Team Ten Eight

Mike Morris spent 32 years as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police retiring as Superintendent of British Columbia’s north district. Following his retirement, he was elected as a Member of BC’s Legislative Assembly in 2013, 2017 and 2020. From 2015-2017 he served as Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General and has been heavily involved in several committees overseeing policing in British Columbia including as Chair of the Special Committee to Review the Independent Investigations Office, and as a member of the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act. In 2020, he submitted a proposal for a three-tier approach to policing and public safety in BC. Mike joins us on this episode to talk about the past, present and future of policing in BC and share his perspective on the opioid crisis and BC’s drug decriminalization experiment. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Lieutenant Colonel Phil Halton is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran who has served in Bosnia, Ethiopia, Denmark, Norway and Spain. He holds an honours degree in military and strategic studies from the College Militaire Royal de St-Jean; a Masters degree in Defence Studies from the Royal Military College and a Master of Arts in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Gloucestershire. He has worked as a contract writer, screenwriter, novelist and has authored several books including “This Shall Be a House of Peace,” published in 2019, “Every Arm Outstretched,” published in 2020 and his first non-fiction work, “Blood Washing Blood: Afghanistan’s Hundred Year War” published to critical acclaim in 2021. He was the co-founding editor of Blood & Bourbon, a Toronto-based literary journal, and is the founding publisher of Double Dagger Books, Canada’s only military and security-focused publisher. On this episode, Phil joins us to discuss Canada’s longest war, including what we missed and why we failed, and his journey from armour, to author and artist. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Elenore Sturko is Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police veteran who has served in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and in Langley and Surrey, British Columbia. In 2022, she was successful in her bid for a seat in BC’s legislature representing the riding of Surrey-South and now serves as a Member of the Legislative Assembly and Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Addiction, Recovery and Education. On this episode, we discuss the challenges and differences between policing in rural northern communities and large urban centres, whether enough is being done to combat drug overdoses in BC, and how her bid to amend BC’s Mental Health Act proposes to help doctors make better decisions when treating patients in crisis. Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Troy Clifford began his service career with the British Columbia Ambulance Service in 1988 and has worked in a range of patient care roles across BC including dispatching, training and education, emergency management, advocacy, and currently serves as a Unit Chief in Osoyoos, BC. He is a recipient of the BC Ambulance Service, Chief Operating Officer’s Commendation for exemplary achievement for Leadership and Community Service, has held numerous elected and appointed union and pension trustee positions over the years and he currently serves as the President of the Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia. Troy joins us on this episode to discuss the paramedic crisis in BC and how the recent collective agreement struck between the province and the union begins to address some of the issues exacerbating that crisis. He also weighs in on the sustainabilty of the provincial ambulance service model, and shares a paramedic's point of view on the early stages of the province's drug decriminalization experiment. Interested in a career as a paramedic or want to learn more? Click on the links below. British Columbia Emergency Health Services Ambulance Paramedics (and Dispatchers) of British Columbia Justice Institute of British Columbia Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Sergeant Jim Ingram is a twelve year member of the Delta Police Department and overseas the DPD’s Public Safety Operations Group that includes their Emergency Management/Disaster Response unit, Tactical Support Group, Drug and Firearms K9 Teams, Violence Suppression Team, and their Community Safety Officer and Reserve Constable programs. He is also responsible for developing and rolling out the Delta Police Department’s tactical technology and joins us on this episode to discuss the deployment of Body Worn Cameras, a first among British Columbia police agencies. For more on the Delta Police Department and their body worn camera program visit deltapolice.ca. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Chief Warrant Officer (ret’d) John Barnes is a decorated Canadian Armed Forces veteran who has served all over Canada, in Germany and in operations in Cyprus, the Persian Gulf, Croatia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. He was awarded the Sacrifice Medal for being wounded in battle in Afghanistan, the Meritorious Service Medal for exceptional leadership under enemy fire and, in 2009, was appointed to the Order of Military Merit. He is also the author of the recently published book, White School, Black Memories, a gripping memoir that delivers the unvarnished truth of a soldier in Canada’s army. John joins us on this episode to share his experiences as a career Canadian soldier. He lays bare the real world violence of combat operations, his struggles coping with the impacts of being injured physically and mentally and how writing helped him heal. All proceeds from the sale of John's book go to the Homes for Heroes Foundation, whose mission is to integrate all our homeless military Veterans into the community through the provision of housing and support services across Canada. