The class of 1988 had another successful meet-up in Gatineau at the « Aux 4 Jeudis » bar in Gatineau, with more than 25 classmates attending.
Hidden in Plain Sight – The Subtle but Concerning Threat to Canada’s National Security and Prosperity – Major-General Sylvain Y. Ménard, MSM, CD (Retired) CMR RRMC 1994 – https://rmcsd.ca/info-events/rmcsd/782-hidden-in-plain-sight
With decades of operational and strategic experience—including combat missions over Libya, command roles in NORAD, and leadership of Canada’s CF-18 fighter forces, as well as its modernization—MGen Ménard will provide a rare insider’s perspective on the realities of modern defence.
Grand Bahama Shipyard Appoints Christopher Earl, CMR RMC 1991, as new Chief Executive Officer – https://ewnews.com/grand-bahama-shipyard-appoints-chris-earl-as-new-chief-executive-officer/
Grand Bahama Shipyard Ltd. today announced that Retired Rear Admiral Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Chris Earl has joined the organization as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective May 5, 2025, replacing Dave Skentelbery, who is retiring after almost a decade with the shipyard, including eight years as CEO. Earl, who is a decorated 35-year RCN veteran, brings a wealth of international maritime operational and shipyard leadership experience to the role.
Earl joins the Grand Bahama Shipyard from Seaspan Shipyards, where he led all naval ship and submarine maintenance programs, commercial ship repair and overhaul projects, and shipbuilding manufacturing support in Victoria.
During his 35 years in uniform, he held a variety of operational and senior leadership roles for the RCN, including the most senior material procurement and management positions for Canada’s Navy, Army, and Air Force. During his service, he also served for four years as the Commanding Officer of Canada’s west coast military ship repair yard.
Earl is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada/Collège militaire royal du Canada. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, a master’s degree in defense studies, and is a graduate of both the Canadian Forces College Joint Command and Staff and National Security Programs.
Defence expert brings Canadian foreign policy talk to Prince George – https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/local-news/defence-expert-brings-canadian-foreign-policy-talk-to-prince-george-10562443
Adam Chapnick is a professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College of Canada and deputy director of education at the Canadian Forces College.
In a recent visit to Prince George, he spoke to locals at Coast Inn of the North about his vision for the past, present and future of Canadian foreign policy and his book Canada First, Not Canada Alone.
“I wrote a book with another academic named Asa McKercher,” he said. “It’s a history of Canadian foreign policy focused on the last 100 years or so. It makes a case for how we move forward in the future.”
Now he travels the country to talk about the book and its message. His talk was arranged by the local branch of the Canadian International Council.
Chapnick supports advancing Canada’s position on the world stage and got the title for his book from the principles of advancement from a former Canadian assistant deputy minister.
“In 1954 there was an assistant deputy minister named John Holmes,” said Chapnick. “He gave a talk at the Canadian Army War College, and he said there were six principles of Canadian foreign policy. The first one was Canada first, not Canada alone. What he meant by that was that we always had to look out for ourselves first. We couldn’t be a selfless country. No countries are selfless. We have interests. We have to pursue them. But in Canada’s case, you couldn’t pursue Canadian interests in the world successfully without working with other countries. We just weren’t big enough and powerful enough to fulfill our needs on our own. and we always had to be looking for partners and allies.”
Air Force Pilot Major Amanda Maki (RMC 2001) speaks on barriers to Business Women of Moose Jaw – https://www.discovermoosejaw.com/articles/air-force-pilot-major-amanda-maki-speaks-on-barriers-to-business-women-of-moose-jaw
(l-r) Major Amanda Maki, Kelly Carty, HCol. Crystal Froese (photo by Gordon Edgar)
Major Amanda Maki has been a Canadian Forces member for nearly 25 years, having joined up straight out of high school at 17. She gave a presentation on breaking career and workplace barriers during a Business Women of Moose Jaw (BWMJ) luncheon on April 30.
“Major Amanda Maki is a trailblazer in Canadian aviation and leadership,” Crystal Froese, president of the BWMJ, said as she introduced Maki during the event, held at the 15 Wing Mess and catered by High Regard Catering.
Froese is the Honorary Colonel of 15 Wing’s flight school.
“She’s breaking barriers in a field traditionally dominated by men, she has over 20 years of service in the Canadian Forces, she has achieved the highest flying instructor level, and she is now serving as the Deputy Commander of 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (2CFFTS), which is the unit I’m attached to.”
She faced her first barrier before even walking into the Recruiting Centre, she explained, because she knew before going in that female pilots are rare. Only between six and 12 per cent of Canadian pilots are women.
