs during the school year and as an older member, serves in a senior brother role to the rest of the chapter. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $750 scholarship.

Christian Borgen – British Columbia

Brother Borgen has completed his third year of a Commerce degree in which his academic success has earned him Dean’s Honour Roll and Chancellor’s Scholar recognition. On campus, Brother Borgen in involved with the UBC Marketing Society, and the UBC Scandinavian & Nordic Cultural Association, competed in the Pacific Venture Capital Conference & Competition, while also volunteering at the First Baptist Church soup kitchen. In the chapter, Brother Borgen organized a talk for their active members & Phikeia about resume writing and job interview preparation. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $750 scholarship.

John Abed – Western

Brother Abed has maintained a high standard of academic success while pursuing degrees in Computer Science & Business Administration, earning himself a place on the Dean’s List. As a founding father of the new Ontario Beta Chapter, Brother Abed has been very involved in chapter operations and events and through the chapter, has participated in several community causes such as: Relay for Life, Movember and the 30-hour famine. Beyond the Fraternity, Brother Abed is also involved with the Caribbean Students Organization and works part time on campus. Brother Abed hopes to transition into the Ivey School of Business following his third year of study. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $750 scholarship.

Stephen DiCristoforo – York

Brother DiCristoforo has completed his third year of a Mathematics degree in Education and has split his time in classes and working at a local grade school with a mathematics teacher. Brother DiCristoforo tutors students at that local grade school and students at university as well. Aside from his tutoring, Brother DiCristoforo also volunteers at Pathways to Education, Bishop Allen Academy and the Cameron Sports Academy. Through the Fraternity, Brother DiCristoforo has also volunteered with the ALS Society of Canada and the North York Harvest Food Bank and he is also a member of the ALS society that the chapter has created on campus to raise funds and awareness for ALS. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $750 scholarship.

Andrew Norrie – Western

Brother Norrie completed his second year of a Political Science degree and achieved Honour Roll standing with the university and holder of the Jenifer Samways Scholarship for outstanding community service and honours grades. Besides being a founding father and heavily involved with the chapter’s community service program and events, Brother Norrie also hands out Tim Horton’s gift cards to those in need at the London Men’s Shelter. In school, Brother Norrie is a member of the varsity rowing team and has won three gold medals. Brother Norrie also works two part time jobs during the school year. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $500 scholarship.

Stuart Mills – Dalhousie

Brother Mills completed his second year of an engineering degree and has received the Rutherford Scholarship from Alberta for his academic success. As the scholarship chair in the chapter, Brother Mills is responsible for assisting other members to achieve academic success and has initiated a program that encourages brothers to offer their tutoring services on campus and donate the money to ALS. On campus, Brother Mills is a member of the Dalhousie Student Union Student Life committee and a member of ASHRAE, a student organization that teaches students about building energy consumption. The Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $750 scholarship.

The 2015 awards make the Foundation’s cumulative scholarship award totals – since the Foundation’s inception in 1974 – as follows:

Chapter                          # of Awards   $ Total
Nova Scotia Alpha            35                       $ 48,350
British Columbia Alpha   31                       $ 34,215
Ontario Alpha                    31                       $ 31,965
Alberta Alpha                    30                       $ 32,320
Manitoba Alpha                22                       $ 22,425
Quebec Alpha                    19                        $ 19,495
Ontario Beta                      20                       $ 23,925
Ontario Gamma                15                        $ 18,725
Ontario Delta                     14                        $ 14,325
Ontario Epsilon                  5                         $ 3,790
British Columbia Beta       1                         $ 1,000
Ontario Zeta                        1                          $ 275

Total:                               224                   $250,810

For more information on the Canadian Foundation visit: www.phideltatheta.ca

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Both the initiation and installation ceremonies were presided over by General Council Member-at-Large Morris D. Stephens, and also featured appearances by Director of Expansion Tucker Barney and Director of Canadian Services Graham Erskine. The members of Ontario Beta are honoured by their attendance and their guidance throughout the installation process. The chapter is also forever grateful of the wisdom imparted on them and their transmission of the words of the Immortal Six.

The event also featured alumnus Robert Parsons, the vice chairman of the Canadian Scholarship Foundation. Brother Parsons announced that the top scholarship for Phi Delta Theta in Canada had been won by Ontario Beta Phi Rahim Shamsy, a testament to his hard work and dedication. He was followed by Province President Philip Cantrill who encouraged the brothers to keep working, and he mentioned that this was only the beginning of what is to come. This sentiment was shared by all involved.

