08.019 - April 4, 2008
Ottawa, ON – The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence, is pleased to announce the appointment of Lieutenant-General (Retired) J.O. Michel Maisonneuve to the position of Academic Director of the Royal Military College Saint-Jean (RMC Saint-Jean), located in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec. Moreover, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Rick Hillier, is also pleased to announce the appointment of Colonel J.U. François Pion to the position of Commandant.
"Michel Maisonneuve is an acknowledged leader, who has served this country as a member of the Canadian Forces for 35 years, in numerous top-level command positions domestically and internationally. He has an outstanding academic and military record and we are very pleased to have a person of his stature lead the academic program at RMC Saint-Jean," said Minister MacKay.
"The establishment of RMC Saint-Jean as a vibrant and independent academic institution is good news for the Canadian Forces." said Maj.-Gen. Daniel Gosselin, Commander, Canadian Defence Academy. "Col. Pion will undoubtedly provide outstanding leadership to the dedicated young men and women from across Canada who will attend this historic institution."
Col. Pion has served in a variety of positions in the Canadian Forces including an aircraft maintenance officer, the support manager for the CF-18 weapon system as well as the Defence Liaison and Commanding Officer of the Canadian Forces Detachment at the Canadian Space Agency, in St-Hubert.
Lt.-Gen. Maisonneuve and Col. Pion took up their appointments at RMC Saint-Jean in January 2008.
In July 2007, the Government of Canada announced its intent to establish the military college at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu as an independent military educational institution with a primary mission to deliver a two-year CEGEP program, commencing in 2008.
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Note for news and assignment editors:
Brief biographies of the appointees are available at: http://cmrsj-rmcsj.mil.ca/index/engraph/home_e.asp
Media interested in speaking with Lt.-Gen. Maisonneuve or Col. Pion, should contact the Media Liaison Office at the Department of National Defence, at (613) 996-2353.
