Contact

Alan Parkin – President of the Intrepid Society

Alan is currently president of the Intrepid Society Inc. and a board member of the Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society.  In addition, he is a past board member of the Military History Society of Manitoba, The Royal Military Institute of Manitoba, The Manitoba Cycling Association and the Manitoba Runners Association, for which he was presented with a Builders Award. 

Alan is a former accountant and Certified Financial Planner (CFP).  He was instrumental in bringing to Winnipeg in 2023, the film “Gino”, which told the story of a young Italian orphan who was rescued by Canadian soldiers in war-torn Italy in WW2. In 2024, he also helped bring “Fallen Heroes” to Canadian theatres–the moving story of the origins of the Ramp Ceremony in Afghanistan, which precedes the return to Canada of our fallen soldiers.  He is a serious student of history, with a particular emphasis on World War 1 and World War 2, as well as a growing interest in Canada’s participation in the war in Afghanistan.  Alan’s interests include cycling, reading, gardening, carpentry, quality olive oil and his granddaughter, Ellie.  He lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Dale M. Watts, CD; Ph.D – Vice-President

Dr. Dale Watts holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), a teaching Certificate in Adult Education, a Masters in Public Affairs, and an Inter-Disciplinary Doctorate, the latter two degrees with the University of Manitoba.

Following university graduation, Dale accepted a teaching position at RRCC.  During his 41+-year career with RRC, he was an instructor, educational development officer, training consultant to industry, program coordinator and Dean of Trades and Technology programs. As Dean, he sat on numerous local and national academic and vocational committees, councils and associations He retired in 2013 as the Interim Vice-President Academic and Research at RRC.

LCol Watts began his military reserve career as an Officer Cadet with the 38^th Battery, 26th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery in Portage La Prairie while attending university. He enrolled in the Militia Area Prairie Intelligence Section in January 1974 and served as Officer Commanding from 1977 to 1983, at which time he re-mustered to 17 (Winnipeg) Service Battalion.

He served as Commanding Officer of that unit from 1986 to 1990 retiring as a Lieutenant-Colonel. He was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of 17 (Winnipeg) Service Battalion (2009 to 2012), re-appointed (2013 to 2016) and appointed Honorary Colonel of 38 Service Battalion (2018 to 2021). He has been Chair of The Service Battalion Senate, Inc. since 2009. He is also Chair of The CSS Museum Board and volunteers at the CSS Museum at Minto Armouries weekly. He completed a certificate program in Museum Practices in 2015.

LCol Watts was a former national President of the Canadian Intelligence and Security Association (2000-02), is Vice President of The Intrepid Society, on the Board of Governors of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires and a member of the Canadian Military Intelligence Association (CMIA), Winnipeg Chapter, as well as a Board member with the Royal Military Institute of Manitoba.

Dwight Macaulay – Past President

Dwight Macaulay is a Past President of the Intrepid Society. A native of Killarney, Manitoba, he attended Brandon University (Science) followed by a career in radio and television news broadcasting before joining the Manitoba Government in 1980.

He served with the Manitoba Government as Director of Radio and Television Services and Director of Information Services which handled all government news releases, news conferences and radio and television services. Additionally, he was also Director of the Citizens’ Inquiry Services, a public information easy-access service.

In 1998 Dwight was selected to be the Chief of Protocol for the Government of Manitoba. As Chief of Protocol he organized and worked on several Royal visits – including those of Her Majesty The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, The Duchess of York (Sarah Ferguson) and several additional members of the Royal family including Lord and Lady Selkirk, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and also a Royal visit by the King and Queen of Sweden.

He serves or served as the President of the now-defunct Winnipeg Press Club (the oldest Press Club in Canada and third oldest in the world), Vice President of the Manitoba Chapter of the Royal Commonwealth Society, the board of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, the Children’s Hospital Foundation, the St. John’s Ambulance, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and the Manitoba Music Experience. He also serves on the Senate of the Fort Garry Horse regiment. He has served as the Citizenship Ceremony Presiding Officer for many years.

Colonel Gary Chris Solar, MSM, CD – Past President

Colonel Solar served as the Commanding Officer, HLCol. HCol, of the Fort Garry Horse, Commander of the Manitoba Militia District and retired as the Deputy Commander of Prairie Area in 1989.

On completion of studies at (MIT), the Manitoba Institute of Technology, he was promoted to Operating Engineer for the City Pools. Later, he was appointed Manager of City Centre/Fort Rouge Branch for the Parks and Recreation Department, from where he retired in 1990.

He was Chairman of the Sports Federation of Manitoba, served as national sports member of the Canada Games Council, Western Canada Games Council, Manitoba Games Council, the Sports Development Advisory Committee, Advisory Committee of the University of Manitoba School of Physical Education, and later appointed President of the Sports Federation of Canada, Secretary General of IANCS, the International Association of National Confederations of Sport (America’s Region) and was Canada’s delegate at the IANCS international conference in Switzerland.

He served as Special Advisor on Military Affairs to the Manitoba government for seven years, and earlier as advisor to four of Winnipeg’s Mayors. In 2012, he served on the Board of Directors of the Center for Asian Crime Studies (CACS) in Washington DC. In 2014 he was appointed Director of Operations for the Center for Crime and Terrorism Studies (CCTS).

Gary is semi-retired and spends his time with a host of volunteer agencies. Some of these are: former President and Provincial Commissioner of St. John Ambulance (Manitoba Council), President of the Seven Oaks General Hospital Foundation, representative on the Hospital Wellness Institute campaign, Chair of the Tri Hospital Lottery (Seven Oaks, Misericordia and Victoria Community hospitals), Director, Royal Commonwealth Society and President of the Intrepid Society for approximately 10 years. He lectures on democracy, military history, espionage and the “Man called Intrepid”.