Finally, the evening closed with speeches from current members including Matthew Evered, incoming Chapter President Benjamin Charlebois and Brother of the Year recipient Douglas Bricknell. They echoed the sentiments of hard work and continuing to grow the newly minted chapter, and it was put best by “Father” Doug Bricknell who said, “This is not the end, but simply the end of the beginning,” words that will stick with the membership throughout the coming years.

Since colonization on November 30, 2013, Ontario Beta has developed a strong reputation as the campus good guys, having supported the Walk For ALS as well as Movember in the first half of the year. During the Relay for Life event on campus, Ontario Beta raised more money than the rest of the Greek community combined and the brothers look forward to continuing their outstanding efforts in academics, philanthropy and brotherhood.

In accordance with Phi Delta Theta’s Strategic 10-Year Plan, Phi Delt 2020 and its growth initiative, Phi Delta Theta is currently executing expansion strategies that culminate in seven chapter installations annually and 200 chapters by 2018. The installation of Ontario Beta was the sixth chapter installation of 2015, and the Fraternity currently has 182 active chapters and 9 colonies.

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Winners of the 2014 Canadian Foundation scholarships are:

Rahim Shamsy – Western – $3,500

Brother Shamsy received the Canadian Foundation’s top honour in 2014 (the J. Fred Green Award). He was in his second year of study, majoring in Civil Engineering at Western University in London. He is on the university’s Dean’s Honour List with a 3.9 GPA. In addition to focusing on his academic studies, Rahim was working with his fellow colony brothers at Ontario Beta toward the re-installation of the chapter. In the colony, he was elected to the Risk Management position. He is active in the Ismaili Muslim community in London as a religious education teacher for youngsters. On campus, Rahim was the Founder of Kite Engineering (an engineering consulting start-up company) and was active on two intramural soccer teams. Brother Shamsy has demonstrated the three cardinal principles of the Fraternity (friendship, sound learning and rectitude) and, thus, the Foundation was pleased to recognize him with a $3,500 scholarship.

Jason Strandberg – Dalhousie – $2,500

Brother Strandberg received a $2,500 Foundation scholarship in recognition of his well-rounded accomplishments. He was a fourth year Accounting major at Dalhousie with a 3.65 GPA and was on the university’s Dean’s List. He was the chapter’s Treasurer and was Nova Scotia Alpha’s Kleberg delegate in Oxford, Ohio. Jason was the university’s Golden Key International Honours Society’s Vice President of Recruitment and was a residence hall President, Treasurer and orientation week house leader. In the community, Brother Strandberg was a volunteer Tae-Kwon-Do instructor in addition to volunteering as an income tax preparer. Following graduation he intends to become a CPA in the Calgary area.

Justin M. Van Beelen – Dalhousie – $2,500

Brother Van Beelen was in fourth year Civil Engineering at Dalhousie when he was awarded a $2,500 scholarship from the Foundation. He maintained a 3.63 GPA and was the chapter’s Scholarship Chairman. He was recognized with a George B. Robertson Phi Delta Theta Scholarship as well as an entrance scholarship from the university and was recognized as Iron Phi #343 by the general Fraternity by raising $1,200 after completing a 140 km bike ride. On campus he was the Vice President (Academics) in the Civil Engineering Society.

Javier A.M. Locsin – Dalhousie – $1,000

Brother Locsin achieved a 3.22 GPA in his fourth year studies in Civil Engineering at Dalhousie and was recognized with a $1,000 Foundation scholarship. He was the President of the Dalhousie Civil Engineering Student Society and was the chapter’s Scholarship Chair during his time as an undergraduate Phi. Brother Locsin remains active in the community through tutoring students in various engineering fields, in addition to being a volunteer with the provincial chapter of the SPCA.

Gabriel J. Ghiglione – McMaster – $1,000

Brother Ghiglione was a third year 3.0-GPA Anthropology and Biology major at McMaster when he received a $1,000 Foundation scholarship. He was active as a varsity cross-country athlete on campus and was 25th in Canada at the CIS championships this year. Gabriel was the President of the ALS Society at McMaster and was the chapter’s Philanthropy Chairman, leading the chapter’s efforts in a number of community initiatives. He was involved with McMaster Athletes Care, a program to get varsity athletes volunteering in the community.

Andrew J. Wiedemann – Alberta – $500

Brother Wiedemann was a fourth year Chemistry major with a 3.4 GPA at the University of Alberta. He received a $500 Foundation scholarship in 2014 in recognition of his campus, community and chapter involvement. Andrew organized the chapter’s teeter-totter marathon, and was the delegate to the Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute as well as the biennial convention in addition to being Fundraising Chairman. He intends enroll in medical school upon graduation.

