Surgeon General (Canada)

Surgeon General
Incumbent
Major-General Scott Malcolm
since December 13, 2023
Canadian Forces Health Services Group
TypeSurgeon general
Reports toCanadian Joint Forces Command[1]
First holderDarby Bergin

Surgeon General (French: médecin-général) is the title of the professional head of the Canadian military health jurisdiction, the adviser to the Minister of National Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff on all matters related to health,[2] and the head of the Royal Canadian Medical Service. The Surgeon General may also be appointed as the commander of the Canadian Forces Health Services Group, which fulfils all military health system functions from education and clinical services to research and public health. It consists of the Royal Canadian Medical Service, the Royal Canadian Dental Corps, personnel from other branches of the armed forces, and civilians, with health professionals from over 45 occupations and specialties in over 125 units and detachments across Canada and abroad. When appointed as Director General Health Services, the Surgeon General is also the senior health services staff officer in the Department of National Defence. The Surgeon General is normally appointed to the Medical Household as Honorary Physician (KHP) or Honorary Surgeon (KHS) to His Majesty the King.[3][4]

History

The first head of the Canadian military medical service was Colonel Darby Bergin, a physician and surgeon who was also Member of Parliament for Cornwall, president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, founder of the 1st Volunteer Militia Rifle Company of Cornwall, and first commanding officer of the 59th Stormont and Glengarry Battalion of Infantry (now the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders). Selected by the Minister of Militia and Defence, the Honourable Sir Adolphe Caron, to organize the North-West Field Force medical services during the North-West Rebellion of 1885, Colonel Bergin's own proposed appointment as Director General Medical Services, was overruled by the Minister in favour of Surgeon General.[5][6][7][8]

Sir Eugène Fiset was the first Surgeon General after the establishment of the Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1904 (renamed the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps in 1919), the creation of which was the second step in bringing all military health personnel under unified administration. Appointed Director General Medical Services as a colonel in 1903, he was subsequently appointed Deputy Minister of Militia and Defence in 1906 and promoted to Surgeon General in 1914. After retirement in 1923, he was elected Member of Parliament for Rimouski and appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Quebec in 1939.[9][10][11][12][13]

Major-General GB Chisholm was Surgeon General during the Second World War when the Canadian military health services reached their largest size in history. He was appointed the first federal Deputy Minister of Health in late 1944 and was elected as the first director-general of the World Health Organization in 1948.[14][15]

Major-General KA Hunter was the first modern Surgeon General following the 1959 integration of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps with the sister medical services of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force to form a joint military medical professional-technical organization, the Canadian Forces Medical Service (CFMS). The CFMS was renamed the Royal Canadian Medical Service in 2013.[16][17]

List of Surgeons General (or equivalent)

Surgeon General of the Militia Medical Services[18]

'Director General of the Medical Staff / Director General Medical Services' (Canadian Militia)[19]

Director General of Medical Services (Canadian Militia/Army)[20][21][22][23]

Note 1: The Canadian Army established separate Directors or Directors General Medical Services for their overseas forces in 1914 to 1920 and 1940 to 1946. The medical services of the Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force were led by separate Directors General from 1940 to 1959. Prior to 1940, the Royal Canadian Navy's medical service was too small to have a full-time medical directorate and from 1911 until 1924 the senior naval surgeon in Halifax acted as Principal Medical Officer, ensuring Royal Navy medical regulations were correctly applied to the RCN..[24][25]

Surgeon General[26][27]

Note 2: Command and Director General responsibilities were held separately by Major-General MJL Mathieu (Jan 2000–Apr 2005)[48][49] and Commodore MF Kavanagh (Apr 2005–Jul 2007)[50][51][52][53]

Note 3: Command and Director General responsibilities held by Rear-Admiral Rebecca Patterson (Jul 2020-2021)[54] and Brigadier-General Scott F. Malcolm holds command responsibilities from Jul 2021[55]

