BC and the Yukon - James Legh, legh@sll.ca Victoria BC -Chief Scout 1978

Scouter Jim, aka Akela, Baloo or Tigger, was born in Ottawa under the name James Legh.  He has a long history with Scouting, having started as a cub in Winnipeg in 1970 and has continued as a registered member ever since.  His first Jamboree was CJ 77 in PEI and a year later he was awarded his Chief Scout’s Award.  Jim started as an assistant cub leader in 1975 and has since worked with Beavers, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers.  Currently Jim is the Deputy Area Commissioner-Events for the Greater Victoria Area and is involved with various regional camps and activities.  He is also on the board of the Scout Foundation. He was a patrol leader for the 1^st Centennial group and is the current chair of the CSA’s COH. Outside of Scouting he is a lawyer and businessman. He has used his Scouting skills to assist various charitable boards, business organizations, (including acting as President of the Victoria Bar Association) and to climb to the top of some of the highest mountains in the world. 

Alberta/Saskatchewan and NWT - Robin Benbow, rbenbow@gmail.com Edmonton AB -Chief Scout 1996

Robin was a Youth Member of Scouting for 22 years. He started as a Beaver in 1986 and went through every section and ended as a Rover in 2008.  He was a Scout leader from 2000 – 2008, Starting in 2008 He became a Venturer Advisor and is now a Trainer for of Alberta’s Councils as well as belonging to the 1^st Gilwell Scout Troop and Rover Crew. He has attended many Jamborees including 9^th Alberta Jam, 9^th CJ, 19^th WJ in Chile, 11^th Alberta, 1^st Brotherhood Jam, and 21^st WJ in England. He also has an active role planning and organizing numerous events and camps and was a Patrol Leader for the 1^st Centennial Group. Outside of Scouting Robin is a steam train operator at Fort Edmonton Park.

Manitoba, NW Ontario and Nunavut - Richard Puttenham, rputtenham@winnipeg.ca  Winnipeg MB –Chief Scout 1982

Richard Puttenham joined one of the very first Beaver Colonies back in 1974: Then worked his way through all levels of Scouting over the next 19 years. Finishing his youth portion as a knighted Rover Scout. He attended the 16^th World Jamboree in Australia in 1987/88. In 1993 he stepped down as Asst. Venturer Advisor in 1993 due to University studies and career. He earned a Masters in Science degree – Zoology and spent 2 years manning a remote biological field station in the Manitoba boreal forest. He is currently a Research Analyst responsible for policy and procedure development for the Winnipeg Police Service. He remained active on the sidelines of Scouting as a collector of Scouting badges and memorabilia. Over the years he attended several groups to put on displays of old uniforms and such during Scout & Guide Week and is currently a member of both the Canadian Badgers Club and the International Badgers Club. In 2005, he joined the 1^st Centennial Troop and soon found myself as Patrol Leader for Winnipeg. He has helped coordinate the centennial ceremonies and activities for Manitoba August 1^st, 2007. Returned to full uniform in 2007 as a Resource Scouter and soon found myself as Asst. Area Commissioner – Venturers for NW Winnipeg, as well as a member of the Promotions and Communications Committee. Currently he is the interim Area Commissioner for NW Winnipeg.

Central Ontario - Mark Merryweather  markmerryweather@gmail.com Oakville ON Queen-Scout.  Mark was born in Northern Ireland but grew up in the United States and Canada. He started off his scouting career with American Cub Scouts and continued with Canadian Wolf Cubs when the family moved to Niagara Falls, Ontario in the mid-sixties. That's why when you see him in his uniform you will always find an American BSA symbol somewhere either on a woggle or belt. Mark completed his Queen's Scout Award in 1969. Mark rejoined Scouts Canada as an adult in 2001 and has been active in Colony, Pack and Troop with beads in all three sections. He has also been a Deputy Area Commissioner for Mississauga and Greater Halton and has beads as a Service Scouter too. Mark feels strongly about the Chief Scout and Queen's Venturer Awards and wants them gain the same recognition that the American Eagle Scout Award has in the States. Currently Mark is employed as a secondary school teacher in Oakville, Ontario and has a PhD in Information Science. Outside of Scouting his main hobby is graphic design and he has produced many national and international scout crests, badges and patches. 

Eastern Ontario and Quebec - Mike Reid, mikereid@keme.qc.ca Montreal QC  -Queen's Scout

Mike Reid is a Queen's Scout from Montreal and is the patriarch of a true Scouting family. He was a Youth Member in Scouting for 7 years back in 60’s. He was a Cub in Hamilton for one year only and then joined Scouts when his family moved to Montreal. He has been a leader in Scouts and has held many positions at the District/Area and Council level. He has attended many jamborees in various capacities, and has made several of the souvenir videos. He is the Founder of SCOUT eh! and, was the Patrol Leader in Quebec for the 1st Centennial Troop. Currently Mike is a Venturer advisor for the 1st Montreal Video Venturers and, is the Honours and Awards person for Ohiyo Area – Quebec Council. He is one half of Scouting's Radish and Gooseberry comedy act. Mike owns and operates KEMEdia, a full-service Video and Audio production house.

Atlantic - Herb Ripley, hripley@ns.aliantzinc.ca Enfield NS -Queen's Scout 1966

Herb Ripley was a Youth Member of Scouting for 10 years back in the day when
there were no Beavers or Venturers. He started as a Cub in 1959 and went through
cubs and scouts and ended as a Rover in 1969. Herb was awarded his Queens Scout Award in 1966. He has been a leader in Beavers, Cubs and Scouts and has held positions at the Area and Council level. He has attended Expo ’67 in Montreal, CJ’97, ’01, ‘07, ScotiaJam ’05 and was the Camp Chief at ScotiaJam ‘09. He was a Patrol Leader for the 1st Centennial Group. Herb has just finished a three year term as Council Commissioner for Nova Scotia. Herb represents the CSA as a member
of the Scouts Canada Foundation Board. Herb is also the administrator of the Forum on the CSA website.  Professionally Herb is a Remote Sensing Specialist and owns his own company conducting contract aerial data collection for environmental scientific researchers around the world.

Youth - Mike Harris mikeoharris@gmail.com – Chief Scout

Youth - Rachel Northey denominated@hotmail.com Peterborough, ON - Chief Scout 2004

Rachel has been a member of Scouting for 8 years, previous to that she was a Girl Guide for 8 years. She is one of the founding member of the 1^st Lakefield Aesier Viking Sea Rover Crew. After making the switch to scouting she became active with her area’s youth forum and completing Part 1 training to work with Troop. She attended CJ’01 and finds ways to stay involved with Scouting while moving every 4-months for her school’s co-op component. Rachel is currently studying Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

John Rietveld -Staff Advisor

John was raised in St Catharines, graduated from York University and as President & Executive Director of the Scouts Canada Foundation serves as chief administrator. John joined Scouts Canada’s staff in 1975 as field executive Northeastern Ontario, moved to Niagara in 1979 and 1981 became Director of Relationships for Scouts Ontario. In 1987 he became Executive Director Communications at the national level and in 1998 Executive Director -Revenue Development. John is an accredited member of the Canadian Public Relations Society and the Association of Fundraise Professionals), is past member of the Board of AFP (Ottawa) and past President of his condominium association. He is as a judge with the Donner Foundation National Awards.