Community Involvement

I am thrilled to be co-chair of the Local Business - Special Friends division of the York Foundation's Transforming Care Campaign with my good friend Hollis Cole, President and CEO of ADI Group Inc.

Under the leadership of our Campaign Chair, Fred Bearisto and the Foundation's board chair Mac MacFarlane, our vision is to raise $2.5 million dollars to transform care for the aging in Atlantic Canada and beyond.

To date we have commitments for over one third of our goal amount. Our team has great momentum and I would ask for your support in this most worthwhile endeavour.



Fredericton Sports Investment started as a group of local hockey supporters who banded together to operate the Fredericton Jr. Red Wings in the New Brunswick Jr. B Hockey League in 1981. The major fund raising initiative was an auction at which the public could bid on various items donated by local merchants. After only two years the league folded, but FSI continued its annual fund raising activities, with the proceeds going to support "minor hockey and other young athletes and teams".

FSI has a volunteer board of 35 local business, professional and retired individuals who give of their time to support the youth of this community and I am proud to be one of the members of the volunteer board. I have been a board member for several years and I look forward to continuing to serve in this capacity for many years to come.


I am excited to be the Chair of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce Physician Recruitment Committee. In August of 2008 the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce launched its Fredericton Physician Recruitment Initiative, a community-based project intended to complement the existing efforts of the Regional Health Authority and the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital.

The decision to form the initiative arose from discussions with Chamber members, who expressed concern over the ability to recruit skilled workers to a community experiencing a physician shortage, who pointed out that access to health care is a key requirement for companies looking to the city as a place to do business, and who noted that immigrants are unlikely to choose to relocate to, or remain in, a community that cannot offer them access to primary health care. These discussions made it apparent that the physician shortage had the potential to affect more than just a small group of people -- it could create a serious human resources challenge, hinder economic development efforts, and prevent the province from achieving its population growth targets.

The committee's mandate is to make Fredericton a physician-friendly city. To accomplish this, committee members have identified five priority focus areas:

Office space
The Invest Fredericton website maintains an up-to-date list of available commercial real estate. We are in the process of updating this site with search options tailored specifically to physicians.

Administrative management
Because many physicians identify the administrative aspects of running a practice as an unwelcome strain, we will work to put new physicians in touch with local companies that can assist with billing, patient record maintenance, and other administrative tasks.

Spousal employment
We know that many physicians will choose a community to practice in based on the opportunities that will be available to their spouse/partner. To assist with this, we will work with local recruitment agencies, human resources managers, major employers, and government to connect spouses/partners to the local job market and put them in touch with the people who make hiring decisions.

Policy and research
Because we know that several factors can influence a physician's choice of where to practice, we will work with physicians to better understand the factors that determine decision-making, and how these factors are prioritized. This component involves working with physicians already practicing in the area, residents, and those considering relocating to Fredericton.

A Welcoming and Open Community
Because one of the primary goals of this initiative is to make Fredericton a destination of choice for physicians, we are committed to showing anyone interested in practicing in Fredericton everything that the city has to offer. Currently, this involves providing information packages, welcome packages, guided tours of the city, and hosting receptions for residents and local physicians.

Our efforts have resulted in successes for the Fredericton area.

The Daily Gleaner - October 3, 2009