Kris Campbell, the founder of Backshift Supply Co., stands underneath a photo of his father Brian Campbell, left, at the Cape Breton Miners Museum in Glace Bay. The NSCC bursary Kris funds is named after his father, who was a chain runner working for DEVCO. Photo by SUPPLIEDArticle contentWhen Kris Campbell was headed into his last year of university, he was faced with a predicament.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentArticle contentHis application for a student loan was rejected. He wouldn’t have the money to pay for his tuition.Article contentWhen DEVCO closed the coal mines in Cape Breton in 2001, Kris’s father, Brian Campbell, was offered a retraining package as part of his severance. He was a chain runner, the labourer responsible for the safe transit of people and materials through the mine.Article contentArticle contentBrian wasn’t eligible for his pension. Without the retraining package, there would likely be a period of financial struggle for Brian and his family.Article contentHe decided to give up the funds for his retraining to help Kris get through his last year.Article content“If he didn’t do that, there’s no way I would have finished,” said Kris. “I wouldn’t have gone on to do the best job I ever had, being in the Canadian Army.”Article contentAPPAREL COMPANYArticle contentRetired from the Canadian Armed Forces, Kris now runs the apparel company Backshift Supply Co., which sells shirts, sweaters, hats and more with the former DEVCO logo — an iconic design that he managed to trademark.Article contentNow, he’s paying forward the goodwill his father Brian once gave him. Through Backshift Supply Co., Kris has contributed $1,000 to the Brian Campbell Rapped Up Memorial Award, a bursary supporting a skilled trades student at the Nova Scotia Community College with preference to those with connections to the province’s coal mining industry.Article contentArticle content“A large component of this is to give back,” Kris said of his business. “I was thrown a lifeline to get back, to finish my school. I’ll never forget how important that was.Article contentArticle content“I want to help others, as well.”Article contentThe name, Rapped Up, comes from a common phrase used among mine workers. Kris says it meant to finish your shift and go back up to the surface. It’s also a phrase used to refer to mine workers who have passed.Article content“He’s finishing his shift in life,” Kris said. “He’s rapped up and he’s heading up to heaven.”Article content A photo of Brian Campbell found in an edition of the Cape Breton Post from around 1991. This clipping was on Kris’s family fridge for many years, with a note sketched on it by Brian. Photo by SUPPLIEDArticle contentBEGINNING OF BACKSHIFTArticle contentWorking with the army and then the Canadian government, Kris was away from home for around 20 years. When his father was unwell, he and his family moved back to Cape Breton.Article contentBrian died on Dec. 4, 2024. As he was grieving his father, Kris sat in the family garage. On the wall was an old newspaper clipping from the Cape Breton Post: a photo of Brian and his fellow workers down in the mines. Kris estimates it’s from around 1991. The faded clipping used to adorn the family’s refrigerator.
‘Hed be very proud’: Cape Breton apparel company founder paying fathers goodwill forward
