It is with profound sadness that Canoe Kayak Canada recognizes the passing of Don May on January 27^th, 2023 at the age of 93. Don was a treasured member of the paddling community and a leader in sport with over 60 years of service provincially, nationally, and internationally.

Don took part in every element of paddling. He started as an athlete, often sharing stories about his past endeavors, replaying each and every stroke while relishing in some of his favourite races including paddling in War Canoe with his lifelong friend and teammate, Ray Knight as coxswain in 1953 when they won Senior Men’s War Canoe 1-Mile at Nationals in Ottawa. Don often recounted these memories with friends, family, and members of the community with pride and joy.

Don leaves a legacy of passion, dedication, and leadership in the sport of canoeing. He served as the Canadian Canoe Association (CCA) Commodore, Western Ontario Division Flag Officer, national official, was a founding member of the West Rouge Canoe Club and Ak-O-Mak Canoe Club, long-time member of the Toronto Sailing & Canoe Club, including winning the CCA Burgee in 1952 and past president of the Dominion Day Regatta Association (DDRA).

He received many well-deserved accolades which he was honoured to accept including winning captain of the first ever official Senior Women’s C15 at CCA in 1965 with Sudbury/Ak-O-Mak, receiving the R. Edgar Gilbert Award as a Builder in 1985, DDRA Achievement Award in 2005 for his over 50 years of contributions, along with donating the Don May Trophy to CKC for U16 Men’s C4 1000m in 2006.

Don had an insatiable enthusiasm for paddling and many in the community, both young and old, looked up to him for his knowledge, praise, and a good story. He will be dearly missed by all.

Canoe Kayak Canada wishes to express our deepest condolences to Don’s family, his friends and colleagues in the canoeing community. We also want to thank Don for his incredible lifetime contribution to canoeing.

Visitation and funeral information can be found here.

CKC wants to provide an overview of all the Committee/Council Openings that will be fulfilled during the Summit Time Frame (Nov/Dec).

WHITEWATER:

* Contact Scott Best if you have any questions sbest@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Scott Best if you have any questions sbest@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Scott Best if you have any questions sbest@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Scott Best if you have any questions sbest@canoekayak.ca

SPRINT:

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

* Contact Jessica Kenney if you have any questions jkenney@canoekayak.ca

CKC COMMITTEES:

* Contact Sam Rogers if you have any questions philanthropy@canoekayak.ca

It is with sadness, mixed with admiration for a long paddling life well lived, that Canoe Kayak Canada recognizes the passing of Alan McCleery.

Alan’s paddling journey began in Montreal in the 1940’s, paddling at the famed Grand Truck Paddling club on the St. Lawrence River. Here, he first experienced National level success winning his first CCA Championships in Junior Men’s C-4 in 1949, lifting the John W. Black Trophy as a twenty year old.

A dynamic partnership for Al began when he partnered with Loui Lukanovich, then a member of the Sudbury Canoe Club, for the 1956 trials at Rideau. They won the 10,000m race by a half a mile, and seemed set for an Olympic nomination however,  that same evening, Alan was advised Lou was not eligible to compete for Canada. He was 10 days away from the 5 year residency requirement.

In 1957, Lou and Al reunited in Montreal with their sights set on the 1960 Olympics, and both joined Cartierville Boating Club, as Grand Trunk was greatly impacted by the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway and was closing down.

With both Al and Lou moving to Cartierville, the balance of power in Montreal area clubs moved with them, with an outstanding group of paddlers developing together through the 1950s on the Rivière des Prairies (Back River) in Montreal.

McCleery reached international success as part of the 1960 Olympic Team, putting to rest the disappointment of 1956 when they competed in Rome at Lago Albano with Lukanovich in the K2 1000m.

The partnership of McCleery & Lukanovich transitioned to an incredible coach and paddler duo at Cartierville where they were key pieces of the unprecedented, and still unmatched, dynasty of the Carterville Boating Club winning 8 consecutive National Championships Overall Burgees between 1958 and 1965.

