Page 22 - C:\Users\rober\Documents\Flip PDF\Dog Watch2102 (1)\

22 Volume 73 Number 1
15 February 2021
serving in HMCS Vancouver, Halifax, Montréal, following the crash of the Cyclone helicopter
and Calgary, with the Canadian Fleet Pacific staff, known as Stalker 22 last spring.
as Executive Officer in HMCS Regina from 2003 to Baines and McDonald take over their new jobs at
2005, and as Commanding Officer in a time when the navy has been increasingly ac-
HMCS Halifax from 2007 to 2009. In so doing, he tive in the Asia-Pacific region amid the rise of Chi-
deployed repeatedly – including three tours on na while maintaining a steady presence with
the Arabian Gulf and one on the Adriatic Sea – NATO in Europe. They also arrive at a time when
and also circumnavigated the globe many are questioning the cost of the govern-
(HMCS Calgary, 1995). As Captain (N), he was ment’s plan to build 15 new warships to form the
the Maritime Component Commander of Canadian backbone of the Navy’s fleet for decades.
Joint Task Force (Haiti), leading sea-based hu-
manitarian assistance and disaster relief opera-
tions in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
He then commanded a seven-ship combined, mul-
ti-national Task Group in the High Arctic later in
2010 during the annual Op NANOOK. Later, as a
Rear Admiral, he also led the Canadian Armed
Forces’ recurring Op LENTUS responses to historic
fires and floods in British Columbia while com-
manding Joint Task Force Pacific from 2016 to
2018.

As a staff officer, VAdm McDonald served four
tours on the Naval Staff in National Defence
Headquarters in Ottawa. In addition to service as
Deputy Commander of the RCN from 2018 to
2019, he was Director General Naval Force Devel-
opment from 2013 to 2016, Director Naval Re-
quirements from 2012 to 2013, and Executive
Secretary to the Chief of the Maritime Staff from
2005 to 2007.
A 1990 graduate of the Royal Military College of
Canada who holds a bachelor’s degree in Military Rear-Admiral Craig Baines, MSC, CD
and Strategic Studies and a Master of Defence
Studies degree, VAdm McDonald is also a gradu- The government has previously pegged the cost
ate of the 2003 Canadian Forces College (CFC) at around $56 billion, more than double the origi-
Command and Staff Course, the 2012 CFC Na- nal estimated price tag of around $26 billion. Yet
tional Security Studies Programme, and the 2014 the parliamentary budget officer dug into the
U.S. CAPSTONE General and Flag Officer Course. numbers last fall and is expected to provide an
A 2016 alumnus of the Asia-Pacific Centre for Se- updated estimate to Parliament later this month,
curity Studies, he is also a graduate of the Senior which could force a major rethink on the project.
Executives in National and International Security Rear-Admiral Craig Baines enrolled in the Canadi-
program at Harvard University (2017).
an Armed Forces Regular Officer Training Program
in 1987. After completing initial naval training, he
Navy Gets New Commander After Admiral served as a Bridge Watchkeeping Officer in HMCS
Named Defence Chief Saguenay and Deck Officer in HMCS Thunder.
ear Admiral Craig Baines is being tapped as In 1991, he completed the Destroyer Navigation
R the Royal Canadian Navy’s new commander. Officer course and was employed as Navigation

Outgoing chief of the defence staff Gen. Jona- Officer in HMC Ships Chignecto and Annapolis. He
than Vance announced the appointment Tues- graduated from the Maritime Advanced Naviga-
day, with Baines set to replace current navy tion Officer Course in 1992 and was employed as
commander Vice-Admiral Art McDonald. Baines the Navigation Officer of HMCS Provider. Follow-
has served as commander of the navy’s Atlantic ing the year-long Operations Room Officer course,
fleet since 2017 and provided regular updates he served as Operations Officer in HMCS Regina

http://www.noabc.com/