WRITERS
Jean-Michel Blais worked 25 years in the RCMP before becoming the Chief of Halifax Regional Police, retiring in 2019. He is a graduate of McGill University (political science and economics) and Université Laval (law). He is the principal of EMPIRIC Consultancy Solutions, currently writing a book entitled Working the Blue Line: Lessons in Life, Leadership and Complexity from Hockey and Policing, expected to be published in 2021.
A former infantry officer, and a lawyer by profession, Don Blakely has been involved in Ground Search and Rescue since 1987. Currently a Manager with Vernon SAR in BC, Don has responded to hundreds emergencies including floods and urban wildfires. He is a founding member and currently a Director of the Search and Rescue Volunteer Association of Canada and of the BC SAR Association. Don was responsible for the creation of the National GSAR Liability Insurance program and is a co-author of British Columbia's SAR Strategic Plan.
Philip J. Boyle is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology & Legal Studies at the University of Waterloo. His research is concerned with contemporary developments in policing, security, and public safety after 9/11, particularly in relation to cities and urban governance. His current research on critical infrastructure security is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
Judy Bradt is Principal and CEO of Summit Insight, and is dedicated to maximizing Canadian companies' effectiveness and win rate when they seek US government business – especially in the defence and security niche. She writes and consults for Canadian firms and the trade facilitators who serve them, and is a renowned speaker at conferences across North America on secrets to US government contract success.
Richard Bray began his media career in 1972 in West Germany as an announcer with the Canadian Forces Network, a radio service for Canadian military personnel serving with NATO. Before 1984 when he began a freelance career, Mr. Bray worked with the national radio and television networks of the CBC in Toronto as a producer, reporter and senior news editor.
Alan Breakspear began his consulting practice in 1994 after a distinguished career in Canada’s federal Public Service (CSE, PCO, TBS Program Branch, CSIS and the Solicitor General Secretariat). He is now President and CEO of Ibis Research, and a Director of BGB Advantage Corp. providing international clients with services in Competitive Intelligence and Knowledge Management.
Wolfgang Brettner was born and raised in Carinthia Austria and moved to Alberta with his family in 1998. He has worked in the Oil and Gas industry since 2003 with a break in 2009 to complete a tour of duty with the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan. He has been an active Canadian Armed Forces Reservist for 14 years and has been in the Health and Safety Field since 2013.
Casey Brunelle is a security and intelligence consultant with extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, specializing in counterterrorism, public safety, and geopolitics. He is a strategic advisor to the International Airport Watch Association, a not-for-profit community policing and crime prevention program enhancing aviation security around airports.
A 16-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Jacques Brunelle was an investigator with their National Security Investigation Section in Ottawa. He has authored a book on the RCMP, and written numerous articles for Blue Line, Pony Express and Information magazines dealing with police matters and police aviation in particular.
A hands-on executive with expertise in software and hardware engineering, new product R&D and consulting, Alan developed software tools for military, security, emergency response, business and government markets. Upon retirement, Alan championed environmental responsibility, writing many articles and commentaries plus maintaining an information portal on the internet. He passed away after an accident in 2012.
Darren Butt is an emergency management professional with extensive senior and executive-level experience in the private and public sector. His specializations include environmental emergency readiness, petrochemical incident response, community emergency interface systems, pandemic response/ planning and integrated corporate response platforms.
