Editing Rod Sykes (section)

==Early life==
Sykes was born in May 19, 1929 in [[Montreal]], Quebec, to Leslie Sykes an electrical engineer, and Muriel, a stay-at-home mother.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/cmayors.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=www.calgary.ca |access-date=30 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050111032309/http://www.calgary.ca/DocGallery/BU/cityclerks/cmayors.pdf |archive-date=11 January 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=8}} The Sykes family moved shortly after his birth to [[Sooke]], British Columbia.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=9}} Sykes's father was largely absent from the home, working out of the community, and Sykes did not attend a formal school until the age of 8 in 1937 when the family moved to [[Kent]].{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=11}} Instead Sykes learned to read and write from his mother.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=10}} The Sykes family returned to [[Victoria, British Columbia]] a year later after the death of his grandfather James Sykes to live in his inherited home.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=12}}

After returning to Victoria, Sykes's father enlisted in the [[The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)|Canadian Scottish Reserves]] and served overseas for six years in the [[Second World War]].{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=12}} The family faced financial insecurity, and his mother spent time in a nursing home due to mental health issues, while Sykes and his sister were put into foster care.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=12}} Sykes lashed out during his time at school and was often in trouble. Sykes later attended [[Oak Bay High School]], which he saw as a turning point in his life, and was able to catch up with his education in what he described as a positive environment.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=13}} Sykes also credited T.W.S. Parsons, the Commissioner of the [[British Columbia Provincial Police]], and father of a school friend with being a positive father figure in his formative years.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=15}}

Sykes's father returned from the Second World War when his son was 17, and Rod soon moved out of the family home due to animosity with his father.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=16}} Sykes considered a career in law, but attended [[Sprott Shaw College]] to take classes in business, and began working in an apprenticeship at a small accounting firm.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=16}} At 19, Sykes reported the principal of the firm to the Institute of Chartered Accountants after he was forced to present falsified figures for a client to a bank, the Institute arranged for Sykes to continue his career at [[Price Waterhouse]].{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=17}} With Price Waterhouse, Sykes lived in Montreal for eight years from 1954 to 1962, and in [[Zurich]], Switzerland for a short period of time.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=17}}

After becoming a [[Chartered accountant]], Sykes attended [[Sir George Williams University]] in Montreal, studying economics.{{sfn|Marshall|2016|p=19}}