Jacques Shore is a partner in Gowling WLG's Ottawa office, a member of the firm's Advocacy Group, and past leader of the firm's National Government Affairs Group. Jacques was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2022 "for his numerous professional and volunteer contributions as a distinguished lawyer and negotiator."

With extensive experience in both the private and public sectors, Jacques practises in the fields of administrative law, federal regulatory affairs, and negotiations focusing on government affairs and government advisory work. In addition to his law practice, Jacques has also served on the firm's national external management committee.

An adviser to numerous Canadian and international companies and business interests on legal, government, and public law issues, Jacques has also acted as lead negotiator on many business and government-related initiatives. In addition, he has extensive experience dealing with and advising not-for-profit corporations and non-governmental organizations. Jacques has worked actively on behalf of the federal government of Canada and provincial governments on a broad range of legal and public policy matters.

Prior to joining Gowling WLG, Jacques was the first director of research of the Security Intelligence Review Committee, Parliament's watchdog body reviewing the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and a senior staff member of the Macdonald Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada.

Actively involved in the community, Jacques is a past chair of Carleton University's board of governors and its executive committee and served as a board governor for thirteen years. He served as chair of the Council of Advisors of the Canadian Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies of Carleton University, as well as chair of the Distinguished Council of Advisors of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Jacques was the Founding Chair and currently serves as the Past-Chair of the Library Archives Canada (LAC) Foundation.

Jacques is a published author of many articles on law and public policy, as well as three children's books.

Jacques has also written many commentaries and op-ed articles for a variety of newspapers and journals, including The Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, Le Devoir, and The Hill Times. He is the author of three children's books, two of which received recognition awards from the Canadian Children's Book Centre in 2004 and the other in 2021 for the children’s lullaby book co-authored with his mother. An artist who enjoys painting and drawing, Jacques most recently illustrated a published book of short stories. He is a member of the Writers' Union of Canada.

Community Engagement

Jacques is one of the owners of the Ottawa Titans Baseball Club and is actively engaged in numerous charitable and community activities as noted above.

Jacques received the Welcoming Ottawa Ambassador Award (2024), issued by the Ottawa Local Immigration Partnership (OLIP), in recognition for his support, hospitality, and genuine respect for immigrants to Ottawa.

Jacques was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada in June 2022, "for his numerous professional and volunteer contributions as a distinguished lawyer and negotiator."

In June of 2015, Jacques was awarded the Ontario Volunteer Service Award.

Jacques received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for Dedicated Service to Canada in July 2012.

Samuel Katz, a loving husband and father, was born in Rehovot, Israel, before moving to Winnipeg, Manitoba. He graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and received a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003.

As the President and CEO of Showtime Productions, Inc., Katz attracted many notable entertainment acts to the city of Winnipeg, with intentions of doing the same for the community of Ottawa. As President and CEO of the Winnipeg Goldeyes, Katz lead the charge to re-establish the Goldeyes, leading to the construction of Shaw Park in 1999, which has given a fresh look to downtown Winnipeg.

He was also a founder of the Winnipeg Goldeyes Field of Dreams Foundation in 1995, which has donated more than $3 million to children’s charities in Manitoba.

In 2002, Katz received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, and in 2004, he was awarded the province’s highest honour, The Order of Manitoba. Katz was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. Bob Elliott of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame ranked Katz the 95th most influential Canadian in baseball in 2020.

On June 22nd, 2004, Katz became the 42nd mayor in Winnipeg’s history. He was re-elected in a landslide election on October 25th, 2006, and once again on October 27th, 2010. Voters endorsed Katz’s vision of Winnipeg as an up-and-coming city of opportunity. Katz did not seek re-election in 2014 and now focuses on his family and other businesses.

In September 2020, Katz, OSEG, and Jacques J.M. Shore reached a ten-year lease with the city of Ottawa on Ottawa Stadium to place the expansion Ottawa Titans in the Frontier League for the 2022 season.

Born in Montreal, Durrell served as the 53rd Mayor of Ottawa from 1985 to 1991 and since has played a big role on several boards throughout the community.

During his time in office, Durrell was most closely involved in professional sports with two major arrivals to the city following long absences. First, Durrell heavily encouraged the return of professional baseball and the construction of a state-of-the-art ballpark to host the triple-A Ottawa Lynx. Then came the re-birth of the Ottawa Senators and the return of the NHL to the capital for the first time in nearly 60 years. Also, within the sports scene, Durrell helped land the 1988 Grey Cup for the city and was involved in a bid for the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Since leaving office, Durrell has served as the president of the Ottawa Senators and on numerous boards including the Business Development Bank of Canada, Chair of the Ottawa International Airport's Board of Directors, Chair of the Ottawa Convention Centre, and sat on the Ottawa Police Services Board.

Durrell has also worked with numerous charities and organizations within the National Capital Region including the Ottawa Hospital, the United Way/Centraide Ottawa Campaign Cabinet, the Salvation Army, and the Kiwanis Club.

In 2013, Durrell received the Order of Canada for his contributions as a businessman, volunteer, and former mayor, and was recognized for championing “various initiatives in the areas of education, health care, recreation, and civic infrastructure”. 

Durrell was also awarded the Order of Ottawa in recognition of his many contributions to the city, in various roles including public office, private business, community builder, volunteer, visionary, and fundraiser. Also, he was awarded the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Eric Macramalla is a partner at Gowling WLG and a member of the firm's Intellectual Property Group. His practice focuses on trademark litigation and prosecution, as well as a variety of Internet-related legal issues, including social media and domain name disputes. Eric also advises on a range of sports-legal matters.

Through his trademark litigation and prosecution practice, Eric helps his clients manage their domestic and global trademark portfolios while protecting and enforcing their intellectual property rights, both in Canada and abroad. He has been quoted by WTR 1000 as, "a respected practitioner with a keen focus on enforcement and litigation matters."

