Leadership – Respect Canada

Steve Gregory, Founder and Chairman

Stephen (Steve) Gregory, MSM has led IsaiX Technologies Inc. since 1989, a firm specializing organizational development and technology for sales. In addition, he sits as a director on the boards of two TSX-listed public companies.

In 2006 he co-founded the “3rd Battery of Montreal Artillery,” a charity which supports cadets and veterans. In 2015 he co-founded The Respect Campaign, which facilitates a national networking initiative involving forums in more than 20 Canadian cities. This network promotes collaboration among stakeholders who support the mental health of our men and women in uniformed service. In various capacities, he has assisted in raising over $3 million for the families of our troops and various community outreach initiatives.

Steve, supported by teams of volunteers in Canada, Sicily and Holland, organized 325-km marches across Sicily in 2013, 2018 and 2023, in honour of those who fought and died on all sides during Operation Husky, the Allied campaign in Sicily in 1943. Three Op Husky documentaries are now broadcast in Italy and Canada, keeping alive the memory of the fallen and the history of the Allied campaign. In 2023, Steve and his team of Sicilian volunteers opened the Walk for Remembrance & Peace (Il percorso per il ricordo & la pace), a 325-km fully mapped walking trail designed to highlight the fact that Sicily is the first example of successful peacebuilding by Allied armies, following the invasion of Sicily and subsequent liberation of Italy in 1943.

James Ostler, (LCol Retired) MSM CD, National Program Manager

James Ostler served for 36 years in the Canadian Armed Forces as an officer in the Royal Canadian Dragoons, an Armour Regiment in the Canadian Army. He served operational tours in West Germany, Bosnia, Israel/Palestine and Egypt. He received his Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) for service in the pursuit of peace in the Middle East and a second MSM from the US Government. He retired from the CAF in March of 2017. Immediately following his release from the CAF, he joined the Commissionaires, Kingston & Region, as the Director of Business Development. He held this full-time position for five years. He then became an independent contractor with the Calian Corporation, providing simulation support to major Army training activities (part-time). He is a cancer survivor. He is married to Michelle. He is passionate about nature conservation, running, and assisting veterans with their successful transition to life after the CAF.

Drew Burgwin, Western Region Coordinator

Drew Burgwin is retired after forty years in Emergency Health Services, beginning in Halifax, Nova Scotia, continuing through Calgary and, finally, the British Columbia Emergency Health Services (BCEHS). He spent twenty years as an Advanced Care Paramedic followed by twenty years in management positions in quality improvement and education. He was instrumental in the initial stages of development of the BCEHS Quality Improvement program and later, established the provincial Education Division as its first director.

He is the recipient of Canada’s Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal and in 2000, graduated from Royal Roads University with a master’s degree in leadership and training.

Working with Respect Canada since 2018, he is currently the Western Region Coordinator for the Respect Forum, supporting facilitators in their efforts to conduct Respect Forum meetings in seven cities across western Canada.

Drew currently enjoys life with his wife Joan in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. He recently accepted a volunteer position on the Board of Directors of the Cowichan Housing Association, who are committed to bringing key partners together within the housing sector to create affordable housing opportunities, share resources, and enhance collaboration.

Gord Hagar, LCol (ret’d), CD, Ontario Region Coordinator

LCol (retired) Gord Hagar joined the Regular Force from the 1st Nova Scotia Highlanders in Dartmouth in 1982 and served as an Armour Officer with the Douzieme Regiment Blindé du Canada (12e RBC).

Upon reclassification to the Logistics Branch as a Transportation Officer, he had the privilege to command at all ranks, including CO of the Operational Support Hub located in Koeln-Bonn, Germany. His last Regular Force staff position was Directing Staff at the Canadian Army Command & Staff College, before his Component Transfer to the Army Reserve where he continued to contribute to Combined Joint endeavours. He retired after 43.5 years of rewarding service.

Gord has completed deployments to Rwanda (1995), Bosnia (2000), and Afghanistan (2002 and 2011), and participated on various domestic operations and exercises. His awards and qualifications include the Commander-in-Chief’s Commendation for service with the 3 Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group Rotation Zero in Afghanistan, the US Army Meritorious Service Medal, and British and Canadian parachute wings as well as a host of NATO, UK, and US courses.

In keeping with Royal Canadian Army Service Corps tradition, his interests have included trying to control 18 hands of remustered Musical Ride one-horsepower energy as seen in the photo, as well as being a long-standing member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pipes and Drums. He and his still-curious bride of 35 years have settled in Kingston, Ontario; their son of whom they are most proud also serves in the military, accompanied by his wife and Dachshund super hero.

Brent Kerr, (Maj Retired) MSM CD2, Atlantic Region Coordinator

Brent Kerr served over 39 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, 36 in the Regulars with the Princess Patrica’s Light Infantry (PPCLI) and a bonus 3 years in the Reserves. He served operational tours in Cyprus (twice), Oka, the Darfur Task Force, and 12 months in Afghanistan.

