Donor Spotlight: Kelvin Shepherd

In parallel with his career in Manitoba’s telecom industry, Kelvin Shepherd has made strong connections with Manitoba’s military community, including his current service as an Honorary Colonel. “It’s an honour to work with men and women in the Forces in that role,” he says.

He also worked to amend the military leave policy in Manitoba’s Employment Standards Act to improve job protections for Reservists who want to go on unpaid leave for deployment or training. This was part of work done across Canada to harmonize leave policies, and it’s a crucial component to making a career in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves a viable option for Canadians who want to serve.

We recently had the pleasure of speaking to Kelvin, whose 10-year donor-versary with True Patriot Love is in 2026. Thank you for everything you do to support the Forces, Kelvin!

What is your connection to the military? 

My father volunteered and served in the RCAF during World War II. I am currently an Honorary Colonel with 38 Signal Regiment, a member of 38 Signal Regiment Association and I’m Chair of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council for Manitoba. I’ve met most, if not all, units in Manitoba. I am also the Chair of Board of Directors for Commissionaires Manitoba Division and a Director on the National Board of Commissionaires Canada. Commissionaires is the largest private employer of CAF and RCMP Veterans in Canada.

How did you first hear about True Patriot Love?  

I probably first became aware of True Patriot Love when volunteering with the Canadian Forces Liaison Council but I first really became engaged when I was approached asking my organization to support the Tribute Dinner in Winnipeg in 2016.

What about True Patriot Love’s work or mission is meaningful for you or resonates with you? 

I think of the CAF and Veterans as a special type of community, and like any community I know there are people and families who may need some help or support from time to time. Just like I support the community I live in, I want to support the community of military and Veterans who serve or have served Canada, and I think that is exactly what True Patriot Love does.

If you were talking to someone about getting involved with True Patriot Love, what would you tell them? 

I’d tell them it’s a great way to help our Veterans by providing programs and support that really meet their unique needs. It’s an organization that I can trust to do that, as True Patriot Love has the expertise, knowledge and integrity I want to see in a charitable not-for-profit organization.

You’ve donated securities to True Patriot Love – and thank you again! What about that type of donation works for you? Do you have any advice for donors like yourself?

Securities can be tax advantageous for charitable donations. When you cash out shares and securities directly, you’ll pay capital gains, but if you donate those shares, you avoid paying that tax. Donations are tax-advantageous if you have shares that have appreciated in value.

About 10 years before I thought about retirement, my wife and I started planning with our investment advisor – it was a bit painful at first putting it together but our plan helped us know what to expect. We’re also fairly deliberate in how we make donations; we don’t want to wait until the end of the year. We have a charitable donation plan set up with our investment advisor that they implement for us.

Was there someone in your life who taught you that giving back is important, like a parent, relative, or teacher? 

I grew up on a small farm in Saskatchewan, and neighbours and community members just pulled together and helped each other when needed. Whether that was helping a neighbour with their harvest, or raising funds for the local hockey rink, people had a real sense of community which I think might be more difficult to understand when you grow up in a larger city.  So I learned early in life that a person has an obligation to help others when you can.

What do you hope to accomplish through your philanthropy? 

I just hope to be a small part of supporting people who are facing various challenges in life, and by doing so make our communities and our country stronger and more resilient.

What do you wish more Canadians knew about the CAF and Veterans?

I wish Canadians knew more about how dedicated and professional our military is, and how much they do every day to support and protect Canada and our way of life. Unless you have a close connection to the military, it’s not something people are greatly exposed to, although recently there seems to be more mainstream media coverage about military and defense issues. Unfortunately for the average person, it’s complex and it can be difficult to understand and sort through the misinformation and different opinions that are out there.

Our Veterans have served us faithfully but quietly for years and other than once a year at Remembrance Day our Veterans might not be very visible to most Canadians. I think Canadians should know more about the great contributions Veterans continue to make once they leave the military as they become important contributors to our communities and economy. Whether it’s business or community service, anybody who employs a Veteran sees the great technical and leadership skills that Veterans bring.

 

Click here to learn more about donating gifts of securities.

 

Disclaimer: This information is general in nature and does not constitute legal or financial advice. True Patriot Love Foundation recommends that before making any gift of securities of any size, a donor consults with his/her professional financial advisor(s) for the tax, financial and/or estate planning implications. Individual circumstances differ and you are strongly encouraged to discuss with your own financial counsel to ensure your gift decisions are appropriate to your situation.