Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that retired Colonel Donald Stewart Ethell will serve as the next Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
“Colonel Ethell has had a distinguished career in the Canadian Armed Forces and as a humanitarian,” said Prime Minister Harper. “He is one of Canada’s most decorated soldiers as well as a champion for veterans and the welfare of those in the world’s most vulnerable nations.”
During his 38-year career in the Canadian Armed Forces, Colonel Ethell served in a variety of leadership roles. His duties included serving as Director of Peacekeeping Operations at the National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, as Chief of Staff and Deputy Force Commander of the Multinational Force and Observers during the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War and as Head of the Canadian Delegation for Canadian Forces officers assigned to the European Community Monitoring Mission in Yugoslavia.
Lieutenant Governors are appointed by Her Excellency the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. They serve five-year terms, during which they act as provincial vice-regal representatives.
The Prime Minister took the opportunity to thank Norman Kwong, the outgoing Lieutenant Governor, for his dedicated service to Alberta.
Biographical notes attached.
One of Canada’s most decorated soldiers, Colonel (retired) Donald Stewart Ethell’s career in the Canadian Armed Forces spanned 38 years. Since his retirement from the Armed Forces, Colonel Ethell has continued to demonstrate leadership by working to help veterans and those in the world’s most vulnerable countries.
Colonel Ethell was born in Vancouver in 1937. In 1955, he joined the Canadian Army as a rifleman in the Queen’s Own Rifles, moving to Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry in 1970. He was commissioned as an officer in 1972.
One of Canada’s most experienced peacekeepers, Colonel Ethell was deployed on 14 peacekeeping missions, including service in Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Israel, Central America and the Balkans. Between 1987 and 1990, Colonel Ethell served as Director of Peacekeeping Operations at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, overseeing a significant increase in Canada’s peacekeeping commitments.
During his career, Colonel Ethell was also seconded to the United Nations headquarters to develop an operations plan for UN peacekeeping troops assigned to Central America. He also served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Force Commander of the Multinational Force and Observers during the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War and as the head of the Canadian Delegation for Canadian Forces officers assigned to the European Community Monitoring Mission in Yugoslavia. Colonel Ethell retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in 1993.
Colonel Ethell has received numerous medals and honours. These include the Order of Military Merit (officer grade) (1982), the Meritorious Service Cross (1986), the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem (serving member grade) (2001) and the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal (2001). He has also received various campaign medals as well as the Special Service Medal and the Canadian Forces decoration.
Since his retirement, Colonel Ethell has continued to serve as a defence analyst to various media organizations. Through DEthell Consulting International Inc, Colonel Ethell continues to use his experience to provide consulting for United Nations peacekeeping operations around the world.
Colonel Ethell has also pursued humanitarian work since his military retirement. He has been involved with CARE Canada, providing consulting services to staff working with refugee camps in Kenya and Somalia. As well, he is Alberta’s director for the International Committee for the Relief of Starvation and Suffering (ICROSS).
Also committed to issues that are important to Canada’s veterans, Colonel Ethell is a committee chair on the Veterans Affairs Canada – Canadian Forces Advisory Council. He is also the National President of the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping.
Colonel Ethell is a member of the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Association, the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Association, the Royal United Services Institute of Alberta, the Calgary Military Museums Society and the Royal Canadian Legion.
Colonel Ethell is married to Linda and they reside in Calgary. They have two sons and two grandchildren.
