When I think of Brad, the first thing that comes to mind are the many good laughs we shared together.

We first met when we were both elected to the SCIC/SGEU Bargaining Committee in the mid 90's, along with Dorothy Wilcox. We became fast friends and enjoyed more than a few cold beverages together, along with Doug Taylor, our SGEU rep.

He was one a handful of union people who I made sure to introduce to my wife and children as I knew he had such a good nature to him and they really enjoyed his company. 

Brad was very smart and was often mentally far ahead of the negotiations, which at a bargaining table can take time, anf Brad being Brad, always needed something to occupy his mind.

One day during intense bargaining with management, I leaned over to ask his opinion on something, when I noticed he had a MAD magazine open inside the collective agreement which he was supposed to be following. He gave me a silly look and shrug of his shoulders, and I never said a word to anyone as I knew that he had already thought through the arguments and was killing time until the rest of the group caught up to him. But it was hard to keep a straight face the rest of the day as everyone thought Brad was such a keener with his nose stuck in the collective agreement !!! We had a lot of laughs about it afterwards.

When I moved on to work for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Brad help arrange for me to come speak at his church one day about my work in Africa, and we had a good chance to catch up with one another, and share old bargaining stories.

Last spring we were reconnecting after a few years, and when I mentioned I was going to open up the fly-in fishing camp at Errington Lake, outside of Flin Flon, he was quick to jump on the opportunity to come along, and we invited some other crop insurance friends as well. Brad however did not actually want to go out in the fishing boats, but on the last day, with some encouragement from everyone, he finally came out with me. He was nervous, UNTIL he caught his first lake trout. When he landed it in the boat, I saw one of the biggest smiles ever on his face. 

Then there was no going back to camp until he caught more. It was a really great expereince to have shared that moment with Brad.

My sympathies to his family. I know his infectious good humour and caring nature will be sorely missed, 

RIchard Phillips