Later, Al moved with his family to Ottawa, where he became a fixture at the Rideau Canoe Club training every morning in his classic green K1. Al continued to race masters through the 1980s and 1990s. Al and his wife Joan, would also make regular trips to Indian Harbour Beach Florida, where he would join the throngs of paddlers training on the Banana River, earning an international reputation for his endurance and commitment to a daily paddle through his stay at “training camp”.

Al had many incredible stories from his long career of paddling and was quick to share these with anyone who picked up a conversation with him. These stories included a remarkable first-hand account of a piece of canoe racing history. Through the early decades of the 20^th century, Double Bladed Fours were raced in a boat very similar to a Canadian C-4 we would know today in a high kneel position, with a long paddle used to take strokes on both sides. As a young paddler, Al was competing at an American Canoe Association Regatta in the Double Bladed Fours Crew at Sugar Island in the 1000 Islands on the St Lawrence River when an American crew paddled up to the start sitting in line in the middle of the boat. The crew took off on everyone in this new configuration, and a piece of North American paddling history was made.

He also was happy to share the story of him paddling along the shore in training for the Olympic Games in 1960 and looking up to see a figure all in white looking down at them along the shores of Lago Albano, and him realizing it was the Pope, whose country residence Castel Gandolfo was located directly on the lake.

Al was an incredible figure in our sport who inspired countless other paddlers as a coach, teammate, mentor or simply as the friendly kayaker who said good morning as he paddled by in his K1.

CKC wishes to offer our condolences to Alan’s family, his dear friend and K2 partner Lou Lukanovich, and all those who were friends of Al across the paddling community.

Al will continue to inspire many for years to come.

Read Alan McCleery’s Obituary with Funeral Details here.

CKC Alumni Council Member ProfileEN

CanoeKayak Canada is looking for an individual to join the Sprint Racing Domestic Development Committee and fill the role of Chair of the committee. The Domestic Development Committee (DDC) is a sub-committee of the Sprint Racing Council. The main role of the DDC is to provide technical direction and oversight of the domestic development aspects of the discipline. The Chair of this committee is also a member of the Sprint Racing Council.

Some of the key duties of the DDC include:

• Promote and foster, for the purpose of perpetuating, sprint canoe racing in Canada
• In collaboration with CKC staff, advance the interests of domestic programs including LTAD initiatives
• Oversee the annual National Championships in the Sprint Racing Discipline

The DDC is a vital component of the Sprint Racing Discipline and requires a dynamic, experienced individual to provide the guidance necessary to ensure the ongoing development of the sport.

Candidates must meet the following minimum criteria:

• Be 18 years of age or older,
• Have the power under law to contract,
• Be a resident of Canada,
• Have not been declared incapable by a court in Canada or in another country,
• Do not have the status of bankrupt, and
• Satisfies the requirements of the Income Tax Act in relation to the eligibility to serve as a director of a registered charity
• Be a current member in good standing of a Sprint Racing Paddling Association member of CKC

In addition, the ideal candidate will have:

• Experience working on volunteer committees
• Knowledge of CKC and the Sprint Racing Discipline
• A specific skill set or expertise that would be of benefit to the DDC and SRC
• Knowledge of the Canadian sport system is an asset but not required
• Ability to commit approximately 15-20 hours per month to the work of the DDC and SRC
• Willing and able to travel if necessary

This is a volunteer position with a two year term.

Interested candidates are required to complete the attached form in order to be considered for the position.

Deadline for applications is Midnight EST on October 18, 2019.

Please send applications to Casey Wade, CEO, by email to cwade@canoekayak.ca

Canoe Kayak Canada is looking for an individual to join the Sprint Racing Council and fill the role of Chair/Commodore of the Council. The Sprint Racing Council (SRC) is a technical committee of CKC that is representative of the CKC Paddling Association members active in the sprint racing discipline. It is one of three disciplines that currently make up the Paddling Discipline class of members within CKC.

The main role of the Council is to provide technical direction of the discipline and as such it operates with a relatively high degree of autonomy on technical matters specific to the discipline and to direct the sprint paddling discipline in Canada.

The Chair/Commodore of the SRC is the chief spokesperson of the Sprint Racing Discipline. He or she shall preside at all meetings of the Member clubs and of the Sprint Racing Council and shall be charged with the general supervision of the business and affairs of the Sprint Racing Discipline of CKC. As Chair/Commodore of the SRC, this person will also have a position on the CKC Board of Directors.

