Chiefs of Staff Committee (Canada)

The Chiefs of Staff Committee was a 1951–1964 committee comprising the heads of the three military services then in Canada: the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force. The Chiefs of Staff Committee consisted of the Chief of the Naval Staff, the Chief of the General Staff, the Chief of the Air Staff, and a Chairman who held a rank one level higher (full Air Chief Marshal, Admiral or General) than the service heads.[1]

Chairmen of the Chiefs of Staff Committee
Formation1951
First holderCharles Foulkes
Final holderFrank Robert Miller
AbolishedAugust 1964
Superseded byChief of the Defence Staff

A 1964 white paper proposed significant changes to the command structure of Canada's armed forces. While unification of the Canadian Armed Forces was not completed until 1968, the Chiefs of Staff Committee was replaced in 1964 by the Armed Forces Council, and the position of Chairman was replaced by the position of Chief of the Defence Staff with greatly expanded powers and functions.

List of chairmen edit

No. Portrait Chairmen of the Chiefs of Staff Committee Took office Left office Time in office Home province Defence branch Appointed by Prime Minister Ref.
1Foulkes, CharlesGeneral
Charles Foulkes
(1903–1969)
195119608–9 years  OntarioCanadian ArmyVanier, GeorgesGeorges VanierLouis Saint Laurent[2]
2Miller, Frank RobertGeneral
Frank Robert Miller
(1908–1997)
196019643–4 years  British ColumbiaRoyal Canadian Air ForceVanier, GeorgesGeorges VanierLester B. Pearson[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Canadian Army (1949–1964), "Fonds of the Chief of the General Staff", in Department of National Defence (ed.), Histories > DHH Historical Research Centre > Research > DHH Archive Database > Reports > Miscellaneous Reports/Documents > DHH Archival Database Extract (PDF), Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, p. 40, 97/10, retrieved 22 September 2009
  2. ^ "Canada’s 25 Most Renowned Military Leaders". Legion Magazine, May 1, 2011 by Dan Black
  3. ^ Robert Miller. The Canadian Encyclopedia.