▁executive ▁in ▁T roy , ▁New ▁York ▁for ▁R G ▁D unn ▁& ▁Company ▁for ▁ 3 ▁years ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 9 ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁then ▁moved ▁to ▁Toronto ▁to ▁help ▁his ▁brother ▁William ▁Re es ▁at ▁Og il vy ▁and ▁Company ▁until ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁when ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁brother ▁started ▁a ▁dry ▁goods ▁business ▁called ▁W . ▁R . ▁Bro ck ▁and ▁Bro ther ▁in ▁W inn ip eg ▁but ▁he ▁didn ' t ▁move ▁to ▁W inn ip eg ▁until ▁George ▁Frederick ▁Car r uth ers ▁offered ▁him ▁a ▁partners hip ▁position ▁in ▁a ▁major ▁ins urance ▁company . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 0 / 1 8 9 1 ▁he ▁founded ▁Great - West ▁Life , ▁a ▁direct ▁response ▁to ▁rising ▁dis content ▁in ▁Western ▁Canada ▁with ▁the ▁ins urance ▁industry ▁( all ▁of ▁them ▁were ▁based ▁in ▁Eastern ▁Canada ▁and ▁Canadian ▁companies ▁represented ▁only ▁ 2 9 % ▁of ▁the ▁industry , ▁that ▁caused ▁prem iums ▁to ▁be ▁very ▁high ). ▁ ▁He ▁started ▁the ▁ins urance ▁company ▁also ▁because ▁development ▁by ▁far mers ▁and ▁ret ail ers ▁in ▁Western ▁Canada ▁needed ▁capital ▁fund ing ▁and ▁Jeff rey ▁Bro ck ▁who ▁had ▁lots ▁of ▁connection ▁with ▁far mers ▁and ▁other ▁business ▁people , ▁wanted ▁to ▁help ▁them . ▁ ▁He ▁super vised ▁the ▁young , ▁fast ▁growing ▁company ▁which ▁expanded ▁to ▁Eastern ▁Canada ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁when ▁it ▁acquired ▁Saint ▁John ▁based ▁Domin ion ▁Saf ety ▁Fund