Nova Scotia

Provincial Chair

George T. H. Cooper CM, CD, QC, LL.D (Hon.)

George T. H. Cooper CM, CD, QC, LL.D (Hon.)

George Cooper is the CFLC Provincial Chair for Nova Scotia.

He is a senior partner in the Atlantic Canada law firm of McInnes Cooper, where he practices corporate and commercial law in the firm's Halifax office. Mr. Cooper is Chair of the firm's Board of Directors. He is a former member of Parliament for Halifax riding and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice of Canada.

Mr. Cooper is also Managing Trustee of the Killam Trusts, comprising some $400 million in educational and scholarship endowments at several Canadian universities and the Canada Council for the Arts.

He also sits on a number of commercial Boards of Directors including Stora Enso Port Hawkesbury Ltd. (the Canadian subsidiary of Stora Enso Oyj, the Finnish-Swedish forest industry company); Black Bull Resources Inc. (a Nova Scotia based industrial minerals company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange); and Dover Mills Ltd. (a flour milling company). He is a Trustee of Impax Energy Services Income Trust, a publicly listed income trust operating in the Alberta oil field services industry. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of Canadian National Railway Co. and subsidiaries.

Mr. Cooper is the Chair of the Board of the University of King's College in Halifax. He is immediate past Chair of the Atlantic Chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors and a graduate of the Institute's Directors' Education Program. He is a former Chair of the Canada-United States Foundation for Educational Exchange (the Fulbright Scholarship). He is former Honorary Colonel, No. 33 (Halifax) Service Battalion, Canadian Army.

Mr. Cooper is a Member of the Order of Canada, holds the Canadian Forces Decoration and was awarded the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 2002. In June 2006 he was made Officer First Class of the Royal Order of the Polar Star by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden. Mr. Cooper serves as Honorary Consul for Sweden in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

A Rhodes Scholar, Mr. Cooper received his B.Sc. and LL.B. degrees from Dalhousie University, his B.C.L. degree from Oxford University (University College), and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Dalhousie. He is married (wife Cynthia H. "Tia" Cooper) with two children and three grandchildren.

george.cooper@mcinnescooper.com

Regional Liaison Officer (Atlantic)

Captain (N) Craig Walkington, CD

Captain (N) Craig Walkington, CD

Captain(N) Walkington was born in Hartlepool, County Cleveland, United Kingdom and spent the majority of his childhood in Singapore. His family immigrated to Canada in 1974.

Captain(N) Walkington joined the Naval Reserve in 1977 at HMCS BRUNSWICKER in Saint John, NB through the Naval Reserve Summer Student Program. He trained as a Naval Signalman and attained the rank of Leading Seaman. In 1979 he was selected as an Officer Cadet and commenced training through the Naval Reserve Officer Cadet Program. Captain(N) Walkington was commissioned in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant in 1980 and held several officer training appointments at HMCS BRUNSWICKER and the Naval Reserve Training Centre in Esquimalt, BC. He underwent basic Naval Control of Shipping (NCS) training in 1982 and was promoted to Lieutenant(N) in 1983. While studying at the University of New Brunswick, where he attained Bachelor degrees in Arts (History) and Business Administration, Captain(N) Walkington completed his time at HMCS BRUNSWICKER as the Office-in-Charge of the Fredericton Detachment. He also held instructor positions during the summer months at the NCS Training Centre in Halifax. Captain(N) Walkington was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in 1988. During this period he also completed his Intermediate and Advanced NCS training.

In 1988, Captain(N) Walkington commenced a period of full-time service with the navy as Staff Officer NCS in the Plans and Operations Branch at Maritime Command Headquarters in Halifax. He held successive senior appointments within the Branch and was promoted to Commander in 1993. During this time he also completed the United Kingdom's Intermediate and Advanced NCS courses. His last appointment at Maritime Command Headquarters was as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Coastal Defence Shipping Control and was responsible for all planning and doctrine for Port Security and NCS, which are two of the roles assigned exclusively to the Naval Reserve. In this capacity he represented Canada at NATO and Allied NCS doctrine and policy development meetings, and he was the lead in formulating the Pacific Ocean Bell Buoy Working Group. In 1996, Captain(N) Walkington completed his full-time service and joined HMCS SCOTIAN. He was appointed Operations Officer in 1998 and was appointed Executive Officer in 1999. Captain(N) Walkington was appointed Commanding Officer of HMCS SCOTIAN effective 1 July 2002. Captain(N) Walkington was promoted to his current rank effective 3 November 2003. Capt(N) Walkington completed his appointment as Commanding Officer on 30 June 2005. He was subsequently appointed as a Liaison Officer with the Canadian Forces Liaison Council.

Captain(N) Walkington resides in Halifax and is an active volunteer with several community development programs in his community.

cwalk@eastlink.ca

Provincial Liaison Officers

Lieutenant Colonel J.R. Grant, CD

Lieutenant Colonel James Robert(Bob) Grant was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia on 03 June 1955. He attended schools in New Glasgow graduating from New Glasgow High School in 1973, and studied business administration at Acadia University in Wolfville, NS for several years between 1973 and 1978.

