(also referred to as Priory Council)
The Priory of Canada oversees St. John Ambulance in Canada. The Board of the Priory of Canada is also referred to as Priory Council and is comprised of five officer positions and the chair representing each of the provincial/territorial council. The Priory Council is the executive arm of Priory Chapter. Priory Council is responsible for policy and governance issues, and is invested with the power to authorize action in the name of Priory Chapter.
Priory Council is committed to sound governance that is based on clarity, transparency and visible accountability.
Officers:
F. Richard Bruce, MOM, KStJ, MA — Chancellor
Richard has been a member of St. John Ambulance Manitoba Council since 1997, was elected as Chair of Manitoba Council in 2000, and led the Council through five years of growth.
On a national level, Richard has served on Priory Council for five years and Chapter for the last two years where he actively participated in the following areas: Chair National Honours and Awards Committee, Task Force on Governance Member, Nominating Committee, Chair Community Service Task Force, Community Service Community Member, Executive Committee
Service Recognition: Member, Order of Police Forces, Commander, Order of St. John, Service Medal, Order of St. John, Chancellor’s Commendation, Order of St. John, Recipient, Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, Police Exemplary Service medal and bar, Manitoba’s Excellence in Law Enforcement, Awarded the Lieutenant Governor’s Make a Difference Community Award, Westman Region
Richard retired as Chief of Police from the Brandon Police Service in May of 2006 after completing 35+ years of service. Richard has served on a number of Boards, including: Canadian Cancer Society - Manitoba Division, Brandon & District United Way, Westman Dreams for Kids Foundation Inc., Canadian Institute for the Blind – Brandon Branch and is currently volunteering with United Way of Canada - Centraide Canada, Correctional Services of Canada, Citizen’s Advisory Committee, Brandon. He also serves meals at the Helping Hands Centre Soup Kitchen.
Mairi Arthur, CStJ, MA — Deputy Chancellor
Mairi has been actively involved with St. John Ambulance Nova Scotia/PEI Council since 1979, including her role as Chair of the Council. A human resources professional, she brings extensive experience in planning and policy; change management; labour relations; employee relations; training; disability management; and occupational health and safety. She has worked in health care and community services in both Scotland and Canada [Regional Health Boards, District Health Authorities, Victorian Order of Nurses, Rehabilitation Centre, Provincial Housing Authorities and Community Industries]. She is currently employed by the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation.
John Mah, GCStJ, CD, QC — Past Chancellor
Mr. Mah has been a member of the St. John Ambulance Alberta Council since 1992, the Alberta Board Chair from 1999 to 2004, and has been Deputy Chancellor for the past two years. He brings a wealth of experience in both charity and community development services as a former member of the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army of Canada, as past Governor of the University of Alberta, and a former trustee of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. He was also the national chair of the Hong Kong Canada Business Association.
Mr. Mah is a senior partner of the law firm of Chomicki Baril Mah LLP of Edmonton, a member of the Law Society of Alberta, who is also licensed to practice law in Hong Kong, England and Wales. He is a Knight in the Order of St. John, a recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal, and a Queen’s Counsel. A Lieutenant Colonel in the Canadian Forces Reserves and a member of the Office of the Judge Advocate General, Mr Mah is also the holder of the Canadian Forces Decoration among his many awards.
Brock Cairns, KStJ, CA — Vice-Chancellor, Finance and Administration
Brock has been actively involved with St. John since 1990 with Alberta Council and since 2007 with National Office. As Senior Partner with Catalyst LLP in Calgary, Brock brings extensive experience in the areas of business and financial strategies, financial structuring, as well as audit and review engagements.
Geraldine Hinton, DStJ, BScN — Vice-Chancellor, Community Services
With more than 40 years experience in nursing education, administration, health policy and research, and as a clinician in community practice and teaching RN students, Geraldine brings a tremendous amount of experience in community health, strategic planning and leadership to St. John Ambulance.
In 1993, as Executive Director of the BC Government Office for Seniors, Geraldine reported provided leadership across government on population aging issues, later life policy and emphasizing the diversity of older persons.
As the elected co-chair of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Committee of Officials of Ministers Responsible for Seniors, Geraldine played a key role in collaborating with all jurisdictions. Initiatives included a National Framework on Aging, a seniors’ web-based portal for access to services and programs, national agreement on supportive housing, medication and family caregiver policies, and research on emerging issues of population aging.
Geraldine joined the St. John Ambulance brigade in 1965 in Winnipeg, teaching home care nursing, first aid and assisted with the plan for first aid coverage for the Pan- American Games. In 1973, she led the development and implementation of the first “Health Care for Seniors” course for the BC/Yukon Council with funding from the federal LIP grants program.
Geraldine holds her BScN, from the University of Victoria and she earned her RN designation from Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre. She was also a visiting scholar at the Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Centre, USC.
Geoffrey P. Lougheed, KStJ
— Vice Chancellor-at-Large
Geoffrey is Past President of Northeastern Ontario Funeral Service Association and former Licensing Examiner for the Ontario Board of Funeral Services.
He is Past President of the Rotary Club of Sudbury.
In 1986 he and the late Rev. Fr. B.J. McKee, Director of Catholic Charities founded the Sudbury Food Bank. This organization represents over 40 Sudbury and area Food Banks and has provided over 3 million dollars worth of food to the community.
Geoffrey chaired the Sudbury St. John Ambulance Board of Directors for 10 years, he served as Northeast Ontario District Chair, is a Past President of St. John Ambulance Ontario Council Board of Directors and he served the Priory of Canada. In 2009 he was reclassified from a Knight of Grace to a Knight of Justice. He currently is the immediate past Chair of the Sudbury Regional Hospital Board of Directors.
Suzanne Yvon, DStJ — Vice Chancellor-at-Large
In 1969, Suzanne became a member of St. John Ambulance’s Division 57 in Montreal. Over the years she held many positions with ever-increasing responsibilities at both the provincial and national levels. She was an administrative agent for the Montreal area; a provincial administrative agent (Quebec) for the deputy commissioner – Training of the provincial central administration; and chief of the central administration’s management office in Ottawa. She also founded the Bonsecours Chapter of the St. John fellowship. This was the first chapter in the province of Quebec and the first francophone chapter in the Commonwealth. Within the Quebec Council, she is currently president of the Investiture Committee, ceremony manager, and president of the registry and archives committees.
Mrs. Yvon is bilingual and currently lives in Saint-Laurent, Quebec.
Provincial/Territorial Council Chairs:
Craig Wilson, OStJ, CA
Provincial Chair, British Columbia & Yukon Council
David Connelly, CStJ, CD, MBA
Territorial Chair, NWT & Nunavut Council
Sol Rolingher
Provincial Chair, Alberta Council
Daniel McFayden, OOM, SBStJ, CMA
Provincial Chair, Saskatchewan Council
Robert Vandewater, KStJ, BA, FCSI
Provincial Chair, Manitoba Council
Rob White, OStJ
Provincial Chair, Ontario Council
André Levesque, OMM, SBStJ, CD
Provincial Chair, Federal District Council
Peter Ferst
Provincial Chair, Quebec Council
Kenneth Turriff, CStJ, AdeC, BA
Provincial Chair, Nova Scotia & PEI Council
Wes Cosman, CStJ
Provincial Chair, New Brunswick Council
James Carroll , SBStJ
Provincial Chair, Newfoundland & Labrador Council