Candidates must meet the following minimum criteria:

• Be 18 years of age or older,
• Have the power under law to contract,
• Be a resident of Canada,
• Have not been declared incapable by a court in Canada or in another country,
• Do not have the status of bankrupt, and
• Satisfies the requirements of the Income Tax Act in relation to the eligibility to serve as a director of a registered charity
• Be a current member in good standing of a Sprint Racing Paddling Association member of CKC

In addition, the ideal candidate will have:

• Knowledge of CKC and the Sprint Racing Discipline
• Experience working on CKC volunteer committees
• A specific skill set or expertise that would be of benefit to the SRC and CKC
• Exceptional communication and leadership skills
• Knowledge of the Canadian sport system is an asset
• Ability to work in both official languages is an asset
• Ability to commit approximately 20-25 hours per month to the work of the SRC and the CKC Board
• Willing and able to travel if necessary

This is a volunteer position with a two year term.

Interested candidates are required to complete the attached form in order to be considered for the position.

Deadline for applications is Midnight EST on October 11, 2019.

Please send applications to Casey Wade, CEO, by email to cwade@canoekayak.ca

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (July 18) – Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) and the CKC Alumni Council (CKCAC) are proud to launch the inaugural Boat Drive campaign to assist clubs across Canada with boat transportation costs for the 2019 Sprint Nationals in Wascana Lake. 100% of the funds raised will be distributed to eligible clubs. The 4-week campaign is a pilot project and first fund development campaign for the CKC Alumni Council with future plans to launch similar campaigns in other disciplines.

“We understand the high costs associated with long distance travel required for some clubs to compete at the national level,” said CKCAC Fund Development lead, Mike Scarola. “Our goal is to raise as much money as possible for the clubs needing our support and utilize this pilot fundraising campaign to build upon other fundraising initiatives among the different disciplines.”

All member clubs who have athletes attending the 2019 Sprint National Championships and are located over 1,000 kilometers from Wascana Lake will be eligible for funding. Funding will be distributed once the campaign is closed (follow the link below for more details).

“As chair of the CKCAC, I am so proud that we are able to take our first steps towards assisting clubs, athletes and coaches in achieving their goals at a national level,” noted LA Dempster. “Removing financial barriers creates opportunities for tomorrow’s champions.”

Together with our community of CKC supporters – we can remove financial barriers and ensure our clubs and athletes don’t miss the opportunity to compete at the national level!

Please click the following link and Donate Today! to make a tax-deductible contribution to the campaign.

ABOUT THE CKC ALUMNI COUNCIL

The CKC Alumni Council (CKCAC) is an external volunteer group in support of the larger community of paddling alumni’s role within Canoe Kayak Canada.  The CKCAC provides counsel to the CEO and offers advice on engaging and strengthening alumni relationships and program development pertaining to the CKC Alumni program. The CKCAC seeks to increase awareness of the many services available to alumni through CKC, to encourage a larger and more diverse participation in the programs offered through CKC, and to initiate new ways to communicate and engage with CKC’s growing alumni population.

The CKCAC is composed of paddlers from a cross section of business, professional, public and community sectors across Canada and internationally.  The mission of the CKCAC is to engage as many alumni as possible in the ongoing life of CKC in mutually beneficial ways and to support alumni initiatives that promote the goals of CKC.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information:

Laurel MacAdam

Communications Assistant

lmacadam@canoekayak.ca

Colleen Coderre

Communications Lead

ccoderre@canoekayak.ca

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (January 18, 2019) –It is with great sadness that Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) has learned of the passing of CKC national official, Ken Butler.

For many years, Ken was a well-respected official who served at the divisional, provincial and national levels. He particularly enjoyed serving at the Canada Day Regatta for the Dominion Day Regatta Association (DDRA). He was well known for his photography and was an historian who wrote many articles about the DDRA and the Island paper. He lived on Toronto Island until the last few years.

Butler also well deserved the R. Edgar Gilbert Award – Official Category in 1989, award that recognize those volunteers who made significant and exemplary contributions to the Sprint Racing Discipline of CKC.