“You can’t help it,” she said. “You wonder, can I do this? Do I belong here? … It eats at your confidence; it’s like continual little reminders that I’m not the societal expectation.”
She was also asked to do a push-up for the first time in her life. Like many 17-year-olds, that was a bit beyond her at first. Unlike most 17-year-olds, she was back a mere two months later to rep the pushups out.
“I went to basic training, did the 13-week course, went off to the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston … and started studying there, studying physics and space science,” Maki recalled.
She had to wait year and a half to start her pilot training at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, and when she first walked on the base, she admitted she was intimidated.
“When we talk about having confidence in self and showing up — the day I pulled into Moose Jaw, and it’s a military base and you hear the planes just ripping around, there was a moment of, like, No way am I going to be able to do this.
“Getting through that course and getting to pilot training is one of the most difficult things I’ve done. I’m proud of that accomplishment.”
The day she received her wings is still the one biggest professional achievement of her career, she said.
Meet the Hero’s Ridge Nominees for the Month of April and May – https://www.nhl.com/senators/news/meet-the-hero-s-ridge-nominees-for-the-month-of-april
Every Ottawa Senators’ home game, the Senators partner with Lépine Apartments to pay homage to the brave men and women who serve our country. The tradition of Hero’s Ridge dates to 2015 and sees a Canadian Armed Forces veteran and their family enjoy a game from the Hero’s Ridge suite. Since its inauguration, Hero’s Ridge has honoured over 350 veterans. It is with the help of the Royal Canadian Legion that this program is possible, as the Legion gives families the opportunity to nominate their loved ones to be honoured.
This season’s honourees for the month of April and May can be found below.
John Tattersall RRMC RMC 1981- April 24, 2025
John Tattersall joined the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves in 1976 and became an Officer Cadet in 1977. In his role as a military engineer, he served in many capacities at the unit and national level such as Troop Commander, Training Officer, and Task Force Commander. These duties saw him serve in all parts of Canada as well as 21 countries across four continents. He was deployed to Bosnia as part of the NATO mission. Colonel Tattersall retired in 2012 after 36 years service to our country.
Charls Gendron CMR 1984 – April 5, 2025
Charls Gendron joined the Canadian Forces in 1979. After graduating from Military college, he served as a Marine Systems Engineering Officer (Mars officer) before reclassification as a Healthcare Administrator. His Canadian postings were in CFB Valcartier, Bordon, Trenton and Ottawa during which time he served as an instructor at the medical school, hospital administrator, and the Canadian Forces Air Medivac Coordinator. In 2007 he deployed to Afghanistan as Deputy Commander of the NATO Hospital in Kandahar. Charls then transferred to the reserves and In that role, he was responsible for the planning and implementation of travel to Afghanistan for the next of kin of fallen CF personnel. He retired from the Canadian Forces in 2013 with 35 years of service to our country.
Donald Maclean RMC 1985- April 13, 2025
Donald Maclean enrolled in the Canadian Army in 1981 and received a Fuels and Materials Engineering degree from Royal Military College in 1985. His Canadian postings included Petawawa, Calgary and Ottawa. He was deployed twice as part of the UN forces Kuwait in 1991 and the Former Republic of Yugoslavia in 1994. In addition he was deployed six times with NATO missions in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Norway (3), Denmark and Belgium. Donald retired from the military in 2009 with 28 years of service.
Max Desrochers RMC 2005 – April 26, 2025
Max Desrochers entered the Canadian Armed Forces as a cadet at the Royal Military College (RMC) in 2001. He received his degree in mechanical engineering and completed postgraduate studies in aerospace engineering in the UK. Throughout his career as an Aerospace Engineering Officer (AERE), Maxime served in critical positions at key airbases in Canada including Shearwater and Cold Lake and the world including a deployment in Afghanistan 2009-2010 as Deputy Maintenance Flight Commander. He retired from the Canadian Air Force in 2020 after a 19-year career.
Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, the Canora branch of the Royal Canadian Legion commemorates the Battle of the Atlantic – https://www.sasktoday.ca/central/canora-courier/battle-of-the-atlantic-looking-back-80-years-later-10589256
The Canora Royal Canadian Legion #52 is taking this time to recognize one of its hometown children, Lieutenant-Commander Colin Dudeck, RMC 2008, who has dedicated his life serving in the Royal Canadian Navy.
Born in 1986 in Canora, Lieutenant-Commander Colin Dudeck has served in the Royal Canadian Navy for over 20 years, with more than 500 days spent at sea in service to Canada.
After graduating from Canora Composite School in 2004, he attended the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., spending summers conducting military training and earning a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in 2008.