References

  1. ↑ "CDS/DM Message: Establishment of Canadian Joint Forces Command (CJFC)". Canada.ca. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
  2. ↑ Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Canadian Forces article 34.011
  3. ↑ Canadian Forces Health Services website. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from "Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) - Home Page". Archived from the original on 2012-02-17. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  4. ↑ Canadian Forces Health Services Group Surgeon General’s Report 2010. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from "CFHS - Surgeon Generalīs Report 2010". Archived from the original on 2011-12-27. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  5. ↑ Official History Of The Canadian Forces In The Great War 1914-19 - The Medical Services By Sir Andrew Macphail, FA Acland, Ottawa, 1925. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CFGW_MedSvc_e.pdf
  6. ↑ Seventy Years of Service – A History of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, G. W. L. Nicholson, Borealis Press, Ottawa, 1977.
  7. ↑ Royal Canadian Medical Service – Introduction to its History and Heritage. Director General Health Services, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, 2003. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from http://www.forces.gc.ca/health-sante/pub/pdf/0-662-66397-7-eng.pdf
  8. ↑ Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online – Bergin, Darby. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=5968
  9. ↑ Official History Of The Canadian Forces In The Great War 1914-19 - The Medical Services By Sir Andrew Macphail, FA Acland, Ottawa, 1925. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/his/docs/CFGW_MedSvc_e.pdf
  10. ↑ Seventy Years of Service – A History of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, GWL Nicholson Borealis Press, Ottawa, 1977
  11. ↑ "The Quebec Daily Telegraph - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
  12. ↑ Hopkins, J. Castell (John Castell) (1918). The Canadian annual review war series. Kelly - University of Toronto. Toronto : Canadian Annual review.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  13. ↑ The county families of the United Kingdom; or, Royal manual of the titled and untitled aristocracy of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. (Volume ed.59, yr.1919, page 129). Edward Walford. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from http://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/edward-walford/the-county-families-of-the-united-kingdom-or-royal-manual-of-the-titled-and-un-fla/page-129-the-county-families-of-the-united-kingdom-or-royal-manual-of-the-titled-and-un-fla.shtml
  14. ↑ Canadian Forces Medical Service: Introduction to its History and Heritage (Director General Health Services, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, 2003). Retrieved on 18 August 2015 from http://www.royalcdnmedicalsvc.ca//wp-content/uploads/2013/08/CFMS-History-HeritageE.pdf
  15. ↑ Feasby, W.R. Official History of the Canadian Medical Services 1939 -1945, Volume One Ottawa: Edmond Cloutier, Queens Printer and Controller of Stationery, 1953)
  16. ↑ Seventy Years of Service – A History of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, GWL Nicholson Borealis Press, Ottawa, 1977
  17. ↑ The Canadian Armed Forces Health Services return to their historical identities. Retrieved on 10 November 2013 from http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?nid=779769
  18. ↑ Seventy Years of Service – A History of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, GWL Nicholson Borealis Press, Ottawa, 1977
  19. ↑ Seventy Years of Service – A History of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, GWL Nicholson Borealis Press, Ottawa, 1977. The original wording of the title in General Orders was never used in practice, instead the British standard term 'Director General Medical Services' was immediately employed and was used in all subsequent general orders governing the medical service.
  20. ↑ Seventy Years of Service – A History of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, GWL Nicholson Borealis Press, Ottawa, 1977
  21. ↑ Quebec Daily Telegraph, August 5, 1924, page 1. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1903&dat=19240801&id=x5UfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QNQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3968,2926315 Retrieved on 1 February 2012
  22. ↑ Hopkins, J. Castell (John Castell) (1918). The Canadian annual review war series. Kelly - University of Toronto. Toronto : Canadian Annual review.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  23. ↑ "Report of the Committee on Re-Organisation of Canadian Army Medical Corps" (PDF). Can Med Assoc J. 11: 6. June 1921. PMC 1524173.
  24. ↑ Royal Canadian Medical Service – Introduction to its History and Heritage. Director General Health Services, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, 2003. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from
