General Rick Hillier

General Rick Hillier gained widespread public recognition in January 1998 for leading Operation Recuperation, a critical effort mobilizing over 15,000 military personnel in response to a devastating ice storm across New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec. His distinguished military career began after completing armour officer training, joining the 8th Canadian Hussars regiment in the late 1970s. He further specialized, attending the U.S. Army Armour Officer Advanced Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky, before serving with the Royal Canadian Dragoons in Germany, where he became a squadron commander in 1985.

He was promoted to major general in March 1999, subsequently commanding NATO’s Stabilization Force’s Multinational Division (Southwest) in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2000. In May 2003, Hillier became commander of the Canadian army as a lieutenant general, a role from which he transitioned to lead NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan for a six-month deployment starting in February 2004, overseeing critical security operations. Hillier’s career culminated in his appointment as Chief of the Defense Staff (CDS), the top-ranking officer in the Canadian military, in February 2005. During his tenure until his retirement in July 2008, he was widely credited with significantly enhancing the domestic reputation of Canada’s armed forces and served as an outspoken advocate for the strategic importance of ground troops.

He transitioned from this role in March 2021, continuing his engagement in public speaking, corporate advisory, and philanthropic initiatives, further solidifying his legacy in national security and community development.