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Governance: Commanders
A Commandery is a regional sub-unit of the Grand Priory in Canada, established under the auspices of the Grand Priory in Canada. A Commandery is an organization of no less than 10 members. The Commander is an elected officer of a Commandery. This individual will hold office for a term of one (1) year and is determined at the Commandery's own Annual General Meeting (AGM). The following are members of the Order of Saint Lazarus, Grand Priory in Canada, currently serving as Commanders / Heads of their respective Commanderies: |
  David, originally from ON, is a graduate of the University of Toronto with majors in biology and computer science. He began his work career conducting six years of diabetes research at the Banting and Best Institute, which spurred further interest in computing. He then pursued a career in technology spanning 25 years developing expertise from IBM mainframes, supercomputers to archtecting advanced network computing environments. David's interest in history was a catalsyt in the founding of the Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts in Toronto in 1998, which now has schools in Guelph, Stratford, Digby and Halifax. This interest expanded to include heraldy and after becoming a member of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada, he later became its 23rd President. He is an Honorary Fellow of that Society, awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and is a recipient of a grant of arms in 2004 from the Canadian Heraldic Authority, Ottawa. |
 Kirby is a life-long Northerner having lived across the NWT and Nunavut. He owns several technology companies, including Global Storm IT Corporation for over 25 years with offices across Canada. He also has a clean energy company whose mandate is to provide food security and affordable housing across the North. His service career started as the charter President of the Kiwanis Club of Yellowknife. After Kiwanis, Kirby joined the Rotary Club of Yellowknife and got on its executive as Treasurer. In 2000, Kirby was instrumental in forming a second Rotary Club in Yellowknife - the Rotary Club of Yellowknife True North. As it's charter President, Kirby helped build the club to over 40 members in it's first year. For over 10 years, Kirby was Chairperson of the Yellowknife International Air Show Society - Yellowknife's largest single day community event – and also Chairperson for the Midnight Sun Float Plane Fly-in. Kirby oversaw events that brought upwards of 40 planes from across North America to Yellowknife's shores. Kirby is a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship. |
  Originally from Dublin, Ireland, John joined the Order in 2006 on the invitation of the late Graham Anderson KCLJ GOMLJ, then Vice-Bailiff for British Columbia and Cowichan Herald at the Canadian Heraldic Authority, after moving to British Columbia the previous year. At the time, the then Grand Bailiwick of BC was primarily involved with raising money for palliative care initiatives at hospitals in Saanich and Duncan, on Vancouver Island. A chartered town planner by occupation and a herald of arms by inclination, John served as the Grand Bailiwick’s Judge d’Arms after the demise of Chev. Anderson and, subsequent to British Columbia’s readmittance to the Grand Priory of Canada, holds the position of Vice-Commander for Vancouver Island and serves as the Grand Priory’s Deputy Principal Armorist.John’s other interests include the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada, where he served as the BC/Yukon Branch President for six years and currently edits the Society’s newsletter Gonfanon as well as the Branch newsletter The Blazon. He is honorary Shenachie to the Fort Victoria Garrison, 78th Fraser Highlanders; a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, to whose Journal he has contributed on heraldic matters. For his services to heraldry at the Provincial level, John was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 and was elected an honorary Fellow of the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada in 2017. |
 Julien DeSchutter spent more than 42 years in the travel and aviation-related business. During 30 years with Air Canada, he held a number of management and senior management positions in Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal, in the areas of Business Development, Information Technology, Marketing, as well as Corporate and Commercial Strategy. He is also a Past Chair of the Board of Tourism Calgary. In January 1998 Julien was hired as Vice-President, Airport Marketing for The Calgary Airport Authority and remained in that role until he retired at the end of 2008. In that role he was responsible for all Passenger Air Service Development, Tourism Development, Commercial Development, as well as Hospitality Relations. He was also instrumental in bringing large meetings, events, and conferences to Calgary including The International Air Cargo Association in 2006, World Skills International in 2009, and the Airports Council International North American and International Conferences in 2010. Julien is currently involved with a number of charities including amongst them, The NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank, The Order of St. Lazarus as Vice-Chancellor of Finance, and Dreams Take Flight, where he is the Treasurer of the Calgary Chapter as well as being a member of the National Board of Directors. |
