A Contemporary Classic

Charges galore on April 1, 2011 for Contemporary Security Canada and an assortment of senior executives and staff over an alleged lack of licenced and uniformed staff at the G8 and G20 summits in Ontario during June 2010.

CSC was paid $20 million by the RCMP in an expedited contract award, shortly after it wrapped a $97 million job at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

CSC spokesperson Lecia Stewart, who helped broker Aeroguard's involvement with the Los Angeles-headquarted Contemporary Group, downplayed the charges (because they're under a private security law, not the criminal code) and claimed the company was properly licensed. More on Stewart and her intriguing connections at another time.

CSC has a date in an Ottawa courtroom on April 29.

While I've been chasing any and all news on the Olympics, including what happened to your tax dollars because of those multi-million dollar contracts, Toronto Sun columnist Joe Warmington has been keeping tabs on the G8 and G20 mess. Here's Joe's latest.

Contemporary continues to have a Vancouver presence with contracts with B.C. Pavilion Corporation for the Vancouver Convention Centre and with the Strathcona Business Improvement Association on the edge of the Downtown Eastside ghetto. Contemporary CEO Damon Zumwalt did not return my phone call to his Northridge, Calif. home office.

Below is what the OPP released April 1. No fooling.

CSC File - List of Charges Against Corporation and Individuals
1822479 Ontario Corporation o/a Contemporary Security Canada, ULC Vancouver, B.C

7(1)(a) Unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. (3 counts)
Sec 31. Being a business entity engaged in the business of providing security guards, unlawfully did employ as a security guard a person who was not the holder of a licence issued under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act. (1 count)
Regulation 362/07, section 8 Being a business entity engaged in the business of providing security guards, unlawfully did fail to ensure that employees wear a uniform. (2 counts)

OFFICIALS OF CSC-7
Stephen Vincent MIRABILE
President – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Vancouver, British Columbia
7(1)(a) Unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. (3 counts)

Jane Elizabeth GREENE
Vice-President – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Toronto, ON
7(1)(a) Unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. (3 counts)

Damon Ray ZUMWALT
Director – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Northridge, CA
7(1)(a) Unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. (3 counts)

James Hugh SERVICE
Secretary – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Glendale CA
7(1)(a) Unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. (3 counts)

Keith Jay GRANIRER
Treasurer – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Sherman Oaks CA
7(1)(a) Unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. (3 counts)

Mark Anthony CAMILLO
Director – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Clarksburg, Maryland
7(1)(a) Unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. (3 counts)

Paul Russell MOORE
Director – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Calgary AB
7(1)(a) Unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005. (3 counts)

EMPLOYEES-3

Todd Eric SEVERSON
Project Director – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
7(1)(b) Not being an employee of a licensee - unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005.
(1 count)

Lorraine FOSTER
Division Manager – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Vancouver, B.C
7(1)(b) Not being an employee of a licensee - unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005.
(1 count)

Alexandre HOULE
Compliance Manager – Contemporary Security Canada, ULC
Vancouver, British Columbia
7(1)(b) Not being an employee of a licensee - unlawfully did hold out as being engaged in the business of selling the services of security guards while not being licensed under the provisions of the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, 2005.
(1 count)

VANOC exec to post-G20 Toronto

Slowly but surely, Vancouver 2010 alumni are finding new gigs.

Dan Doyle, the VANOC construction executive vice-president, became the BC Hydro chairman last year. Deputy CEO Dave Cobb followed in May and became the provincial power utility's CEO.

On June 29, vice-president of workforce operations and integration Allen Vansen was named senior-vice president of operations for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games organizing committee.

Vansen was among five senior executives introduced at BMO Field by CEO Ian Troop.

Vansen was not available for a phone interview, but I’m betting the Newfoundlander’s red hair will turn grey rather quickly over the next five years. His responsibilities include security, transportation and the athletes’ village.

After the G20 summit mayhem, anybody planning anything in Toronto with security or transportation implications will naturally have a bigger challenge and more headaches than ever before. Troop is putting the best face on what lies ahead.

“We don’t have any political meaning,” he said. “We’re a great athletic event that we’ll make into a great community event.”

VANOC CEO John Furlong wished that was true. From Feb. 12, 2007 onward, VANOC looked over its shoulder as it was constantly dogged by protests. Some opponents had a direct beef with the Games, how much they were costing and how they were impacting the city and environment. Others hoped to use the Games to lever their political cause (or increase donations to their charity). It meant VANOC held few public events until the torch relay.

Furlong admitted in May that transportation was the biggest IOC worry from the bid days to the day after the Olympic flame was was extinguished.

The Olympic village in Vancouver’s Southeast False Creek became a casualty of the Great Recession. Vancouver city hall became the lender and battled to get it back on schedule.

Vancouver had effective watchdogs, like No Games 2010's Chris Shaw, Impact on Community Coalition's Am Johal and B.C. Civil Liberties Association's David Eby. They continuously reminded VANOC, governments and security authorities to be responsible and avoid a repeat of the 1997 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Their wasn't an organized opposition to G20 in Toronto, because it was organized so quickly by politicians and bureaucrats who maybe never heard of APEC.

That’s just a long way of saying that Troop (centre) and Vansen (second from left) are in for some long days and long nights to organize what will be the biggest summer sports event in Canadian history.

* * * * *

Who else is on the Toronto 2015 executive team?

Chief financial officer Barbara Anderson has a bachelor of science degree from the University of B.C. and is the former CFO of MaRS Discovery District and MaRS Innovation.

Senior vice-president of marketing and revenue Kathy Henderson is a former Whirlpool Corporation and Colgate-Palmolive Canada marketing executive. Senior vice-president of human resources Elaine Roper is formerly of Think Company, Promis Systems Corporation and Royal Trust Corp.

Senior vice-president of infrastructure Bill Senn helped build Air Canada Centre in Toronto and American Airlines Arena in Miami and was senior vice-president of design and construction for the New York Jets, who are moving into the New Meadowlands Stadium.