Maurice Baril

Joseph Gérard Maurice Baril, OC CMM MSM CD (born September 22, 1943) is a retired General officer in the Canadian Forces, a Military Advisor to the United Nations Secretary-General & head of the Military Division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations of the United Nations from 1992 to 1997, and Chief of the Defence Staff in Canada from 1997 to 2001.[1]

J.G. Maurice Baril
Maurice Baril, September 2008.
Born (1943-09-22) September 22, 1943
Saint-Albert, Quebec
Allegiance Canada
Service/branchCanadian Army
Years of service1963–2001
RankGeneral
UnitRoyal 22e Régiment
Commands heldChief of the Defence Staff
Head of the Military Division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations
Commander, CTC Gagetown
Battles/warsCyprus
AwardsOfficer of the Order of Canada
Commander of the Order of Military Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Canadian Forces Decoration
Other workChairman of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (2005–07)

Early life

He was born in Saint-Albert, Quebec in 1943 and studied at the University of Ottawa from 1961 to 1964, becoming an officer in the Canadian Army in 1963.[1]

Military career

Baril served with the Royal 22nd Regiment from 1964 to 1968. From 1968 to 1971, he served with The Canadian Airborne Regiment in Valcartier, Quebec and Edmonton, Alberta. He commanded land forces in Cyprus and Lahr, Germany, served at Department of National Defence headquarters in Ottawa, Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr in Paris and as Commander of the Combat Training Centre at CFB Gagetown.[1]

He was appointed head of the Military Division of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) at the United Nations in June 1992, where he was military advisor to then under-secretary for peacekeeping operations Kofi Annan.[2]

Baril was in charge of the Military Division at DPKO during the Rwandan genocide where his countryman General Roméo Dallaire was force commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR). He went on to be Chief of Land Force Quebec Area in Montreal in July 1995 and Chief of the Land Staff in September 1996.[1]

In 1996 Canada's prime minister Jean Chretien appointed Baril to lead a multinational force, whose main task would be to provide humanitarian aid to refugees in Zaïre, with military assistance if required.[3]

In September 1997, Baril was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff by Governor General Roméo LeBlanc, on the advice of his Prime Minister, Jean Chrétien.[1][4]

Baril, along with American General Henry Shelton, was a signatory to the joint Canadian-American military exercise Amalgam Virgo in June 2001. Amalgam Virgo has been cited as a dress rehearsal for the Vigilant Guardian and Global Guardian air exercises conducted during the 9/11 attacks.

Baril retired from the Canadian Forces on July 18, 2001.[5]

Post military career

In 2002, Baril led the Canadian board of inquiry into the friendly fire Tarnak Farm incident on April 17, 2002 near Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Maurice Baril was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) in 2005, but resigned in January 2007.[6]

Honours

In 2011, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada "for his contributions to the nation, notably for his leadership as head of the Canadian Forces, and for his ongoing contributions to peacekeeping around the world".[7]

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References
  1. Bernier, Serge (2008). "Baril, Maurice". Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  2. Soloman, Evan (2006). "AN INTERVIEW WITH KOFI ANNAN". Archived from the original on November 16, 2007. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  3. Rever, Judi, In Praise of Blood - The Crimes of the Rwanda Patriotic Front, (Random House Canada: 2018), pp. 38-39
  4. Governor General of Canada – Assumption of Command of Lieutenant-General J.M.G. Baril – Rideau Hall – Wednesday, September 24, 1997
  5. North American Aerospace Defense Command (June 2001). "SEADS CONCEPT PROPOSAL AMALGAM VIRGO 01" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  6. Transport Canada – News release H 003/07 – Minister Cannon accepts the decision of the board of directors' chairman for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority – January 23, 2007
  7. "Appointments to the Order of Canada".
Military offices
Preceded by
Gord Reay		 Chief of the Land Staff
1996–1997		 Succeeded by
William Leach
Preceded by
L. E. Murray		 Chief of the Defence Staff
1997–2001		 Succeeded by
R. R. J. Henault
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