National Advisory Council
James Chatto
Culinary Advisor
A multi-award-winning author and journalist, James Chatto has written for most major Canadian publications and many others in England and the United States. He has been food editor of Toronto Life Gardens and of Gardening Life and restaurant columnist of Toronto Life, as well as wine columnist for Enroute magazine and the LCBO’s Food & Drink magazine, where he was creative consultant and Senior Editor for over 25 years.
David Lawrason
Wine Advisor
David Lawrason is considered one of the leading wine experts in Canada. He has been writing and teaching for over 35 years, formerly for The Globe and Mail and Toronto Life magazine, and currently for WineAlign.com, Canada’s busiest wine review website. He teaches UK-based WSET courses across Canada for Fine Vintage Ltd. The growing Canadian wine industry, which supports Canada’s Great Kitchen Party, has become a major focus of his work. He is co-founder of the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada, teaches the Canadian Wine Scholar Course for FVL, and in 2018 received a Canadian Wine Champion Award from the Canadian Vintners Association.
Jim Cuddy
Music Advisor
Jim Cuddy has written many of the songs that have become indelible in the soundtrack of Canadian lives. Both as a solo artist and as one of the creative forces in Blue Rodeo, Jim has received nearly every accolade Canada can bestow upon a musician including 15 JUNO Awards, The Order of Canada and, along with bandmates Blue Rodeo, has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, received the Governor General Performing Arts Award and a Star on the Walk of Fame.
Marnie McBean
Sport Advisor
Marnie McBean is one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians, with a total of four Olympic medals, including three gold, making her one of just two Canadians to be a triple gold medallist at the Summer Games. McBean is a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal and has been given the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. She was also appointed an Officer to the Order of Canada.
Benoit Huot
Sport Advisor
Benoit Huot is one of Canada’s most accomplished Paralympians of all time, having won 20 medals at five Paralympic Games. His best Paralympic Games were in Athens in 2004 with five gold medals and one silver. He is a member of the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame, as well as the Order of Canada and a Knight of the Order of Quebec.
Wayne Morsky
Partnership Advisor
Wayne Morsky is a successful entrepreneur as the Founder and past President and CEO of the Morsky Group of Companies. He is Chairman of the Board of the Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club, a Member of the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Board of Governors as well as Past Chair of the Canadian Construction Association.
Phil Otto, ICD.D CEO, Revolve
Brand Advisor
Phil Otto is considered one of Canada’s strongest brand strategists, and writes and speaks to business groups internationally about the importance of aligning business strategy with brand strategy. Working with clients of all size, he helps connect brand to culture, values, employee behaviour and customer experience. He was named to Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEO Hall of Fame and chairs the board of directors of the Timberkids Charitable Foundation.
Mike Tamblyn, Torkin Manes LLP
Legal Advisor
A partner in Torkin Manes’ Construction Law and Litigation groups, Mike Tamblyn practises commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels. His dispute resolution practice includes breach of contract, partnership and shareholder disputes, construction claims, professional negligence and disputes relating to interests in real property. He also represents clients in domestic and international arbitrations and mediations and has experience in cross-border litigation.