Capital Region Municipal Amalgamation Society
Board of Directors 2018 - 2019
James Anderson
James is a graduate of UBC in Regional Planning, a 40 year resident and retired senior manger of the BC Government. He has experience with land use for parks/recreation, agriculture and coastal resources, and is the author of BC’s Magnificent Parks; the first 100 years. James is a former resident of Edmonton and Calgary where even with massive urban growth were governed as unified city states, and particularly with joint use facilities between schools and community recreation. James is concerned with the unequal contribution of many CRD residents to the costs of arts/culture, recreation and social services/housing, the integration of regional emergency services and failure of our municipal leaders to give priority to need for regional transportation plan.
John Ellis
John had a 30-year career in the Canadian Armed Forces, the last 18 here in Victoria. After retiring in 2017, he completed an Masters of Business Administration at Royal Roads University and started a consulting firm, focused on strategic planning in the arts. As part of his research it became evident that having 13 individual municipalities in this region create significant duplication of services that draw on similar resources. Drawing parallels from the arts community to the larger community of Greater Victoria, John is interested in creating efficiency and reducing barriers to innovation that often seem improbable in the fractured politics in our region.
Chris Fleming
Chris is a passionate public servant and has served the federal government, the Alberta government, and currently the British Columbia government mainly in the field of government relations. He is also active in the local community as President of the North Park Neighborhood Association and currently chairs the Victoria Community Association Network, a monthly meeting of Victoria neighborhood associations. He is interested in issues of governance and in making government more responsive to the needs of its citizens, which is why he is supporting Amalgamation Yes’ efforts.
Marg Gardiner
Marg has lived in the region for 25 years, 10 in Saanich and 15 in Victoria. Her public sector career involved leadership roles in regulatory enforcement and research administration. She has lived in four provincial capital cities in Canada. Marg’s sense of, and respect for community activism stems from her prairie roots. Much of her current community work is through the James Bay Neighbourhood Association, where she serves as President. Marg’s focus has been on quality of life issues, including airshed and noise pollution and active transportation..
Shellie Gudgeon (President)
Shellie is a former City of Victoria Councillor who is passionate about working together for the enhancement of the region. Shellie was born and raised in Victoria. She and her husband have owned several restaurants over the past twenty five years and currently own Il Terrazzo Ristorante in the City of Victoria. Shellie believes that "Simply put - together we are stronger."
James Legh
James is a lawyer, businessman and community volunteer. He currently Chairs the National Scout Foundation and is active with local youth. He has worked with the Victoria Foundation, been a member Saanich Police Board, a director of Children's Museum of Victoria Association, the Learning Disabilities Association of British Columbia, Stages Dance Theatre Society and Kaleidoscope Theatre Productions Society. He is a holder of the Chief Scout's Award and has been recognised by the Saanich Volunteer Adult Award (2001), the Medal of Merit for service to Scouting (2005), the Canadian Bar Association (B.C.) Community Service Award (2008), awarded the VBA Volunteer Award in 2013, and the Bar to the Medal of Merit for continued good service to Scouting (2011). He owns businesses located in Saanich, Victoria, Esquimalt and Sooke.
Paulette Marsollier
Paulette has an accounting background. She worked with the Alberta Children’s Hospital Child Abuse Program, and spent 30+ years as a real estate brokerage owner/realtor. She has served on the Calgary Real Estate Board, the Alberta Real Estate Association, the Victoria Real Estate Board, and the Canadian Condominium Institute. Paulette is currently on the board of the Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association, the Rotary Club of Victoria, and President of the Newcomers of Victoria Alumnae.
Sandie Menzies (Treasurer)
Sandie is a Greater Victorian who grew up in Gordon Head, graduating from Mt. Douglas High School and the University of Victoria. During the years that her children were growing up, she served on the executives of both Gordon Head Soccer and the Saanich Lacrosse Association. Her family has been involved in the plumbing and heating business in Greater Victoria since 1909, and has experienced the difficulties of working across municipal boundaries. For 15 years she operated a bed and breakfast. She believes that the people of Greater Victoria should have an opportunity to tell the local politicians how they feel about amalgamation in the Capital Region.
