GENERAL (Retd) PAUL D. MANSON – 2003 VIMY AWARD WINNER
7 August 2003. Ottawa. The Conference of Defence Associations Institute (CDAI) is pleased to announce that General (Retd) Paul D. Manson, O.C., C.M.M., C.D., has been selected as the recipient of the Vimy Award for 2003.
General Manson is a distinguished Canadian who has exhibited the highest standards of leadership throughout his career of service to Canada. The award will be presented on Friday, 21 November, at a mixed gala dinner in the Grand Hall of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, Gatineau.
Born in Trail, British Columbia and raised in Québec and Ontario, General Manson attended Royal Roads Military College and Royal Military College. He graduated in 1956 and served as a fighter pilot in Canada’s air division in NATO. He served in a number of command and staff appointments throughout his military career, culminating with that of Chief of the Defence Staff from 1986 to 1989. Following his retirement from the Canadian Forces, General Manson held executive positions with Unisys Defence Systems, Paramax, Loral Canada, and Lockheed Martin Canada from which he retired in 1997 as Chairman. In 1998 he agreed to serve as volunteer chair of Passing the Torch, Canadian War Museum’s fundraising arm, a post he continues to fill. Under his lead, Passing the Torch has raised more than $12 million. General Manson is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. He chairs the Canadian War Museum Committee, and the CWM Building Committee of that Board.
The CDAI is dedicated to increasing public awareness of Canada’s security situation and the vital role that is played by the Canadian Armed Forces in our society. The Institute is the sponsor of the Vimy Award. Since 1991, the Award recognizes one Canadian who has made a
significant and outstanding contribution to the defence and security of our nation and the preservation of our democratic values. Previous recipients of the Award include the Right Honourable Joe Clark, General John deChastelain, Major-Generals Lewis MacKenzie, and Roméo Dallaire, Dr. Jack Granatstein, the Right Honourable Brian Dickson, Vice-Admiral Larry Murray, Lieutenant-General (Retd) Charles H. Belzile, the Honourable Barnett Danson, Air Commodore Leonard Birchall, and Colonel the Honourable John Fraser.
The Vimy Award jury was composed of The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, PC, Chief Justice of Canada; General Raymond Henault, CMM, CD, Chief of the Defence Staff for the Canadian Forces; Mr. John Watts, President General Dynamics Canada; Lieutenant-General (Retd) Richard J. Evraire, CMM, CD, Chairman of the Conference of Defence Associations; and Brigadier-General (Retd) W. Don Macnamara, OMM, CD, President of the Conference of Defence Associations Institute.