Following graduation, he was posted to Halifax and later to HMS Sultan in the UK for advanced marine engineering training with the Royal Navy. In 2009, he was posted to CFB Esquimalt serving in multiple warships including HMCS Regina, HMCS Winnipeg, and HMCS Calgary for port security operations in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and a deployment to Central and South America.
In 2010, he joined HMCS Algonquin as Assistant Engineering Officer, helping lead a department of 55 marine engineers. This was highlighted by a counter-narcotics deployment with the US Coast Guard off the Galápagos Islands and port visits in Peru, Mexico, and Panama. For their role, the ship’s company was awarded the Operational Service Medal – Expedition.
He then served ashore at the Fleet Maintenance Facility as Deputy Marine Engineering Officer. This was highlighted by an assignment in Bangor, Washington, where he attended the deperming of HMCS Victoria, reducing its magnetic signature for submarine operations.
Complainant in historic sex-assault case at CFB Borden waives anonymity – https://www.bradfordtoday.ca/court/complainant-in-historic-sex-assault-case-at-cfb-borden-waives-anonymity-10682275
The complainant in an historic case of sexual assault against two former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) senior officers has consented to lifting the publication ban that protects her identity.
Sonia Rogers (née Brais) lodged a private complaint against Ian Koss and Kevin Buchanan, alleging she was raped in 2002 during a summer training course at CFB Borden, located about 20 minutes west of Barrie.
Rogers was a Royal Military College (RMC) cadet at the time, Koss and Buchanan were instructors. Both men are charged with one count each of sexual assault. The allegations have not been tested in court and both are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Through Operation Warriors Persist, a group that supports women who have experienced sexual violence while serving in the Canadian military, Rogers provided feedback on her motivation to pursue a private prosecution after CAF authorities declined to prosecute the case.
Rogers also spoke to Village Media to confirm she consented to her name being released publicly and other details in the case.
“I’m hopeful my case will bring attention to the alternative path of private prosecutions for victims in the military,” she said.
Newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled a new cabinet featuring 28 ministers and 10 secretaries of state. Key appointments include Anita Anand as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dominic LeBlanc focusing on Canada-US trade, and David McGuinty as Minister of Defence. The new cabinet promises to address the going U.S. trade war, with Carney also emphasizing his commitment to increasing defence spending, with a focus on meeting Canada’s NATO obligations. In this excerpt from the Friday, May 16th edition of the CDA Institute’s Geopolitical Update podcast, CDA Institute Board Member and former NSIA to the Prime Minister, Vincent Rigby, joined us to discuss the structure of the new cabinet, the most noteworthy appointments, and what it tells us about the new government’s focus on the defence and national security portfolios. Rigby also assesses the most pressing national security concerns facing Canada and outlines his recommendations for the new cabinet.
WE HAVE THE WATCH – Next Deputy Commander, Alaska NORAD Region
The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jennie Carignan, recently announced that Colonel Mark Lachapelle, RMC 2002, upon promotion to the rank of Brigadier General (AWSE), will replace Brigadier General (Major General (AWSE) designate) David Moar, RMC 1996, as Deputy Commander, Alaska NORAD Region, later this year.
SIC ITUR AD ASTRA
Derron Bain appointed to the Board of Directors of the True Patriot Love Foundation on 7 May 2025 – https://truepatriotlove.com/board-of-directors/
Other notable Alumni on the TPL Board include:
- Luc Cassivi – RMC 1988
- Geneviève Bonin – CMR RMC 1993
- France Hébert – RMC 1992
- Bryn Weadon – CMR 1979
Ben Minicucci CMR RMC 1988, CEO Alaska Air Group
Ben Minicucci is a Canadian business executive with Italian roots. He has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in mechanical engineering from the Royal Military College of Canada/Collège militaire royal du Canada as well as an advanced management program from the Harvard Business School.
A significant chunk of his experience was spent with the Canadian Armed Forces, with whom he spent 14 years. Thereafter, he was part of Air Canada (AC) in various operations roles before taking up a vice presidential role under their heavy maintenance branch.
In 2004, he ventured into American aviation for the first time with Alaska Airlines, where he was the staff vice president of maintenance. Later on, he also became the VP of Alaska’s operations in Seattle and then their chief operating officer, a position he served until 2016.
Following his appointment as president of Alaska in 2016, he was key to their merger with Virgin America and expansion of the network into California. During the merger, which received approval in 2018 and was completed in 2019, he even served as the CEO of Virgin America.
In 2021, he became the CEO of the Alaska Air Group, succeeding Brad Tilden in the role.