Colin Nielsen (Vice-President)
Colin is a retired RCMP member and he served as their representative on the CRD Enhanced 9-1-1 project. The unnecessary complexity originally built into the region’s 9-1-1 system to accommodate multiple emergency response agencies convinced him that a regional emergency centre would provide more effective and efficient service. Colin has lived in Greater Victoria since 1967.
Doug Pascoe
Doug has over 30 years in banking, focusing on commercial financial services. He spent 30 years with the Royal Bank, retiring as Vice-President of Commercial Financial Services for Surrey, Delta and White Rock in June/15. He relocated from Abbotsford to Saanich in May/16 and then worked two years for Island Savings, a division of First West Credit Union as Regional Manager, Commercial Banking and retired in April/18. Doug led a team of seven Advisors serving members in commercial and business banking in the Greater Victoria and Gulf Islands geographical market, with a diversified portfolio and a focus on real estate development. He graduated from UBC in 1983 with a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Urban Land Economics and has been a Professional Member of the Real Estate Institute of BC since 1991. Being a new resident in Greater Victoria, Doug was surprised to see the current multiplicity of municipalities and is interested in better governance for the region.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE:
Earle Anthony (bio as above)
John Weaver
John was born and raised in Great Britain, graduating with an honours degree in mathematics from the University of Bristol. He moved to Canada, where he obtained a PH.D in physics at the University of Saskatchewan. John has lived in Victoria since 1961, and joined the University of Victoria faculty in 1966. Since retirement, he has been active in the Rockland Neighbourhood Association. As their representative, and in conjunction with other neighbourhood associations, he petitioned the Province and local government to amalgamate the numerous police forces in the region. He ardently supports municipal amalgamation.
THANKS TO RETIRING BOARD MEMBERS!
Tony Heemskerk and Lesley Ewing have retired from the Board, but continue to be strong advocates for governance reform in Greater Victoria.
Board of Directors 2018 - 2019
James Anderson
James is a graduate of UBC in Regional Planning, a 40 year resident and retired senior manger of the BC Government. He has experience with land use for parks/recreation, agriculture and coastal resources, and is the author of BC’s Magnificent Parks; the first 100 years. James is a former resident of Edmonton and Calgary where even with massive urban growth were governed as unified city states, and particularly with joint use facilities between schools and community recreation. James is concerned with the unequal contribution of many CRD residents to the costs of arts/culture, recreation and social services/housing, the integration of regional emergency services and failure of our municipal leaders to give priority to need for regional transportation plan.
John Ellis
John had a 30-year career in the Canadian Armed Forces, the last 18 here in Victoria. After retiring in 2017, he completed an Masters of Business Administration at Royal Roads University and started a consulting firm, focused on strategic planning in the arts. As part of his research it became evident that having 13 individual municipalities in this region create significant duplication of services that draw on similar resources. Drawing parallels from the arts community to the larger community of Greater Victoria, John is interested in creating efficiency and reducing barriers to innovation that often seem improbable in the fractured politics in our region.
Chris Fleming
Chris is a passionate public servant and has served the federal government, the Alberta government, and currently the British Columbia government mainly in the field of government relations. He is also active in the local community as President of the North Park Neighborhood Association and currently chairs the Victoria Community Association Network, a monthly meeting of Victoria neighborhood associations. He is interested in issues of governance and in making government more responsive to the needs of its citizens, which is why he is supporting Amalgamation Yes’ efforts.
Marg Gardiner
Marg has lived in the region for 25 years, 10 in Saanich and 15 in Victoria. Her public sector career involved leadership roles in regulatory enforcement and research administration. She has lived in four provincial capital cities in Canada. Marg’s sense of, and respect for community activism stems from her prairie roots. Much of her current community work is through the James Bay Neighbourhood Association, where she serves as President. Marg’s focus has been on quality of life issues, including airshed and noise pollution and active transportation..
