Paul G. Smith, Chairman of the Board

Paul G. Smith was appointed Chairman of VIA Rail Canada's Board of Directors in December 2010. Having joined VIA’s Board in September 2006, he became Chairman of the Planning and Finance committee shortly thereafter. He has also served on the Board’s Audit and Risk committee and on its Investment committee. In the fall of 2009, he was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Board.

Mr. Smith is also President & Chief Executive Officer of Equity Financial Holdings Inc. (TSX: EQI), a Canadian financial services firm whose principal subsidiary is Equity Financial Trust Company, an OSFI-regulated institution. Having co-founded Equity in 2004, Paul was Chief Financial Officer before becoming CEO in January 2009.

Prior to Equity, Mr. Smith held various management positions within Bell Canada Enterprises, including Chief Financial Officer of Bell Conferia Inc. Before joining the private sector, he served as Executive Assistant to the Prime Minister of Canada, and was an aide to the Minister of External Affairs and to the Minister of International Cooperation.

Mr. Smith is a member of the Atlantic Council of Canada and of Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration Leadership Council.

Mr. Smith holds a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD (France), a Master of Public Administration from Carleton University, and undergraduate degrees (Accounting, Political Science) from the University of Ottawa. He also earned the ICD.D designation pursuant to following the Directors Education Program of the Institute of Corporate Directors, and is a graduate of the Crown Corporation Corporate Governance Program.

Born and raised in Manitoba, Mr. Smith is fluent in French and English.