“Ken leaves a legacy of information through his many articles about the Toronto Island Canoe Club and its athletes; as well, his photography captured many well-known sites on the Island. He will be missed”, commented Judy Tutty, co-chair of Canoe Kayak Canada’s Trophies and Awards committee.

Butler leaves behind his wife Florence of 53 years, his children Shirley, Joyce and Bruce, and seven grandchildren.

On behalf of the entire paddling community, Canoe Kayak Canada would like to send its deepest condolences to the Butler family.

A full obituary and funeral details are available online here.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (January 9, 2019) – It is with great sadness that Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) has learned of the passing of CKC Sprint National Team Alumni, Jean-Pierre Bertrand.

Jean-Pierre paddled with Cartierville Boating Club in Montreal and will be fondly remembered within the Canoe Kayak community as a talented paddler and valued teammate.

Al Thomson, his crewboat partner at the National Trials and World Championships added “JP was the consummate athlete and teammate.  He led by example with a strong work ethic and passion for the task at hand and encouraged everybody around him to be better.  Always fully prepared for training sessions and for races, he was super focused on the prize and had the discipline and work ethic required to see it through. These qualities endeared him to his teammates and made him a fierce competitor.”

Jean-Pierre raced at the national level in the late 1970s and 80’s with Cartierville, winning Canadian Titles in K4, first in Junior in 1976 and then in the Senior event in 1978. At the 1980 Canadian Championships, Jean-Pierre was a key member of the Burgee winning Cartierville team, winning Gold in Junior Men’s K1 500 and 1000m, and partnering with Gord Brown for another win in Junior Men’s K2 500m.

Jean Pierre made his international debut at home in Montreal in 1977, racing as a U18 at the North American Championships, where he would win the K2 10,000m event. Jean Pierre would go on to represent Canada at the Senior World Championships in 1981 and 1982.

Sue Holloway, a Canadian Teammate of Jean-Pierre on those 1981 and ’82 teams, shared high praise for his approach to sport and his value as a teammate, “JP was my favourite teammate. He was easy going and chill in a stressful and intense environment. His laugh came so easily and his smile genuinely lit up the room, both made many days better for me. JP was the epitome of taking life seriously but never taking himself seriously. “

Jean-Pierre’s later on-water accomplishments were earned at the same time as he was working towards a law degree, which would form the foundation of a distinguished career as a Senior Partner at McCarthy Tétrault, practicing in Montreal.

Bertrand leaves behind his wife, Kathleen, and three sons,Nicolas, Mathieu, and Jean-Philippe.

On behalf of the entire paddling community, Canoe Kayak Canada would like to send its deepest condolences to the Bertrand family.

A full obituary and funeral details are available online here.

About Canoe Kayak Canada 

Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (June 4th, 2018) – Canoe Kayak Canada is proud to announce   that its long standing ‘Paddles Up’ Magazine will be re-launched as an online paddling magazine.

“We are excited to officially announce the return of the Paddles Up Magazine, ten years after its last publication”, said Casey Wade, Chief Executive Officer at Canoe Kayak Canada. “The new Paddles Up is an online magazine about canoe and kayak culture. Whether you paddle as a competitive paddler or you are more generally passionate about paddle sports, this addition to the Canoe Kayak Canada website is for you!”

Published from the 1980’s until 2008, the original “Paddles Up” was the official print publication of Canoe Kayak Canada, known then as the Canada Canoe Association. Published five times a year and distributed to the membership, Paddles Up provided organizational updates, results, announcements and first-person story telling from the community.

Canoe Kayak Canada is reviving Paddles Up in 2018 in the spirit of the original publication through a complete new platform for sharing the stories of our Canoe Kayak Canada community.

The magazine will be a complementary addition to CKC’s current website, which will be used to bring the community together by sharing stories, while the CKC website will remain the main source of news, results and documentation for our members.

“Everyone involved with Canoe Kayak Canada is passionate about paddling, canoe or kayak, and all have unique and inspiring stories to tell”, Joannie Verret, Communications Lead at Canoe Kayak Canada. “Which is why the Alumni Council and CKC decided to bring the Paddles Up back to life again and created this platform to share inspiring paddling stories, memories, athletes’ dreams, adventures, pictures, videos and way more!”

