Born and reared in Ontario, Canada, it’s no surprise Chris Tinkler loves adventure, the open road and the breathtaking beauty of his nation. An avid motorcyclist, he says there’s never a shortage of things to do and see in Canada, and he enjoys taking them all in.

Growing up with a love for vehicles, Tinkler said getting his CDL in 2001 was a natural step for him, and he descriptively relates, “A small locally based trucking company, NESEL Fast Freight Inc., allowed me to cut my teeth in trucking, mentored by Kathy McWilliams. Believing I was destined for more, she invested in me, with extensive training in 2007–2008, which set me on the road to driver training/safety and compliance, and from there a whole new career was born.”

He continued, “Joining CN/CNTL in 2012 was the best decision career-wise I have ever made. CN invests in, supports and allows its employees to grow in a challenging and inclusive work environment. There’s just something about working at a company with its rich and historical history — being North America’s Railroad and in the top five biggest trucking companies in Canada — and knowing over 23,000 employees are valued individually for what we bring to the table and are given the support, mentorship and ability to grow in our careers, innovate and change the world one mile at a time.”

While Tinkler loves his work, he says his greatest motivation in life is his family. He and his partner Meave have four sons, and he loves coaching the football teams for two of them. And while Harley-Davidson, football and helping people will always hold their places in his heart, since 2024, an additional passion — fighting human trafficking – has joined them.

In reflection, Tinkler said he heard very little about human trafficking, “almost like it was a taboo topic,” but early last year he attended a week-long training course with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) hosted by Northbridge Insurance. Closing out the course at the end of the week, facilitator Kerri Wirachowsky, CVSA director of Inspection Programs, presented a segment on TAT. At the conclusion of the presentation, he knew he had to get involved.

And involved he’s been. In less than a year, Tinkler has led the effort at CN to accomplish the following with TAT:

• Implemented local driver training with almost 1,000 CNTL drivers. This was so successful that discussions are underway to expand the audience scope to include other cross-functional business units with CN.
• Co-hosted a TAT Coalition Build (CB), along with Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, (which he recruited to co-host) in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and sponsored the venue and lunch, an event which resulted in Bridgestone Canada and the Manitoba Trucking Association deciding to co-host a CB in Manitoba.
• Made a key introduction for TAT to John White, a Nova Scotia House of Assembly M.L.A.
• Arranged hauls for each leg of the Freedom Drivers Project‘s Canadian tour this summer.
• A Diamond-level sponsorship of TAT by CN last April.
• In April at an annual general meeting for select CN managers, discussions on human trafficking are on the agenda, with a plan to collaborate with local law enforcement task forces to bring a boots-on-the-ground perspective of the epidemic and fight.
• CN/CNTL will be participating in the third annual anti-human trafficking conference in the York Region, where Tinkler will help with public engagement from the CN/CNTL/TAT booth.

When he first talks to anyone about human trafficking, Tinkler describes the reaction he gets as shock, “as until very recently, it seems that incidents of human trafficking don’t really make national news here in Canada, and, when they do, it’s very few and far between. This seems to be one of those subjects that makes people uncomfortable, or they don’t know how to navigate the conversations, usually backed by disbelief that it happens in their community.”

But he forges on, inspired by survivor stories, imagining the impact of this crime happening to his family or anyone he knows and dedicated to doing his part in keep that from happening.

He concluded, “I love working with TAT, its people and mission. Esther, Heather, Dylan, Micah, Brandy and the whole gang are amazing! They always seem to be available to help, answer questions, provide resources and help my passion grow for the movement.”

To read more stories like Chris’, check out our latest issue of Vantage Point.