PGIB Founders

The PGIB was founded in 1992 by Craig B. Chandler and Pascal Conn. Craig and Pascal met at McMaster University when Craig was the President of The McMaster Reform Party Association and Pascal was involved with the Federal Progressive Conservatives. Craig and Pascal showed back in 1992 that Conservatives and Reformers could work together.

Upon graduation Craig and Pascal realized that their province of Ontario and their country was so overburdened with red tape and taxes that businesses were either being driven into bankruptcy or out of the province.

Pascal Conn's research showed some horrifying statistics. Under a socialist NDP premiere Bob Rae, someone lost their job every five minutes and a company went bankrupt every two and a half hours. In fact, Pascal found that 36% of all businesses in Ontario either went bankrupt or moved out of the province to the Southern United States or Alberta.

Pascal Conn died a tragic death in 1993 and is no longer with us. Pascal is deeply missed, but his work is being carried on.

In honour of Pascal Conn, an award is given out to those who help PGIB above and beyond the call of duty. The Pascal Conn Memorial Award, the highest honour and level of recognition in PGIB has only been given to a handful of people since it has been in existence.

The recipients of the Pascal Conn are permanent members of PGIB and do not have to pay for their membership.  This is the least we could to thank them.  The recipents of this award are as follows: Gary Carr (Former Ontario PC MPP and Speaker of the House and current Liberal Member of Parlaiment for Halton, Ontario), Lou Schizas (Report on Business Televison), Geoffrey Scotton (former Business Editor of the Calgary Sun and current Calgary Herald Business Columnist),  Paul Jackson (Columnist for the Calgary Sun), Jon Lord (former Calgary Alderman and  former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta), Ric McIver (Alderman Ward 12, City of Calgary) Marcel Latouche (MLG Associates) and Peter Singleton (Corporate Group of Allied Associates).