Shellie Gudgeon (President)
Shellie is a former City of Victoria Councillor who is passionate about working together for the enhancement of the region. Shellie was born and raised in Victoria. She and her husband have owned several restaurants over the past twenty five years and currently own Il Terrazzo Ristorante in the City of Victoria. Shellie believes that "Simply put - together we are stronger."
James Legh
James is a lawyer, businessman and community volunteer. He currently Chairs the National Scout Foundation and is active with local youth. He has worked with the Victoria Foundation, been a member Saanich Police Board, a director of Children's Museum of Victoria Association, the Learning Disabilities Association of British Columbia, Stages Dance Theatre Society and Kaleidoscope Theatre Productions Society. He is a holder of the Chief Scout's Award and has been recognised by the Saanich Volunteer Adult Award (2001), the Medal of Merit for service to Scouting (2005), the Canadian Bar Association (B.C.) Community Service Award (2008), awarded the VBA Volunteer Award in 2013, and the Bar to the Medal of Merit for continued good service to Scouting (2011). He owns businesses located in Saanich, Victoria, Esquimalt and Sooke.
Paulette Marsollier
Paulette has an accounting background. She worked with the Alberta Children’s Hospital Child Abuse Program, and spent 30+ years as a real estate brokerage owner/realtor. She has served on the Calgary Real Estate Board, the Alberta Real Estate Association, the Victoria Real Estate Board, and the Canadian Condominium Institute. Paulette is currently on the board of the Vancouver Island Strata Owners Association, the Rotary Club of Victoria, and President of the Newcomers of Victoria Alumnae.
Sandie Menzies (Treasurer)
Sandie is a Greater Victorian who grew up in Gordon Head, graduating from Mt. Douglas High School and the University of Victoria. During the years that her children were growing up, she served on the executives of both Gordon Head Soccer and the Saanich Lacrosse Association. Her family has been involved in the plumbing and heating business in Greater Victoria since 1909, and has experienced the difficulties of working across municipal boundaries. For 15 years she operated a bed and breakfast. She believes that the people of Greater Victoria should have an opportunity to tell the local politicians how they feel about amalgamation in the Capital Region.
Colin Nielsen (Vice-President)
Colin is a retired RCMP member and he served as their representative on the CRD Enhanced 9-1-1 project. The unnecessary complexity originally built into the region’s 9-1-1 system to accommodate multiple emergency response agencies convinced him that a regional emergency centre would provide more effective and efficient service. Colin has lived in Greater Victoria since 1967.
Doug Pascoe
Doug has over 30 years in banking, focusing on commercial financial services. He spent 30 years with the Royal Bank, retiring as Vice-President of Commercial Financial Services for Surrey, Delta and White Rock in June/15. He relocated from Abbotsford to Saanich in May/16 and then worked two years for Island Savings, a division of First West Credit Union as Regional Manager, Commercial Banking and retired in April/18. Doug led a team of seven Advisors serving members in commercial and business banking in the Greater Victoria and Gulf Islands geographical market, with a diversified portfolio and a focus on real estate development. He graduated from UBC in 1983 with a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Urban Land Economics and has been a Professional Member of the Real Estate Institute of BC since 1991. Being a new resident in Greater Victoria, Doug was surprised to see the current multiplicity of municipalities and is interested in better governance for the region.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE:
Earle Anthony (bio as above)
John Weaver
John was born and raised in Great Britain, graduating with an honours degree in mathematics from the University of Bristol. He moved to Canada, where he obtained a PH.D in physics at the University of Saskatchewan. John has lived in Victoria since 1961, and joined the University of Victoria faculty in 1966. Since retirement, he has been active in the Rockland Neighbourhood Association. As their representative, and in conjunction with other neighbourhood associations, he petitioned the Province and local government to amalgamate the numerous police forces in the region. He ardently supports municipal amalgamation.
THANKS TO RETIRING BOARD MEMBERS!
Tony Heemskerk and Lesley Ewing have retired from the Board, but continue to be strong advocates for governance reform in Greater Victoria.