Bill Breckman 2009

Bill Breckman, married to Carol 1967

Hi all. I would like to offer a special thanks to Bill Anderson and all the others who helped organize the big reunion. Happy 40th to you all.

After reading the bios on Bills blog I was a little reluctant to write anything about my career. It seems rather “domestic” and boring, but what the heck, it was my life.

I married Carol in 1967 during summer break after second year. We were blessed with our first daughter Krista in 1968. Unfortunately, due to family responsibilities I wasn’t able to participate in many of the historic social functions that the class of 69 was famous for.

My first job was with Ag Canada. I joined the Ag Officer Training Program. I had never been out of Manitoba so it was very exciting to spend the next six months traveling the country from coast to coast. After the program, we were able to negotiate where we would start the actual work. I was fortunate to be assigned a job in Winnipeg. Since I majored on Plant Science, it was only natural that I should choose to work in Dairy.

We remained in Winnipeg for four years during which our second, and final daughter Tara was born. Fortunately for me (not so fortunately for him) the Director for the Maritimes passed away. I was given the opportunity to move to Moncton. We soon fell in love with the Maritimes but our time there was rather short. After four years I was asked to amalgamate the region with Quebec and move my family to Ottawa.

We spent four years in Ottawa in various jobs, all with the Dairy Division. One of the things I was fortunate enough to do was to act as the Secretary Treasurer of the International Dairy Federation Canada. In that capacity, I organized a major international conference in Quebec City as well as attending conferences in a number of countries.

Time to change again. In 1979 we moved to Regina. Another big reorganization in Ag Canada. I was given the opportunity to be the first Regional Director in Saskatchewan in what is now called the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). After four years we completed the great circle route and returned to Winnipeg where I became the Ag Canada Regional Director in charge of everything no one else wanted.. I negotiated development agreements with the province and implemented them. I chaired numerous boards and committees. How bureaucratic ! In addition, just for fun I established the Farm Debt review Board and The Rural Transition Program.

After twenty some odd years I had had enough of the rat race. I gave up my job and worked from home for two years . I was responsible for working with the Organic industry to establish standards for organic foods. It was completed before I retired in 2004 but it took CFIA several more years to establish the regulations.

Carol and I have two daughters, five grand children and will become Great Grandparents in August.