Meetings at Probus Sidney BC
The Probus Club of Sidney BC holds general speakers meetings on the second Tuesday of each month except August and December when special dinner meetings replace the speakers meetings. The monthly Probus Sidney BC meetings are held in Sidney at the Mary Winspear Center, 2243 Beacon Avenue, Sidney, BC . For a map showing the location of the Mary Winspear Center click here.
Sidney’s Probus BC Meetings commence informally with coffee and pastries at 9:30 am, and the formal part of the meeting begins at 10:00 comprising a short business session followed by a guest speaker. The meetings are scheduled to end at 11:00, but often a speaker will stay after the meeting to answer questions.
The speakers for Sidney Probus BC are chosen to provide meaningful insight into topical issues that are interesting, informative, thought provoking and follow our principles of being non-secretarian, non-political and not vailed advertising.
Information about upcoming speakers and events are provided in the monthly bulletins, sent to the members, and posted on the Probus Sidney BC web site. Previous speaker’s presentations can also be found on our site.
Guests of members, as well as Probus members from communities other than the Probus Club of Sidney BC, and other clubs, are welcome at the meetings.
Future Speakers
October Karen Adams and Shelley Marsh – Women in the RCMP
(Or: “Mounties in Mascara” … but only if they want to be!)
The RCMP first opened its ranks to women in 1974—yes, that’s right, the same year bell-bottoms were in full swing, and people thought avocado-green appliances were a good idea. Since then, women have gone from being a novelty in the force to becoming commissioners, tactical officers, and leaders in policing. The first 32 women who joined faced some…interesting challenges. Their uniforms? Designed for men. Their training? Designed for men. Their squad cars? Still full of men. Let’s not forget the legendary Stetson hat—which, while iconic, was definitely not designed with a high ponytail in mind.
As more women joined, they proved that policing wasn’t just about brawn—it was about brains, strategy, and good communication (aka “telling the guys to read the map”). Women worked their way into specialized units like forensics, undercover work, and even bomb disposal— because nothing says confidence like walking up to an explosive and thinking, “I got this.” Brenda Lucki became the first permanent female Commissioner in 2018. Women make up a significant portion of the RCMP today, with women in the force continue to take on leadership roles, mentor the next generation, and—most importantly—prove that yes, you can chase down a suspect while wearing mascara. The journey of women in the RCMP is one of determination, courage, and a little bit of patience when dealing with outdated locker rooms.
Today, the iconic red serge isn’t just for men—it’s for anyone willing to serve and protect, regardless of gender, height, or ability to ride a horse without screaming.
Presenters:
Shelley Marsh made history in November 1977 when she and her sister, Karen Adams, became the first sisters to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Over her distinguished 23-year career, Shelley served with dedication at detachments in Penticton, Prince George, and Burnaby, gaining extensive experience in a wide range of policing duties. She worked in General Duties, Traffic, Community Policing, Frauds, and Sex Crimes, and became the first woman assigned to the Robbery/Homicide Unit
at Burnaby Detachment. As a skilled Composite Artist, Shelley provided critical investigative support across British Columbia and played a key role on Canada’s security team for the G8 Summit in Vancouver, contributing to the protection of U.S. President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
Karen Adams is a trailblazer in Canadian law enforcement. On September 16, 1974, she joined the RCMP as part of the very first female troop, stepping into a role long closed to women and helped redefine what it meant to wear the iconic red serge. Over a remarkable 28-year career, Adams served in a wide range of postings—from the rugged landscapes of Northern Canada to Winnipeg’s fast-paced Narcotics Unit, from rural detachments to municipal and highway traffic units. Among her many assignments, she is especially proud of her time at the RCMP Training Academy in Regina, where she had the rare distinction of being twice posted. In 2002, Karen graduated from the University of Regina with a master’s degree in Adult Education and 5 days later McEwan University in Edmonton hired her to teach in their Law Enforcement Programs. She fully retired in 2013. Karen is presently a Marriage Commissioner in the Cowichan Valley.
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Change of Probus November meeting date!
Please mark your calendars for November 4th,our next meeting date.
The change is necessary as Remembrance Day falls on Nov. 11 our regular day.
November Dr Chris Kilford – Seeking Solutions in (Very) Turbulent Times
The geopolitical challenges today are seemingly endless. Indeed, from Washington, to Moscow, Beijing, Kyiv and beyond, countries are burning the midnight oil as they seek a way out of the turbulent times we live in.
Over the past 18 months, our speaker travelled to Turkiye, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Bhutan on official and semi-official visits, where he had a chance to sit down with numerous officials including Canada’s Ambassador to Turkiye, Kevin Hamilton to Taiwan’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Remus Li-Kuo Chen. Earlier this year, Chris also spent two weeks in Poland and Latvia, meeting officials from both countries and visiting members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are training Ukrainian military personnel and leading NATO’s Multinational Brigade in Latvia.
During his talk, Chris will speak about his various visits, what he learned while on the ground and what are the key geopolitical minefields we should be on the lookout for moving forward.
Chris Kilford, PhD
Chris is a member of the national board of the Canadian International Council, the editor (articles) of CIC’s online foreign policy magazine Open Canada, president of the CIC Victoria branch and a sessional professor with the Canadian Forces College where he teaches courses focused on Canadian foreign and defence policy. He also holds a PhD in history from Queen’s University with a focus on civil-military relations in the developing world.
Chris also enjoyed a 36-year career in the Canadian Army, commanding 4th Air Defence Regiment, followed by various senior positions in the Department of National Defence, including Director, Future Security Analysis and Military Liaison Officer to the Senate Committee on National Security and Defence.
From July 2009 until July 2010, Chris deployed to Canada’s Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan as the Deputy Military Attaché. On his return to Canada, he commenced Turkish language training, after which he was sent to Canada’s Embassy in Ankara as the Canadian Defence Attaché with cross accreditation to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan. He was in this post from July 2011 until July 2014. Chris retired from the military in September 2014.