 Julien has been Ecumenical Officer of the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton since 2002. Currently, he serves also as Principal Secretary to the Archbishop. Originally from Saskatchewan, he holds degrees in philosophy and theology from the University of Western Ontario, Newman Theological College (Edmonton) and the University of St. Michael’s College (Toronto). In 2012, St. Stephen’s College (U of A) granted Julien an honourary doctorate in recognition of his work in the fields of ecumenical and interreligious relations. Julien has been a board/executive member of many local, regional, and national organizations serving causes of ecumenical and inter-religious relations. He has served as a representative of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops on three national dialogue groups: United Church-Roman Catholic (2004-2012), Anglican-Roman Catholic (2012-2020), Jewish-Roman Catholic (2020-present). Internationally, he was appointed by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity to the Fifth Phase (2013-2018) of the dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). A Member of Merit since 2007, Julien was invested as an Officer of the Order in 2021 and elected Commander in 2022. |
 No biography available. |
  Marc-Philippe Vincent is an elementary school principal in Montréal. Born in Montreal, he did his theological and pedagogical studies at Université de Montréal where he got his M.A. He also completed a diploma in school administration. Ordained a deacon and then a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada, he has served as a non-stipendiary priest in the diocese of Montréal in various communities and parishes. Member of the Order of St Lazarus since 2008, he has served on the Montreal Commandery’s Executive as Hospitaller and Director of Communications. He has also helped in the translation and adaptation from English into French of liturgical material for the Grand Priory. He was elected Commander of Montreal in June 2016. |
 Lewis is a Certified Management Consultant with 40 years of experience building strong business relationships throughout Newfoundland & Labrador. He is also active in the community including past Chairman of the Humanitarian Awards Committee, Canadian Red Cross - NL Division, and was recently inducted into the Newfoundland and Labrador Volunteer Hall of Fame. |
 No biography available. |
 Alec joined our Order of St Lazarus in 1995. In 1998 he became the Grand Priory’s first official webmaster. From 2006 until 2015 he served on the international grand council Public Relations Commission until stepping down as webmaster. Originally from Victoria, BC he is a UBC graduate in medicine with undergrad degrees in French and Psychology. He served nearly two decades as a Canadian Forces Medical officer at bases across Canada, and on active duty in Bosnia and Afghanistan. He met his wife Sylvie while stationed with 5 Field Ambulance outside Quebec City. Retired from 25 years of Emergency Medicine in Ontario and Quebec, his community service includes a term as Vice President of the English community group Voice of English Quebec with six years of service as board member on the Jeffery Hale Hospital and Hospital Foundation boards, as Board Secretary and technology advisor to the Association des Médecins Omnipraticiens de Québec and delegate to the Fédération des Médecins omnipraticiens du Québec in Montreal. Alec now divides his time between family practice and professorial work at Laval University with his wife. |
 No biography available. |
 Tom joined the Order in 2015 and was the Treasurer of the Toronto Commandery. He attended Queen's University completing a Bachelor of Commerce and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder. Tom has been with Scotia Wealth Management as a Portfolio Manager since 2001. He sits on several charitable foundation boards supporting a variety of causes. Tom and his wife Janice have three young children which keep them quite busy. When there is a spare moment you might find him on the cricket pitch or curling rink. |
 Scott is a passionate about family, church, career and the Order of St. Lazarus. Introduced to the Order in the 1990’s by the then Chaplain General and other members, predominantly through the Anglican Church, Scott was admitted as an Officer in 1997. Recognized for his energy he was drawn to serve the Marshall’s Corp from 1998 – 2014; served as Chair of the Ecumenical Commission 2013 – 2017; elected Vice Commander of Western Ontario 2017 and Commander in 2019. A member of the Order of Huron, Scott’s passion for the Anglican Church is demonstrated by his appointment to Diocesan Council & Executive, the Episcopal Election Committee, a Synod Representative, Paymaster and Member of Council for the Regional Ministry of Saugeen Shores, Tara and Chatsworth as well as Head of the Altar Guild in his home Parish of St. Paul’s. A self-motivated individual Scott had a fast tracked career with Canadian Tire store management from 1987 – 2001 and then began a successful real estate career in 2002. Scott is married to his wife Trish and is step-father to Elyse and devoted uncle to Serenity and Andre. |