Art McDonald (admiral)

Admiral Arthur Gerard McDonald, CMM, MSM, CD (born 1967)[2] is a Royal Canadian Navy admiral who served as Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces from January 14, 2021, until February 24, 2021, when he voluntarily stepped aside due to an investigation by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service.[3][4][5] On November 25, 2021, McDonald was formally relieved of his command, and replaced permanently by General Wayne Eyre who had held the post during the interim.[6]

Art McDonald
McDonald in February 2020
Born1967 (age 55–56)
New Waterford, Nova Scotia, Canada
AllegianceCanada
Service/branchRoyal Canadian Navy[lower-alpha 1]
Years of service1990-present
RankAdmiral
Commands heldChief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Naval Staff
Maritime Forces Pacific
HMCS Halifax
Battles/warsWar in Afghanistan
AwardsCommander of the Order of Military Merit
Meritorious Service Medal[1]
Canadian Forces' Decoration
Alma materRoyal Military College of Canada (BSc, MDS)

McDonald previously served as Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Chief of the Naval Staff. He is Canada's first full admiral since Admiral John Anderson held the rank in 1993.

Education

McDonald graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in military and strategic studies. He also holds a master's of defence studies degree from the same institution.[7] McDonald is also a graduate of the 2003 Canadian Forces College (CFC) Command and Staff Course, the 2012 CFC National Security Studies Programme, and the 2014 U.S. General and Flag Officer Capstone Program at National Defense University in Washington D.C. A 2016 alumnus of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies, he is also a graduate of the Senior Executives in National and International Security program at Harvard University (2017).[8]

Career

In 2010, McDonald served as the Maritime Component Commander of Canadian Joint Task Force Haiti. He received a Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of his coordination of the disaster relief activities of HMCS Halifax and HMCS Athabaskan.[9] He served as commanding officer of HMCS Halifax from 2007 to 2009 before taking command of Fifth Maritime Operations Group in December 2009.[10]

McDonald was appointed Director General of Maritime Forces Development in February 2014,[11] Commander of Maritime Forces Pacific in January 2016[12] and Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy in June 2019.[13]

On December 23, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that McDonald would succeed General Jonathan Vance as Chief of the Defence Staff, with the change of command taking place on January 14, 2021.[14][15]

He received the Meritorious Service Medal on June 30, 2010,[16] was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012[17] and was appointed a Commander of the Order of Military Merit (CMM) on October 4, 2018.[18]

Misconduct allegations

On February 24, 2021, then-Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced McDonald had temporarily and voluntarily stepped aside as Chief of the Defence Staff amid investigations on allegations of misconduct.[19] Pending the results of the investigation, General Wayne Eyre served as Acting Chief of Defence Staff.[19] A complainant alleged that McDonald shoved the face of the ship captain into her breasts during a party where alcohol was served.[20]

On August 6, 2021, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service stated that “the investigation did not reveal evidence to support the laying of charges under either the Code of Service Discipline or the Criminal Code of Canada”. The Privy Council Office said that it would review the situation with next steps to be announced in due course. However on August 11, McDonald announced through his lawyers that he would return as Chief of Defence Staff, which was interpreted "as open defiance to civilian authority" since the Chief of Defence Staff is a governor-in-council appointment that serves at the pleasure of the government. The Privy Council Office responded that McDonald would remain on leave until the matter was reviewed, and a few days later Eyre was promoted to full general.[21]

On October 15, 2021, McDonald sent a letter to generals and flag officers of the Canadian Armed Forces.[20] In that letter he argued why he should be reappointed as the Chief of the Defence Staff, saying that he had been exonerated and the results of the investigation should be accepted, and that the government’s management of the situation had harmed the Canadian Forces.[20] This letter was described as "shocking" by General Eyre who rebutted that the civilian government had the final say on the Chief of the Defence Staff.[22] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also criticized the timing and contents of the letter, and stated that victims of sexual misconduct must receive as much help as possible.[23] The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service also disagreed with McDonald's claim of exoneration in a statement saying that while “no charges [were] laid based on insufficient evidence...This does not mean that the allegation was unfounded.”[21] Naval Lieutenant Heather Macdonald, the supposed victim in the misconduct allegations, described Admiral McDonald's letter as a "public attack on her integrity and said witnesses corroborated her statement to military police".[24]

