On this episode, I sit-down with Michel Maisonneuve, a retired Canadian three star general and public servant who worked for 45 years in service to the country. Michel was born in Montreal and spent the first part of his youth north of the city. As a result of his father’s profession, the family moved out west where he began grade 9 in Saskatchewan as a unilingual francophone. After graduating high school in Thunder Bay, he spent 35 years in the Army rising to the rank of Lieutenant-General. He made the choice to continue to serve in helping reopen College Militarire Royal in St Jean, Quebec as the Academic Director. After a decade in that position, he decided to retire to the peace and quiet of the Niagara region of Ontario. However, most Canadians might be familiar with the General from his acceptance speech at the Vimy Gala in November, 2022 where his remarks drew a significant amount of criticism. Why after 45 years of service to the nation would someone step into the spotlight in their retirement? We discuss this and much more.
Show Notes:
Canada 125 Government Commercial - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNHsXzRQYh0
Medak Pocket - https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/art-hub/battle-of-medak-pocket
Carol Off's Book on the Medak Pocket - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/124074/the-ghosts-of-medak-pocket-by-carol-off/9780307370785
U.S. General Tommy Franks - https://www.tommyfranksmuseum.org/biography--military-career.html
Excerpt from Michel’s Speech at the Vimy Gala - https://nationalpost.com/opinion/the-speech-by-a-general-attacking-cancel-culture-and-green-policies-that-caused-an-uproar
Some of Michel’s Op-eds
- https://nationalpost.com/opinion/clearing-the-air-about-my-anti-woke-speech-before-im-completely-cancelled
- https://nationalpost.com/opinion/michel-maisonneuve-criticizing-the-government-does-not-politicize-the-military
- https://nationalpost.com/opinion/cutting-1b-from-our-already-underfunded-military-is-simply-preposterous
Thanks again for listening to the NSP.
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NSP Podcast Music Credit: RomanSenykMusic, Action Trailer, https://pixabay.com/music/main-title-action-trailer-140711/
NSP Podcast Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023
NSP Shorts Music Credit: nomaBeats, You Are The Best!, https://pixabay.com/music/upbeat-you-are-the-best-146445/
NSP Shorts Logo - L. Ayotte, 2023
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