Since the Foundation’s inception in 1974, it has awarded $236,810 in scholarships to 213 deserving Canadian Phis.

1. Nova Scotia Alpha (33) – $47,100
2. British Columbia Alpha (29) – $31,965
3. Ontario Alpha (31) – $31,965
4. Alberta Alpha (29) – $30,820
5. Manitoba Alpha (21) – $19,675
6. Quebec Alpha (19) – $19,495
7. Ontario Beta (17) – $19,175
8. Ontario Gamma (15) – $18,725
9. Ontario Delta (12) – $12,825
10. Ontario Epsilon (5) – $3,790
11. British Columbia Beta (1) – $1,000
12. Ontario Zeta (1) – $275

For more information on the Canadian Foundation visit: www.phideltatheta.ca

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Two years ago, Gabe Ghiglione was devastated when he got the news that he didn’t make the Marauders cross country team.

After time trial, Ghiglione waited all night to find out if he made the team through an email that the coaches sent out to all of the athletes that tried out.

Around midnight, after hours of anticipation, he received an email from head coach Rory Sneyd letting him know that he would not be on the roster.

“I was crushed,” said Ghiglione. “I was thinking of quitting running all together.”

But with track try outs just a couple of weeks after the cross country time trial, Ghiglione decided to give running one last shot to test his limits and see what he was capable of achieving.

“I ran a 1500 metre by myself, and it sucked. It was absolutely horrible, because the standard was 4:15, and I ran a 4:16,” said Ghiglione.

After the tryout, Ghiglione went up and talked to track head coach Paula Schnurr, who was hesitant about letting him on the team.

“She said ‘we’ll see, we’ll send you an email tonight,’ and I was thinking they better not say no this time,” said Ghiglione.

Ghiglione waited by his computer, similar to how he did just two weeks before, but unlike last time, the email told him that he was on the team.

Fast forward to two years later, and Ghiglione is not only one of the fastest runners on the team, but he is one of the fastest runners in the entire country.

His success in the sport is due to his dedication to running that has stayed consistent since he has arrived to McMaster.

His dedication to his sport is also seen in some of the other activities he is involved in with the school – like the fraternity on campus, Phi Delta Theta, and his involvement as President of the ALS society.

“I’m the philanthropy chairman at Phi Delta Theta, so I’m in charge of all of the philanthropy events and volunteering events, and different things that we do on and off campus,” said Ghiglione.

“I joined the fraternity because I saw the state that the organization was in before I joined, and I took it and I’ve been building it up, and I really like how its represented on campus,” said Ghiglione.

“We’re known as the gentlemen on campus, so that’s pretty cool.”

On top of being a member of Phi Delta Theta, Ghiglione is also President of the ALS society here at McMaster, he teaches kayaking lessons with the outdoor club, and he has also been an instructor of the McMaster White Water rafting club.

His involvement with several activities around the school separates him from the majority of the runners on the team and throughout the country, who usually just stick to school and training, because their time is extremely limited.

“It’s not like they’re missing out on their university experience, I’m just having a different one than them,” said Ghiglione.

There are other athletes on the cross country team who also happened to be very involved with the school, including Maddy McDonald, Paul Kolb, Chelsea Mackinnon, and Luke Charbonneau.

Overall, the cross country team is easily one of the most involved varsity teams at McMaster.

When it comes to training, however, the majority of runners take it very seriously, and that is where Ghiglione differs from the rest of the pack.

“All of last summer I worked as a rickshaw driver in downtown Toronto, and I called that training, so in that sense I have alternative ways of training compared to the rest of the team,” said Ghiglione.

“I’d be running around the track last year and Coach Schnurr would be yelling, ‘run you crazy rickshaw driver,’ that was her joke.”

This past summer, Ghiglione was also a leader in MOOSE, which is a week-long portage canoeing trip in Algonquin Park for first-year students with the outdoor club.

During that week, Ghiglione and teammate Paul Kolb had to wake up at five in the morning in order to run for 80 minutes, before an entire day of canoeing and portaging.

“We had one run where we were bush-whacking the entire way, because we were in the interior of Algonquin. And when Paul and I are on a run, we’re both really distracted trainers, so we’d just go take a bizarre off-trail, or just stop to jump off a cliff or something, and we’d get lost usually,” said Ghiglione.

His summer training methods would shock any serious runner who would have a very different definition of what constitutes as training.

“In this one run–that we counted as a run–our group was doing a 1.6k portage, so Paul and I ran up with the canoes on our backs, dropped them off, then ran back, helped the rest of the crew and continued packing, and we just ran back and forth with the packs, and we were like, ah, that counts as a run, right?”

Aside from Ghiglione’s differences in training, he also prides himself on getting to know as many people as he possibly can – which is a concept that can be difficult when being a part of a varsity team that generally does everything together.

“A lot of runners tend to stick with their one group, but I really like expanding my social circles and having a lot of friends on campus,” said Ghiglione.

Despite Ghiglione’s busy lifestyle, the social aspect in university is extremely important to him, and he believes it as being something that is essential.

“I think it’s important to chill sometimes, and not constantly be thinking about running. Having fun is important for the human brain, you need to do it,” said Ghiglione.

Ghiglione’s involvement in several social circles around campus has made him a very popular person with a popular nick name – “Gabe the babe,” which has stuck with him throughout high school, has followed him in university, and is now rippling throughout the CIS, as seen in the blog “Putdowns & Prognostications,” which includes CIS cross country predictions.

Although Ghiglione is laid back in many ways, when it comes to the competition and the future of his running career, he has very serious goals.

“My goal for this year is to hopefully be an all-Canadian at CIS. Top 14 would be All-Canadian, but if I came top 20, I’d be very happy with that too.”

With Ghiglione’s dedication and drive, finishing within the top 14 overall is a very reachable goal.

In order for him to do this, he has made some big decisions in the past year, and has made a conscious effort to make running his main focus.

“I decided to work in Hamilton this summer, because I wanted to train with the team, and that was a big decision for me, because two summers ago I worked in the Ottawa River as a white water rafting instructor, and there was no way for me to get training done there,” said Ghiglione.

Ghiglione worked at Altitude, the climbing tower on campus, and he worked as a wilderness instructor at a summer camp in the Hamilton area as well.

A job like that in the Hamilton area has allowed the coaches to remain in close contact with him and for him to get a solid summer of training in before the cross country season.

As for his other interests – which includes eventually returning to his summer job as a white water rafting instructor – Ghiglione knows that the option will be there for him after his running career is over.

“I can just do all of that stuff later.”

“Right now, if I’m still doing this running thing, I might as well do it well.”

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“Announcing our new police chief today also takes us one more step closer to bidding happy retirement to Chief Beazley,” said Mayor Peter Kelly. “It gives me great pleasure knowing that the legacy of Frank’s dedication to the greater good of our communities will be well served by the excellent leadership experiences and qualities Jean-Michel has demonstrated throughout his career.”

For most of the last 25 years, Mr. Blais served as a senior leader with the RCMP in various governance, management and operational capacities including three missions to Haiti while seconded to the United Nations, multi-jurisdictional drug investigations in Quebec, and command of a combined municipal, regional and aboriginal policing service in Manitoba. He also served with the Adjudications Directorate in Ottawa as a permanent adjudicator and its director, chairing internal disciplinary hearings across the country for the RCMP.

“My experiences have given me a deep understanding of policing needs and priorities, and in the past year or so I’ve had the chance to embrace and appreciate Halifax Regional Police’s specific culture,” said Mr. Blais. “I’ve always been fascinated by integrated policing environments and how they serve the diverse interests of multifaceted communities. I know that success in these settings depends on the bridges one builds between people and organizations and I intend to keep doing that here.”

An executive search firm worked with the CAO and the interview committee to identify prospective candidates across the country for a successor to Chief Beazley. The committee faced a tough task narrowing down the short list from many applications, with all finalists demonstrating exemplary professional and academic accomplishments.

Mr. Blais holds a Bachelor of Law Degree from Laval University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a focus on economics and political science from McGill University. He will be awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal on September 24 and he previously received the United Nations Mission in Haiti Medal, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti Medal, the RCMP Long Service Medal, the Canadian Peacekeeping Medal, the RCMP Division “C” Commander’s Merit Certificate for community service and the Governor-General of Canada’s 125th Anniversary Medal for outstanding community contributions.

“I’m confident that HRP’s future is in very capable hands,” said Chief Beazley.  “We have a lot of top-notch people who are becoming great leaders and I’m very proud of the police service that I will leave behind. I know that Jean-Michel will help them develop to their full potential while advancing our long-term approach to public safety through effective enforcement and addressing the root causes of crime.”

Mr. Blais said his experiences in Haiti taught him a lot of humility that he will bear in mind as he takes charge of the 747 dedicated employees of Halifax Regional Police.

“My goal is to continue our police service’s position as the premier policing reference in Atlantic Canada by demonstrating considerable leadership in successful integrated settings,” he said. “I’m looking forward to helping turn the best ideas from our people into meaningful results for all of HRM.”

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