Today, Lieutenant-General Jocelyn (Joe) Paul assumed his new position as Commander Canadian Army from Major-General Michel-Henri St-Louis. The ceremony, which was presided over by General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff, was held at the Cartier Square Drill Hall.

“I offer my greatest thanks and appreciation to Major-General St-Louis for his extended tour as acting Commander where he demonstrated his passion for this institution and its soldiers, and I wish him well in his next appointment. I welcome Lieutenant-General Paul into this new role as an institutional leader. His strong legacy of professionalism and excellence will support the Canadian Army where people come first — where their talents, contributions, and individuality are welcome and appreciated, and where they are treated with compassion, respect, and dignity by their peers and their leaders.”

General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to command the Canadian Army and lead the organization to the future and to support culture change within the Canadian Army and the Canadian Armed Forces. From the Baltic to the Black Sea, our NATO Allies recognize the tradition of excellence of the Canadian Armed Forces and of the Canadian Army, and all of this is only made possible by those who wear the uniform. In my new role, I will build on the successes brought forward by the One Army Team, led by the unwavering dedication of Major-General St-Louis, and will strive to ensure the Canadian Army remains agile, disciplined, and ready to support concurrent missions at home, and around the world. As the most senior ranking Indigenous member of the Canadian Armed Forces, I am equally excited about the opportunity to be the Indigenous Champion for the Canadian Armed Forces, and look forward to fostering a more inclusive and diverse Defence Team for our members who have chosen the profession of arms and to serve their country.”

Lieutenant-General Jocelyn (Joe) Paul, Commander Canadian Army

“The call to serve as Acting Commander of the Canadian Army has been the greatest honour of my career. In this role, I have been afforded the extreme privilege to witness excellence on a daily basis, as our soldiers serve with pride and distinction with utmost dedication and perseverance, even at its most challenging and unprecedented of times. In the last year I could not have held these responsibilities without the support of my family, and the trust of the Army Council. I extend my sincere gratitude to all members of our One Army Team and their families, and my most heartfelt congratulations to Lieutenant-General Paul and his family as he takes on his new role.”

Major-General Michel-Henri St-Louis

• Lieutenant-General Paul has served in a variety of command and staff appointments, including the Aide-de-Camp to the Governor General of Canada, the Commander of the 2^e Bataillon, Royal 22^e Régiment, and La Citadelle de Québec, the Commander of the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre, the Commander of 4^th Canadian Division/Joint Task Force (Central), and most recently, as the Deputy Commander of the Allied Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy. He also served at the Privy Council Office.

• The Canadian Army is the largest of the three command elements within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). As the land component of the CAF, the Canadian Army produces soldiers who are well-trained, well-led, and ready to support a wide range of operations at home, and abroad.

• The Canadian Army is the largest element of the Canadian Armed Forces, and is comprised of the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th Canadian Divisions in Quebec, Western Canada, Ontario, and Atlantic Canada, respectively. The Canadian Army consists of:

  • 23,500 full-time soldiers in the Regular Force;
  • 19,000 part-time, volunteer soldiers in the Reserve Force;
  • 5,000 Canadian Rangers who serve in sparsely settled northern, coastal and isolated areas of Canada; and
  • 3,000 civilian employees who support the Canadian Army.

• The mission of the Canadian Army is to posture for concurrent operations by generating combat effective, multi-purpose land forces to meet Canada’s defence objectives.

•  A testament to its official motto, “Vigilamus pro te” (English: we stand on guard for thee), the Canadian Army plays a vital role in protecting the interests of all Canadians. This includes supporting a wide range of domestic and international operations ranging from disaster response, Arctic sovereignty patrols, humanitarian aid, and support to combat operations.

Associated links

• Canadian Army website
• Lieutenant-General Paul Biography
• Major-General St-Louis Biography
• Canadian Army Facebook
• Canadian Army Twitter
• Canadian Army YouTube
• Canadian Army Flickr
• Canadian Army Instagram

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca