Episode 49: Deputy Minister of the Department of National Defence, Jody Thomas and Acting Chief of the Defence Staff Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre
Lieutenant-General Wayne Eyre grew up on a farm near Wadena, Saskatchewan, and spent his high school years in Medicine Hat, Alberta. He joined Army Cadets at age 12 and has been in uniform ever since. LGen Eyre attended Royal Roads Military College (RRMC) Victoria and Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Kingston. Upon commissioning in 1988 he joined Second Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, and has had the great privilege of spending the majority of his career in command or deputy command positions, including commanding 3rd Battalion PPCLI, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 3rd Canadian Division and Joint Task Force West, Deputy Commanding General – Operations for XVIII (US) Airborne Corps, Deputy Commander Military Personnel Command, Deputy Commander United Nations Command in Korea, and for a short time Commander of Military Personnel Command. He became Commander Canadian Army on 20 August 2019 and was appointed as Acting Chief of the Defence Staff on 24 February 2021.
Jody Thomas was appointed Deputy Minister of the Department of National Defence (DND) in October 2017. Before becoming Deputy Minister, she has had broad and varied experience working at senior levels in the Public Service, including as Senior Associate Deputy Minister for DND, Chief of Business Planning and Administration with Public Works and Government Services Canada’s Atlantic Region, and multiple positions at the Victoria Office of Passport Canada. In 2010, Ms. Thomas joined the Canadian Coast Guard as Deputy Commissioner of Operations, leading the development and implementation of the Coast Guard’s strategic and operational policy frameworks. From September 2014 to January 2015, until she became Commissioner of the Coast Guard. She also served as Special Advisor to the Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Operations) at the Privy Council Office. Ms. Thomas currently holds a commission in the Naval Reserve. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton University
Links:
External Review into Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces (Deschamps Report)
Canada’s Defence Policy: Strong, Secure, Engaged (SSE)
Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Deployment of Canadian Forces to Somalia
