Major-General (retired) Timothy Grant, OMM, MSC, CD

Major-General Timothy James Grant started his affiliation with the military as an Air Cadet.  He rose to the rank of Warrant Officer First Class, attended the Senior Leader course and received his pilot’s license though the flying scholarship program.  He was commissioned as an officer and served in the Cadet Instructor List.  He attended the University of Guelph, graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He subsequently enrolled in the Canadian Forces under the Direct Entry Officer programme as an armour officer.

Major-General Grant has filled a number of staff positions. Most notable were Chief of Staff, Land Force Western Area and two tours in National Defence Headquarters in the Joint Operations Directorate. As J3 International he was intimately involved in the planning for Canada’s contribution to the Campaign Against Terrorism, post-911, including the initial deployment of ground forces to Afghanistan and naval and air forces to the Persian Gulf.

He has commanded soldiers, from troop to brigade level, in Canada and with NATO in Germany.  He served as the exchange officer at the Royal Australian Armour Centre.  As the Commanding Officer of Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians) he deployed his Battle Group to Bosnia in 1997 as part of the NATO Stabilization Force. He returned to Bosnia in 2000 to command the Canadian Contingent.  He commanded 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group from 2003 until 2005, which included the preparation and deployment of a contingent to Kabul as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the first Canadian Provincial Reconstruction Team to Kandahar.  He commanded Land Force Western Area and Joint Task Force West (on the stand up of Canada Command in February 2006) from July 2005 until October 2006.  From November 2006 until August 2007, he commanded all Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, and for the last six months of this period he commanded ISAF combat operations in Kandahar province.

Major-General Grant was invested as an officer in the Order of Military Merit in 2003. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross in 2008 for leadership in Afghanistan. He was promoted to major-general in August 2007 and was appointed Deputy Commander Canadian Expeditionary Command.  Major-General Grant retired from the Canadian Forces in August 2008 after 31 years of service.

He served in senior positions in the Alberta Public Service, from 2008 until 2017, including Deputy Minister, Justice and Solicitor General and Deputy Minister Service Alberta.  He is currently seconded to the Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta as the Executive in Residence.  He was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for his role in leading the province’s response to the Slave Lake fires in 2011.