  25. ↑ "Provincial News". Canadian Medical Association Journal. 77 (9): 908–911. 1 November 1957. PMC 1824144.
  26. ↑ A Story of the Canadian Forces Medical Services As Told By The Colonel Commandant On The Occasion Of The 25th Anniversary Of Its Formation, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, December 1983.
  27. ↑ The Myriad Challenges of Peace: Canadian Forces Medical Practitioners Since The Second World War. Bill Rawling. Canadian Government Publishing Communication Canada, Ottawa, 2004
  28. ↑ Wright, Harold M. (1999). Salute to the Air Force Medical Branch on the 75th Anniversary: Royal Canadian Air Force. Ottawa: Harold M. Wright. p. 12. ISBN 0-9686588-0-6
  29. ↑ THE TITLE AND DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF LAWS, (honoris causa) CONFERRED AT CONGREGATION, JUNE 2, 1995. Retrieved 24 May 2015 from http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/hdcites/hdcites11.html
  30. ↑ BROCK UNIVERSITY HONORARY DEGREE AND AWARD RECIPIENTS. Retrieved 24 May 2015 from http://www.brocku.ca/webfm_send/17416
  31. ↑ "DND/CF | News Release | New Surgeon General Appointed for the Canadian Forces". www.forces.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-09-30.
  32. ↑ Canadian Forces Fellows’ medical services honoured by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. Retrieved on 10 November 2013 from http://www.royalcollege.ca/portal/page/portal/rc/resources/publications/dialogue/vol13_11/royal_honour
  33. ↑ Queen’s recognizes exemplary careers with honorary degrees. Retrieved 24 May 2015 from http://www.queensu.ca/gazette/stories/queen-s-recognizes-exemplary-careers-honorary-degrees
  34. ↑ https://news.ontario.ca/en/backgrounder/1007023/2025-order-of-ontario-appointees
  35. ↑ vpe/enews/newsed1212.pdf "The Pulse Volume 7, Issue 12 -August 12, 2012, page 4" (PDF). Archived from vpe/enews/newsed1212.pdf the original (PDF) on 2017-04-27. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help); Check |url= value (help)
  36. ↑ "VCDS GO - CANFORGEN 104/15 - CDS - 011916Z JUN 15 - AMENDMENT TO PROMOTIONS AND SENIOR APPOINTMENTS 2015 - GENERAL AND FLAG OFFICERS". mobile.caf-fac.ca. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  37. ↑ "COMEDS". 17 August 2020.
  38. ↑ New Surgeon General Appointed for the Canadian Armed Forces. Retrieved 13 June 2015 from http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=986299
  39. ↑ Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Honorary Fellowship. Retrieved 5 December 2016 from http://www.royalcollege.ca/rcsite/membership/join-the-royal-college/honoury-fellowship-e
  40. ↑ BGen. Andrew Downes assumes command as new surgeon general of CAF. Retrieved 18 July 2017 from http://cmfmag.ca/latest_stories/bgen-andrew-downes-assumes-command-as-new-surgeon-general-of-caf-2/
  41. ↑ "Canadian Forces Health Services welcomes new Commander". www.canada.ca. 2017-07-05. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
  42. ↑ Brigadier-General A.M.T. Downes, CD - Biography. Retrieved 18 July 2017 fromhttp://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about-org-structure/surgeon-general-bio.page
  43. ↑ https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/150-5050
  44. ↑ "VCDS GO - CANFORGEN 020/19 - CMP - 111413Z FEB 19 - PROMOTIONS AND SENIOR APPOINTMENTS 2019 - GENERAL AND FLAG OFFICERS". mobile.caf-fac.ca. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  45. ↑ "CANFORGEN 078-22".
  46. ↑ "Major-General S.F. Malcolm, MSC, CD, MD – CIMVHR Forum 2024". cimvhrforum.ca. Retrieved 2025-02-08.
  47. ↑ "Major-General Scott Francis Malcolm". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved 2026-05-10.
  48. ↑ Royal Roads honours leaders in health care, education and the arts at fall convocation October 27, 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2016 from http://www.royalroads.ca/news-releases/royal-roads-honours-leaders-health-care-education-and-arts-fall-convocation
  49. ↑ Major-General (Retired) Lise Mathieu, CMM. Retrieved 10 March 2016 from http://www.royalroads.ca/news-events/convocation/awards/major-general-retired-lise-mathieu-cmm
  50. ↑ National Defence and the Canadian Forces - Medical Services Update January 11, 2000. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/mobil/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=62
  51. ↑ National Defence and the Canadian Forces Senior Officer Biography - Brigadier General Jaeger. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dsa-dns/sa-ns/ab/sobv-vbos-eng.asp?mAction=View&mBiographyID=116
  52. ↑ Minister of National Defence Announces Senior Promotions and Appointments - March 6, 2007. Retrieved on 1 February 2012 from http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/mobil/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?id=2211
  53. ↑ Retrieved 18 August 2015 from http://www.nauticapedia.ca/dbase/Query/Biolist3.php?name=Kavanagh,%20M.F.&id=369&Page=1&input=Kavanagh,%20M.F
  54. ↑ "VCDS CANFORGEN".
  55. ↑ "VCDS CANFORGEN".
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