LCol Grant's involvement with the military began in 1968 when he joined # 219 New Glasgow High School Army Cadet Corps. He attended several summer camps as a cadet, and also served as a Cadet Instructors List officer at Camp Argonaut, CFB Gagetown, during the summers of 1975 to 1978.

LCol Grant joined 1st Battalion The Nova Scotia Highlanders (North) at "A" Company in New Glasgow in 1978 as an Officer Cadet. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1980, and was promoted to Lieutenant in 1983 and to Captain in 1986; he was employed primarily as a Platoon Commander during that time. Captain Grant was appointed Adjutant of 1NSH(N) in Feb 1987 and served in that position until Nov 1990. He then was appointed as Second In Command of "A" Coy until Feb 1991 when he became Officer Commanding "A" Company, he was promoted to Major in Oct 1991, and remained in that position until March of 1997. He was appointed as Deputy Commanding Officer of 1NSH(N) in June of 1997, and held that position until he moved to 36 Canadian Brigade Group HQ in Feb 1999 and joined the brigade staff as the G5 (head of the Civilian - Military Cooperation branch). Major Grant was again appointed DCO of 1NSH(N) in Feb of 2000 and remained in that position until June of 2001.

LCol Grant was promoted to his present rank on 03 June 2001 when he assummed command of 1NSH(N). He commanded 1st Bn until 26 Sept 2004 when he was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff at 36 Canadian Brigade Group HQ, in Halifax, NS. LCol Grant was appointed as Deputy Commander of 36 CBG on 26 June 2005. He stepped down as DComd and assumed the duties of Contingency Planning Officer - Team Leader for Nova Scotia in Sept 2006. LCol Grant has been appointed as the Northern NS Liaison Officer with the Canadian Forces Liaison Council, effective July 2009.

LCol Grant completed the Militia Command and Staff Course from the Canadian Land Force Command and Staff College, Kingston Ontario in 1996. He holds the CD with second clasp, and was presented with the Canada 125 Commemorative Medal in 1994.

In civilain life LCol Grant was employed at JJ Grant Ltd. in New Glasgow for almost twenty years, until that firm closed in 1996. He is currently employed with the Chignecto - Central Regional School Board. He is married to the former Donna Dougay; they reside in New Glasgow, where Donna teaches Grade 5 at the AG Baillie Memorial Elementary School. They have two sons; Jamie, 29 and Scott, 27, both of them live and work in Halifax.

LCol Grant is a son of BGen (Ret'd) and Mrs. J.J. Grant; BGen Grant, who commanded 1NSH(N) from 1969 to 1972 , is currently serving as the regimental Honorary Colonel of The Nova Scotia Highlanders. LCol Grant's twin brother Robin currently serves as a major in 1NSH(N), he is Officer Commanding "C" Company.

Dco1nsh@hotmail.com

Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick G. Donaldson

Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick G. Donaldson

Nova Scotia South

Lieutenant-Colonel Donaldson was born and raised in Montreal. At the age of 16 he joined the 2nd Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (Militia) as a gunner and radio operator. In 1971 he joined the regular force under the Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP) and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Political Science from Loyola College (Université de Montréal) in 1974. After graduation, and posting to Halifax, he served in both Operations and Logistics in the Navy. Upon leaving the Regular Force in 1978 he worked in Fleet Logistics in the Canadian Coast Guard, and later with the Public Service Commission of Canada. In 1985 he obtained a Master's degree in Public Administration from Dalhousie University. He was employed by Industry Canada until his retirement from the Public Service of Canada in 2008.

Lieutenant-Colonel Donaldson remained active in the Militia following his departure from the regular force, initially as the Assistant Comptroller for Atlantic Area Headquarters, subsequently commanding Administration Company of the Princess Louise Fusiliers. In 1993 he transferred to 33 Service Battalion where, following his promotion to Major in 1994, he was appointed as Deputy Commanding Officer (DCO). His subsequent secondment to the position of G4 Plans (Senior Staff Officer Logistics Planning) in Land Force Atlantic Area HQ included a deployment to Bosnia for a six-month assignment as Senior Logistics Advisor (G4) of the Stabilization Force in the former Yugoslavia. Upon completion of the deployment, he returned to 33 Service Battalion as the Officer Commanding Headquarters and Administration Company and DCO. He assumed command of the Battalion on 3rd May 2003. In September of that year he was also appointed Halifax Garrison Commander. After relinquishing command on 28th October 2006, LCol Donaldson became a member of the directing staff on the Army Operations Course with Advance Training LFAA . He is currently the Liaison Officer for Nova Scotia South with the Canadian Forces Liaison Council.

Lieutenant-Colonel Donaldson is a graduate of the Militia Command and Staff Course, the Staff Training Reserves STARII, the Advanced Logistics Officer Course, and has participated in all aspects of the Fellowship Program of the Canadian Forces College. He has also been involved with exercises conducted by the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre, including Locomotive Sword 2008. In his private vocation he has been the Director of Liaison for Eastern Canada of the Financial Management Institute (FMI) and is a past president of the Halifax Chapter FMI.

frederick.donaldson@forces.gc.ca


Provincial Administrative Coordinator

Petty Officer Second Class Karen Johnston

Karen.Johnston@forces.gc.ca