Paul Maddison


Paul Andrew Maddison, LOM, is a former Canadian diplomat and retired officer of the Royal Canadian Navy. He served as Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy from 2011 to 2013. He subsequently served as the High Commissioner of Canada to Australia from August 2015 until May 2019.

Career

Maddison joined the Canadian Forces in 1975. In 1980, he graduated from Royal Military College Saint-Jean with a Bachelor of Arts. He served on various vessels and in appointments with both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets. In 1991, he deployed to the Persian Gulf with the Canadian Task Group.
From 1994–1996, Maddison served as Executive Officer for the frigate. This was followed by his first command,, from 1997 to 1999. From 1999 to 2002, he was posted to NORAD headquarters. From 2002 to 2004 he captained the destroyer, a period which included a deployment to the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea as part of Combined Task Force 151.
In 2005, Maddison's career shifted to National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, where he became Director General of Maritime Force Development and then Commander of the Standing Contingency Task Force the following year. In 2007 he became Assistant Chief of Military Personnel. In May 2008, Maddison assumed command of the navy's Atlantic fleet, Maritime Forces Atlantic, as well as Joint Task Force Atlantic, the military organization responsible for domestic operations in Atlantic Canada.
In August 2010, he became the Assistant Chief of the Maritime Staff under Vice-Admiral Dean McFadden. Upon McFadden's retirement from the Canadian Forces on July 21, 2011, Maddison became Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy before retiring in 2013.
In June 2015, Maddison was appointed as the High Commissioner of Canada to Australia.

Awards and decorations

Maddison's personal awards and decorations include the following:


RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of Military Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
  • Decoration awarded on 23 November 2007
  • Military division
    • Gulf and Kuwait Medal
  • with Clasp
    • South-West Asia Service Medal
  • with AFGHANISTAN Clasp
    • Special Service Medal
  • with NATO-OTAN Clasp
    • Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 2012
  • Canadian version
    • Canadian Forces Decoration
  • with two Clasp for 32 years of services
    • Commander of the Legion of Merit
  • Decoration awarded 26 April 2013
  • Commander level
  • United States award
    • Legion of Honour
  • Decoration awarded 17 December 2013
  • Officer level
  • France award