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Board of Directors

Canada West Foundation is governed by its Board of Directors. The Board provides direction on the current and future research and community engagement activities of the Foundation. The Board meets three times a year, and is comprised of prominent western Canadians who are committed to the social and economic wellbeing of western Canada.

Board of Directors 2010

James (Jim) Dinning, Chair
Chairman of the Board, Western Financial Group
Calgary, AB (Alberta)

Brenda Eaton, Vice Chair, BC
Chair, BC Housing Management Commission
Victoria, BC (British Columbia)

Charlie Fischer, Vice Chair, AB
Retired President & CEO, Nexen Inc.
Calgary, AB (Alberta)

A.R. (Bob) Linner, Vice Chair, SK
Retired City Manager, City of Regina
Regina, SK (Saskatchewan)

H. Sanford Riley, Vice Chair, MB
President & CEO, Richardson Financial Group
Winnipeg, MB (Manitoba)

Tony Stewart, Vice Chair, BC and Secretary/Treasurer
Proprietor, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery Ltd.
Kelowna, BC (British Columbia)

James K. Gray, Honourary Chair
Co-founder, Canadian Hunter Exploration Ltd.
Calgary, AB (Alberta)  


Theresa Arsenault, BC
Pushor Mitchell LLP

Jim Eldridge, MB
Special Advisor, Intergovernmental Relations, Government of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB (Manitoba)  


Jock A. Finlayson, BC
Executive Vice President – Policy, Business Council of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC (British Columbia)  

Ida Goodreau, BC
Retired President & CEO Vancouver Coastal Health
Vancouver, BC (British Columbia)  

Tom Huffaker, AB
Vice President, Policy and Environment, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers

Charles Jago, BC
Board Chair, Northern Health 

Orysia Lennie, AB
Former Deputy Minister, Western Economic Diversification Canada 




Dr. Janice MacKinnon, SK
Professor of Public Policy, University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK (Saskatchewan)

Dr. J. Peter Meekison, BC
Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Alberta
Victoria, BC (British Columbia)  

Gary Merasty, SK
Vice-President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Cameco Corporation
Saskatoon, SK (Saskatchewan) 

Geoff Plant, BC
Partner, Heenan Blaikie, former Attorney General of British Columbia and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations
Vancouver, BC (British Columbia)  


James A. Richardson, MB
President & Director, Westmead Limited 

Eric Stefanson, MB
Former Minister of Industry, Trade & Tourism, Minister of Finance & Chair of Treasury Board & Minister of Health, Government of Manitoba 

Gail Surkan, AB
Chair, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, former Mayor, City of Red Deer
Red Deer, AB (Alberta)  

Robert Westbury, AB
Chair, Telus Edmonton Community Board
Edmonton, AB (Alberta)  

Patricia Youzwa, SK
Retired President & CEO, Sask Powe


Directors Emeritus

James (Jim) Carr, MB
Founding President & CEO, Business Council of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB (Manitoba)

Bill Deyell
Nanoose Bay,BC

David Eaton
Calgary, AB

Brian Felesky, AB
Counsel, Felesky Flynn LLP
Calgary, AB (Alberta)

Robert Pierce
Calgary, AB

Rt. Hon. Edward Schreyer
Winnipeg,MB