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Wally Oppal is a former trial attorney who has served as a special prosecutor on numerous high profile commercial crime and drug offences and more than 50 homicide cases. He served as a judge in the County Court of British Columbia from 1981 to 1985, and in the B.C. Supreme Court from 1985 to 2003, when he was appointed to the B.C. Court of Appeal. He has led two commissions of inquiry into policing in British Columbia, including the Missing Women Inquiry following one of BCs most notorious serial murder investigations, and has authored reports that have advocated for and led to many reforms in policing both in British Columbia and across Canada. Between 2005 and 2009 he served as the Attorney General of British Columbia and appointed commissions of inquiry into the police use of tasers, following the aftermath of the death of a man at Vancouver International Airport, and into the death of an Indigenous man, who died as a result of being left in an alley by police in Vancouver. More recently, he was asked by the government of BC to chair the task force that established the framework for the transition of policing services in Surrey, BC from the RCMP to the Surrey Police Service and he remains in active legal practice as Senior Counsel with Boughton Law where he provides strategic advice on dispute resolution and public sector related matters. On this episode, Wally shares his thoughts on the oft discussed but yet to be implemented regional policing model for Metro Vancouver; his role in laying out the mammoth task of transitioning from the RCMP's largest detachment to a municipal police service; and weighs in on BC's latest social experiment, the decriminalization of personal drug possession. Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

David Cassels is a former Canadian Police Chief and public safety consultant who has supported and consulted domestically for federal agencies including the Department of Justice, Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian International Development Agency, and internationally where he was responsible for the formation of the South East Europe Police Chiefs Association and completed a detailed review of the San Jose Police in Costa Rica. He is also a founding member and President of the Coalition for Canadian Police Reform and, on this episode, discusses a range of isssues facing policing in Canada. From a lack of standardized curriculum, to what he calls "fraudulent" recruiting practices to the need for more empathy and compassion based training, David makes his case for why policing in Canada needs reform. For more information about the C-CPR and to connect with David, click his name above to reach his LinkedIn profile or email him at dcassels@telusplanet.net Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Mubin Shaikh is a former undercover human source for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and former police agent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) who has worked multiple infiltration operations including the VERY public prosecution of the Toronto 18 terrorist cell. Mubin also holds a Masters Degree in Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism (MPICT, Macquarie), is a Professor in the School of Public Safety at Seneca College and is featured in a permanent exhibit at the new International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. under, “Preventing Terror.” On this episode Mubin goes in depth as we discuss the journey of radicalization, the manipulation of Islam by those who hold extremist views, and the process of deprogramming those who have fallen prey Wahhabism, or what Mubin calls, “the virus that has taken over the Muslim world”. For more information about Canada's strategy on countering radicalization visit Public Safety Canada. Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

On this episode, Christian recaps and provides some additional background into the top three most listened to episodes of 2022. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Phil Gurski has spent almost 40 years working in the intelligence field with organizations like the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Canada's top secret listening post, the Communications Security Establishment. He is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting and a Distinguished Fellow in National Security at the University of Ottawa’s Professional Development Institute (PDI). Phil is a well known and sought after media commentator and has provided commentary, blogged about, tweeted and presented on violent Islamist-inspired and other forms of terrorism around the globe. He is the host of the podcast, Canadian Intelligence Eh! and the author of six terrorism books and counting including , The Peaceable Kingdom, The Threat from Within and When Religion Kills. On this episode, Phil shares his perspective on the threats we face, from right wing extremism to foreign influence, how Canada's focus isn't where it needs to be, and leaves us with no doubt about the risk of extremist violence on our soil. Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Dr. Matthew Kane is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran and former military intelligence officer who served in several overseas counter intelligence operations. He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Walden University, a master’s degree from American Military University in Psychology, a BA in Military Strategic Studies from the University of New Brunswick and is the President and CEO of Prodigy Intelligence. Matt discusses his role as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan, how he was able to identify a mole working for the enemy and the burden of preparing soldiers for the threats they face. Also, how do you tell when someone is lying to you? There is no one surefire way to do so, but Matt offers up some tips and tells to look for the next time you feel like you're not getting the whole truth! Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Lieutenant (ret’d) Ron Boughton is a Cold War veteran who spent 37 years with the Royal Canadian Navy. Much of that time was spent conducting electronic warfare operations off Canada’s Pacific coast. Or, as he likes to say, chasing Russian spy ships. On this episode Ron talks about what it was like as a young man sailing with his father, the very real threats Canada faced during the Cold War and his experience as one of the first members of the Canadian military to visit China after the 1949 revolution that brought the Chinese Communist Party to power. Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Chance Burles is Canadian Armed Forces veteran and former Combat Engineer who spent 8 months in Afghanistan as a member of the Edmonton based 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. On this episode, we learn about the role of the Combat Engineer and how they are prepared for combat. We talk about Chance's first encounter with an improvised explosive device, or IED and what it's like being in a gun fight with the enemy. Or as Chance puts it, "doing his job". Chance is also veterans advocate and co-founder of the annual Canadian Walk for Veterans. We talk about the walk, and about how he's using his podcast, Tools for the Tool Box, to help others get their stories out and, through that process, learn what strategies (or tools!) they employ to work through and cope with the literal and figurative the scars that come from military service. Click on the links below to learn more about Chance, his podcast and the Canadian Walk for Veterans. Instagram: @mcplburles Podcast: Tools for the Tool Box Walk: Canadian Walk for Veterans Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Deputy Director (ret'd) Randie Scott spent 35 years with Correctional Services Canada and in 2008-2009, deployed with a team of correctional officers to Afghanistan. They were assigned to the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team at Camp Nathan Smith (CNS) where they begin training and mentoring their Aghan counterparts. It was during this deployment that Randie befriended Afghan police captain, Mohammed Ismail, or Captain Smiley as he became known, who worked alongside Canada's military and civilian members through Canada's mission. Twelve years later, as Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, Randie and Mohammed stayed in constant contact as Mohammed ushered his family via backroads from Kandahar to Kabul and eventually to Pakistan, in a desperate bid to escape the Taliban who were hunting those, like Mohammed, who had supported Canada and it's allies. Marc is the former president of Equitas Society, a group formed to advocate for better pension benefits for veterans and for social covenant between government and it's military so that veterans never go with out. He is also one of the Co-founders and Co-national Organizer of the Canadian Walk for Veterans, founded in 2018 and joins us to talk about the 5th annual walk and it's theme, Leave No One Behind. Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Master Corporal (ret'd) John Dowe is a Canadian Armed Forces veteran. In 1993, as a member of the Airborne Regiment, he deployed to Somalia and witnessed what would eventually become known as the “Somalia Affair”. An incident so tragic, that it led to a national public inquiry, the resignation of the Minister of Defense and the disbanding of this elite special forces unit. After transitioning to civilian life, John began investigating the effects of mefloquine, an anti-malarial pill he calls a "suicide drug", and co-founded the International Mefloquine Veterans Alliance to inform veterans, health, and military leaders, about the short- and long-term effects of this anti-malarial drug. He continues to advocate for a Royal Commission to investigate the drug's prescription and use by the Canadian military and is the lead client in a mass tort lawsuit seeking compensation for veterans who were prescribed mefloquine on missions in Somalia, Rwanda, Haiti, Afghanistan and elsewhere. On this episode John talks about the mission in Somalia, why he believes mefloquine played a significant role in the beating death of Somali teen Shidane Arone, and how 1 in 5 veteran PTSD cases are misdiagnosed. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Captain Steve Farina is a veteran British Columbia firefighter, an executive board member of the International Association of Firefighters Local 1782 and Vice President of the BC Professional Fire Fighter Association (BCPFFA) which represents over 4,000 professional firefighters across the province. He is also actively engaged in firefighter and first responder mental health initiatives through his work as vice chair for both the BCPFFA's Health and Safety Committee and their Mental Health Committee, the IAFF’s Behavioral Health Committee, Coquitlam Fire Rescue’s Critical Incident Stress Team and the WorkSafe BC led BC First Responder Mental Health Steering Committee. Despite all the work he's doing advocating for better approaches to mental health, Steve talks about how hard it was following his own advice when things got to be too much; how he benefited from the First Responder Resiliency Program program offered through Blueprint and why, when it comes to men's mental health in particular, we're our own worst enemies. Please click on any of the links above to learn more about or to contribute to the organizations and programs discussed in this episode. Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Sergeant (ret’d) Laurie White spent 23 years as a British Columbia based member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. She’s been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Medal of Valour from the International Association of Women Police. On November 27, 1998, she heard the radio call that no police officer ever wants to hear, “10-33”. That’s the radio code indicating the highest priority emergency, an officer is down. She never thought the one and only time she’d hear that call, that she was the emergency, that she was the officer down. Laurie joins us on this episode to talk about that harrowing day, her physical and mental journey to get back to active duty and her recently published memoir, aptly entitled 10-33: An Officer Down Steps Back Up. For more information about her book please visit Friesen Press. Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting Mortgage Broker Strata Wealth & Risk Management Financial Planning Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Sergeant Kerry Williams, a 21 year member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is among a select few Canadian police officers who have rotated through the Canadian Police Mission in Ukraine. On this episode, Kerry shares her personal experience and perspective as we discuss why Canada is engaged in the mission, how novel some Canadian concepts - like scenario based training and community policing - are to Ukraine, and the challenge of influencing Ukrainian police officers away from corrupt practices. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Matt Johnston is a full-time firefighter who’s attended over 3500 calls in Metro Vancouver ranging from medical response to hazardous materials and fires. He is also an experienced mental health clinician who offers a unique, in-depth understanding of paramilitary mindsets within stoic workplace cultures, and is the Chief Executive Officer of First Responder Health, a service that recently partnered with Wounded Warriors Canada, and helps other mental health clinicians better connect with first responders, law enforcement officers and veterans. Or, in Matt's words, a stoic paramilitary audience. In this episode Matt talks about the challenges faced by public safety professionals when trying to connect with mental health providers and why becoming more occupationally aware is critical to providing good mental health care to those who put service over self. Thank you for listening! For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!