Brian Markle: From Personal Recovery to a Life of Service

OTTAWA — August 2026

January 2027 will mark an important date in Brian Markle's life: 20 years since he stopped drinking.

Markle became sober in January 2007 after recognizing that alcohol had become a destructive force in his life. Nearly two decades later, the experience has become part of a much larger journey involving recovery, faith, ministry and chaplaincy.

The significance of the milestone lies not only in the length of time.

It also lies in what Markle has done with the years that followed.

His personal experience with alcoholism has influenced his understanding of people facing addiction. He knows that recovery can involve fear, uncertainty and difficult decisions. He also understands that someone struggling with addiction may have circumstances that cannot be understood simply by looking at individual choices.

That perspective became increasingly important as Markle became involved in ministry.

After becoming a licensed and registered minister in Ontario, he served in ministry and continued developing his interest in working with people who were dealing with difficult circumstances outside traditional religious settings.

Eventually, chaplaincy became an important part of that calling.

Through chaplaincy, Markle has been able to meet people in hospitals, correctional environments and other settings where individuals and families may need support.

His association with the Chaplains' Office of Canada Corporation (COOCC) has provided another avenue for this work.

A hospital call can involve someone affected by drugs or alcohol, including situations involving an overdose. For families, such moments can be frightening and confusing.

A chaplain may not be able to change the circumstances, but being present can provide another form of support.

The same is true in correctional settings.

Visiting someone in jail can mean sitting with a person whose life has become complicated by addiction, legal problems and difficult personal circumstances. Markle's own experience with recovery gives him an understanding that a person's current situation does not necessarily define the rest of that person's life.

His approach to chaplaincy emphasizes listening and presence.

There is value in allowing people to tell their stories without immediately trying to provide a solution. Spiritual care can also be offered when a person wants it.

For Markle, service is not about presenting himself as someone who has never experienced difficulty.

His recovery is part of the reason he can relate to people who are struggling.

His involvement with Alcoholics Anonymous has also kept recovery at the center of his life. Supporting others dealing with alcoholism has reinforced the idea that sobriety requires continued attention and connection.

The pandemic was another period when maintaining those connections became challenging. Isolation and uncertainty created additional difficulties for many people dealing with addiction.

Markle's continuing involvement in recovery support reflected the importance of remaining connected during difficult periods.

Now, as the 20-year milestone approaches, his story provides an opportunity to reflect on the path from recovery to service.

In 2007, the immediate goal was sobriety.

Over time, that decision became connected with a deeper sense of purpose.

Faith became increasingly important. Ministry followed. Chaplaincy eventually provided an opportunity to work directly with people experiencing addiction, crisis, incarceration and hospitalization.

The progression was not necessarily something Markle could have predicted when he first stopped drinking.

But nearly two decades later, the connections are clear.

Recovery changed his life, and the experiences that followed gave him opportunities to help others.

Many of those opportunities have happened quietly.

There are conversations that will never be written about. There are people who may remember a hospital visit, a jail visit or a conversation long after the circumstances have passed.

That is part of what service can look like.

January 2027 will mark 20 years of sobriety for Brian Markle. It will be a moment to recognize the journey behind the milestone while also looking forward.

His story continues through recovery, ministry, chaplaincy and the people he encounters along the way.