In light of the ever-evolving intersection between IP and social media, he also helps his clients navigate IP issues on Twitter, Facebook, and other virtual platforms.

With recognition in dispute resolution, Eric acts for clients in domain name disputes around the world. He is also an arbitrator for domain name disputes and a co-author of Domain Name Law and Practice: An International Handbook (Oxford University Press).

Eric assists clients across a broad spectrum of sports-legal matters, including representation and agency, naming rights, licensing, sponsorships, technology, litigation, and intellectual property issues.

He is the legal analyst for TSN and the host of the syndicated radio show Offside, which airs across Canada. Eric also contributes to CBS, ESPN, FOX, SIRIUS XM, NBC, and CTV. He also frequently shares his views on trending topics in sports via his Twitter account, @EricOnSportsLaw.

Steve Gordon, President and Chief Executive Officer, of Cliffbrake Corporation a Family Office, as an affiliate company of Regional Group to build wealth in the non-real estate sector.  

Steve’s commitment to ethical, professional and responsible conduct turned insight into opportunity.  As Chief Executive Officer and President of The Regional Group of Companies, (1982-2020) the business evolved into a platform of $5+ billion pipeline of commercial, mixed-use, and residential projects in Ontario and Quebec, as well as a management portfolio of more than 2.9 million square feet of commercial space and 2,000 residential units.  Steve holds the position of Executive Chairman with The Regional Group of Companies and eQ Homes.  

Steve served as President, Real Estate Institute of Canada, Eastern Ontario Chapter; President, Institute of Real Estate Property Management, Ottawa; President, Housing & Urban Development Association of Canada, Ottawa; National Director, Real Estate Institute of Canada; Governor of the Ottawa Boys & Girls Club; Governor, Jr. Achievement of Canada; and Founding Governor, Institute of Conflict Resolution.

Mr. Gordon is a proud husband, father, and Zaidy to many.  The philanthropic responsibility is exchanged between generations creating a family legacy of generous spirit.

Lydia Blanchard is a seasoned development and engagement leader with over 15 years of experience in the non-profit, hospitality, and tourism sectors. As the Executive Director of Banff Forum, she oversees one of Canada's preeminent public policy forums that convenes leaders and thinkers from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to discuss and debate the most pressing issues facing the country today. 

Lydia is passionate about creating meaningful connections and partnerships that advance the mission and vision of the Banff Forum. She leverages her skills in relationship development, communications, and strategic planning to cultivate and steward a network of deeply engaged board members, participants, alumni, sponsors, and stakeholders. She also brings her expertise in event management, marketing, and public relations to plan and execute the annual Banff Forum, which is a unique and impactful opportunity for learning, networking, changemaking, and leadership development.

Lydia has also been recognized with awards for her work by several industry organizations, including Meeting Professionals International; Connect Association; Smart Meetings; Meetings + Incentive Travel Canada; and Minto Group.

On a personal note, Lydia is the mother of an energetic 6-year-old, Samuel, and she and her husband, Guillaume, have both been life-long baseball fans. Lydia’s family has been dedicated to supporting Ottawa’s local baseball teams for many years, and they attend as many games as possible each summer. Together, they are excited to help the Ottawa Titans make a lasting, long-term, and extremely positive impact on the lives of children, youth, and families in the local community through Lydia’s involvement on the Ottawa Titans Field of Dreams board of directors.

With a diverse background in private, non-profit and public sectors, Sandra’s passion for project management, event coordination, and baseball continues to inspire her in her professional and personal endeavors.

Her love for the game of baseball is a constant inspiration, driving her passion for excellence and team spirit in both personal and professional endeavors. As an events professional for over 20 years, Sandra demonstrated her exceptional planning and problem-solving skills by organizing many events all over the world.

As a dedicated leader, Sandra has also served as the Executive Director of a non-profit organization, where she contributed to strategic planning, program development, and stakeholder engagement.

Her commitment to fostering partnerships and leading program operations to achieve strategic goals has earned her recognition as a trusted expert in her field.

Outside of work, Sandra enjoys watching baseball, playing tennis and golf.

Jean-Guy (J.-G.) Forgeron joins the Foundation after completing a distinguished 32-year career in the federal public service. A senior executive leader, he is known for his strong stakeholder engagement and eye for talent, and the development of that talent. Most recently, Mr. Forgeron was the Executive Vice President of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.  Previously, he held several senior positions at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Treasury Board Secretariat, and the Privy Council Office, including as a Commissioner on the Canada-United States Great Lakes Fishery Commission and Chief of Staff to the Clerk of the Privy Council.

A diehard Montreal Expos fan, Mr. Forgeron has yet to accept that Major League Baseball will not let the 1994 season to be completed. Now he cheers for the Titans (and the Mets, somewhat).

Originally from Cape Breton, Mr. Forgeron has lived in Ottawa since 1992 and has two adult children in the city. Beyond the Foundation, Mr. Forgeron is easing into retirement by watching baseball, football (both the Europeans and American kinds), and hoping he will be a better golfer than he was in his 20s.

A loving husband and father of two, Regan was born in Winnipeg but moved to Victoria at a young age. Following graduation, Regan worked for Westfair Foods all over British Columbia. He then returned to Winnipeg in 1999 to assist his uncle with the Winnipeg Goldeyes and the construction of their new home downtown.

He has helped grow the team into a leading franchise in all of minor league baseball, all while climbing the internal ladder from account executive, to director of group sales, to assistant GM and finally COO/VP.

Regan’s leadership and commitment were integral to getting the Ottawa Titans started and leads the team as the Vice President. His frequent visits to Ottawa and love for the National Capital Region have made it an easy home away from home.