He is a Technically Staff Qualified Officer and served in Trials, Project Management and International Liaison Postings. He was awarded the US MSM for work in Afghanistan developing Coalition Forces. He received a Deputy Chief of Defense Staff Commendation, and 2 Formation Commander’s Commendations.

His final Regular Force position was the Detachment Commander of Camp Aldershot in NS. In the Reserves he managed Reserve employment for Atlantic Canada for 2 years as the leader of the Full Time Summer Employment (FTSE) program.

Brent has been working with RESPECT Canada since 2020 leading meetings in Fredericton, Moncton, Saint John NB and Halifax NS. He currently tries to make his fruit trees work, walks his own (and neighbours) dogs, and is active in various community organizations.

He lives with his wife Cheryl in the Annapolis Valley, and visit a pile of family in NB.

Bob Thibeau, Indigenous Outreach

Robert Thibeau, CD is former Canadian Army Captain and a proud Métis. He enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) at the rank of Private and began his military career in January 1972. His 38 years of service saw him serve with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and was a paratrooper with the Canadian Airborne Regiment. He has two operational deployments overseas, Cyprus in 1978 and Bosnia in 1997.

In 2002 after attaining the rank of Sergeant Major, he was commissioned to Captain where he began working with his indigenous culture within the CAF.

Robert is the National President for the Aboriginal Veterans Autochtone and works to improve Indigenous Veterans issues and ensure equality of benefits and treatments. In addition, upon release from the CAF in 2009 he created an Aboriginal company designed to conduct awareness training and Indigenous cultural training for Indigenous courses of the CAF. He has established a network of highly respected Elders and teachers, some of which are Veterans, and with these extraordinary people delivers a very comprehensive training program.

Darryl G. Cathcart, CD, EdD, Academic Outreach Coordinator

Darryl G. Cathcart enrolled in the Canadian Army in 1991 as a private soldier, was commissioned from the ranks as a senior non-commissioned member, and retired in 2017 as a senior officer. During his operational service, Darryl held command and staff positions in The Royal Canadian Regiment and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment, where he deployed to Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. Notable domestic appointments include serving at the Infantry School and as instructional staff at the Canadian Army Command and Staff College. He is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, the United States Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School, the Joint Command and Staff Programme at the Canadian Forces College, and Queen’s University. Darryl holds a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Western University.

In 2018, Darryl founded Release Point Education to witness the realization of academic excellence by supporting military-connected learners through the provision of specialized, relevant, and credible programming. Darryl has published numerous articles surrounding military-connected students and how this heterogeneous group can produce an amplifying effect on the civilian workforce.

Gisèle Fontaine (Colonel retired) MSC CD RN CHE, Womens’ Outreach Coordinator

Gisèle Fontaine served just shy of 37 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. She started in the Reserves as a CELE Officer for almost 3 years, then transferred to the Regular Force as a Nursing Officer. She eventually became a Health Services Operations Officer (HSO), changing her focus from nursing to operational health services planning and executive management of health services, projects, and corporate programs.

She had the privilege of commanding the CAF medical and dental services schools and the CF Health Services Centre Ottawa – which included orchestrating it’s relocation to the Montfort Campus and operationalizing its new partnership with the Montfort Hospital.

Her deployments include short assistance visits to Mogadishu Somalia and Kandahar Afghanistan, and much later in her career, deployed as a Colonel to Kabul for a year.

There she led a multinational team advising on rebuilding the Afghan army and police medical and dental education system, for which the Meritorious Service Cross was awarded to her.

She was selected to be part of the special team to address Sexual Misconduct in the CAF, and helped create the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (SMRC) and effect CAF-wide policy changes.

She completed her career as the Chief of Staff to the CAF Surgeon General. She retired in February 2018, took a well needed pause, then worked as a senior consultant with DND assisting in the development of the CAF culture change strategy on sexual misconduct and the CAF
victim support strategy.

In 2020, the pandemic changed her path unexpectedly, bringing her back to nursing, assisting with COVID-19 screening and immunizations efforts, and later working as a care manager in the home care sphere.

She more recently joined the Respect Team as the Women’s Outreach Coordinator.

Gisèle is a Registered Nurse (RN) with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), a Certified Health Executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders (CCHL), a member of The Order of St John, and a Fellow with the US-led Federal Health Care Executives Institute Alumni Association (FHCEIAA).

She stays connected to the military family by volunteering as the Vice President Nursing Sisters’ Association of Canada – Ottawa Branch, helping support our military nurse veterans, and by being a member of the Royal Canadian Medical Services Association.

She has a strong passion for service, and continues to contribute to the health and wellness of those in need, especially fellow veterans.