WWW.PADDLESUP.CANOEKAYAK.CA

Powered by CKC’s Alumni Council

At the 2017 Annual Summit in November, Canoe Kayak Canada was proud to announce the official launch of the Canoe Kayak Canada Alumni Council (CKCAC). Following close to 200 Alumni survey responses and many expressions of interest to join the Alumni Council, CKC named LA Dempster as Chair of the council and invited members based on geographical and discipline representation to join the CKCAC.

The CKCAC is an external volunteer group in support of the larger community of paddling alumni’s role within Canoe Kayak Canada.  The CKCAC provides counsel to the CEO and offers advice on engaging and strengthening alumni relationships and program development pertaining to the CKC Alumni program. The CKCAC seeks to increase awareness of the many services available to alumni through CKC, to encourage a larger and more diverse participation in the programs offered through CKC, and to initiate new ways to communicate and engage with CKC’s growing alumni population.

“Engaging the alumni has been an initiative that has been talked about for many years,” says LA Dempster. “I am thrilled to be a part of this very important first step and I look forward to what the future holds, working together with a great group of passionate people and a big paddling family.”

The CKCAC is composed of twelve members representing various regions and disciplines. Under the leadership of LA Dempster, the Alumni Council works to create a more meaningful and better-connected relationship with the paddling community.

Meet the CKCAC team by exploring the new edition of the Paddles Up online! Read about our Alumni, learn about inspiring stories from Canoe Kayak Canada, get to know our canoe kayak athletes from all of our eleven disciplines and share your love for paddling with the whole Canadian community!

If you are interested in becoming a Paddles Up contributor, contact us with the content you would like to submit. The Paddles Up team will get in touch with you after reviewing your submission. We can’t wait to learn more about our community and share your stories!

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (May 3, 2018) – It is with great sadness that Canoe Kayak Canada (CKC) has learned of the passing of Ontario Conservative MP and CKC Alumni Gordon Brown. Gordon passed suddenly after suffering a fatal heart attack in his Parliament Hill office Wednesday morning.

The 57-year-old MP, who had represented the eastern Ontario riding of Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes since 2004, was remembered as a tireless advocate, a passionate politician and a devoted family man.

Mr. Brown’s home town club, of which he was a proud alumni, honoured him with a Facebook post on Wednesday, “Gord was always a huge supporter of The Gananoque Canoe Club. Countless times he would lend his voice to our cause and praised the club for its role in his youth in shaping the man he became. He will be deeply missed.”

Brown raced at many national events in the 1970s and 80’s with the Gananoque, highlighted by back to back Juvenile Men’s K-4 titles at the Canadian Sprint Canoe Kayak Championships in 1976 and 1977. He also climbed to the top of the podium with Team Ontario as part of the K-4 crew at the 1977 Canada Games in St. John’s.

Going on to race for Canada, Brown was a two-time medalist at the 1977 North American Championships in Montreal where he won gold in the Junior Men’s K-2 500 meter event, as well a silver medal in the Junior Men’s K-4 500 meter race.

Later, he competed at the 1988 ICF World Marathon Championships with longtime friend and team mate Peter Patasi in the Men’s K-2 42 km event.

Brown leaves behind his wife, Claudine, and two sons, Chance and Tristan.

On behalf of the entire paddling community, Canoe Kayak Canada would like to send its deepest condolences to the Brown family.

About Canoe Kayak Canada

Canoe Kayak Canada is the national governing body for competitive paddling in Canada, one of Canada’s top performing summer sports with a total of 24 Olympic medals, and a leader in the Paralympic movement. Canoe Kayak Canada is a member-based organization that includes an intricate network of clubs as well as provincial, territorial and divisional paddling associations. Elite National Team athletes proudly represent Canada at various competitions around the globe – most notably the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Pan American Games, ICF World Cups as well as Junior, Under 23 and Senior World Championships. Follow Canoe Kayak Canada on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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For more information :

Joannie Verret

Communications Coordinator

jverret@canoekayak.ca

(418) 271-3785