On November 25, 2021, McDonald was formally relieved of his command as Chief of Defence Staff, with Eyre being permanently appointed to the position.[25] The Privy Council Office justified McDonald's termination due to his public-relations campaign to regain his old position.[21]

Awards and decorations

McDonald's personal awards and decorations included the following:




RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of Military Merit (CMM)
  • Appointed Commander (CMM) on 04 October 2018[26]
Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)
  • Decoration awarded on 30 June 2010[27]
  • Military division
South-West Asia Service Medal
  • with AFGHANISTAN Clasp
Operational Service Medal (Canada)
  • Awarded for service in humanitarian missions
Special Service Medal
  • with NATO-OTAN Clasp
Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal
NATO Medal for the former Yugoslavia
  • with FORMER YUGOSLAVIA clasp
Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 2012[28]
  • Canadian version
Canadian Forces Decoration (CD)
  • with two Clasp for 32 years of services
Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan
  • Decoration awarded on 27 May 2005 [29]

Notes
  1. Known as Canadian Forces Maritime Command until 2011

References
  1. "Governor General Announces the Awarding of Military Decorations". The Governor General of Canada. October 28, 2010. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  2. "Commander of the RCN". Royal Canadian Navy. Government of Canada. June 13, 2019. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
  3. "National Chief of Defence Staff steps aside amid investigation". CityNews. The Canadian Press. February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  4. Jackson, Hannah (February 24, 2021). "Canada's chief of defence staff to step aside amid CFNIS investigation: defence minister". Global News. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  5. Pugliese, David (February 25, 2021). "Admiral Art McDonald steps aside as Defence Chief as military police launch investigation". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  6. "Prime Minister announces the appointment of the Chief of the Defence Staff". Prime Minister of Canada. November 25, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  7. "Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy – Défi vélo de la Marine". navybikeride.ca. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  8. "Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy – Défi vélo de la Marine". navybikeride.ca.
  9. "Honours & Recognitions for the Men and Women of the Canadian Forces 2010" (PDF). Directorate of Honours and Recognition. March 31, 2011. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  10. Beaton, Virginia (July 2010). "Fleet welcomes new commander" (PDF). Trident News. 44 (15): 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 12, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  11. "The Chief of the Defence Staff announces senior promotions, appointments, and retirements in the Canadian Armed Forces". Canadian Forces. February 7, 2014. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  12. Connolly, Amanda (January 19, 2016). "Government announces rash of military leadership changes". iPolitics. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  13. "Senior navy appointments released" (PDF). Lookout. 64 (7): 9. February 18, 2019. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  14. Brewster, Murray; Cochrane, David (December 23, 2020). "Vice-Admiral Art McDonald named new chief of the defence staff". CBC News. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  15. Vice-Admiral Art McDonald | Prime Minister of Canada
  16. "Meritorious Service Decorations List". The Governor General of Canada.
  17. "The Diamond Jubilee Medal List". The Governor General of Canada.
  18. "Order of Military Merit List". The Governor General of Canada.
  19. "Admiral Art McDonald steps aside as defence chief amid investigation". Dawson Creek Mirror. The Canadian Press. February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  20. "Adm. Art McDonald tells colleagues he's exonerated, should return to top military post - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  21. "His own words sank Admiral Art McDonald as chief of the defence staff". Ottawa Citizen. December 1, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  22. "Adm. Art McDonald letter to senior military officials 'shocking,' says Gen. Eyre - National | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  23. Berthiaume, Lee (October 15, 2021). "War of words breaks out as admiral pushes for reinstatement as Canada's defence chief". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  24. "Lack of charges against Admiral McDonald did not mean allegation was 'unfounded,' military police say". CBC. October 18, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  25. "Prime Minister announces the appointment of the Chief of the Defence Staff". Prime Minister of Canada. November 25, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  26. "Order of Military Merit List". The Governor General of Canada.
  27. "Meritorious Service Decorations List". The Governor General of Canada. June 11, 2018.
  28. "The Diamond Jubilee Medal List". The Governor General of Canada.
  29. "Canada Gazette". The Governor General of Canada.
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