Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic

COMMODORE M.A.G. NORMAN, CD

Commodore Norman completed his schooling in Kingston, Ontario. Having originally joined the Naval Reserve as a Diesel Mechanic at HMCS CATARAQUI in 1980, Commodore Norman transferred to the regular force as a Sub-Lieutenant in 1985.

His experience at sea includes tours as a Bridge Watchkeeper, and subsequently as Above Water Warfare Officer in HMCS NIPIGON (1986-1988), Deck Officer of the commissioning crew of the lead Canadian Patrol Frigate HMCS HALIFAX (1989-1992), Combat Officer of HMCS HALIFAX (1993-1995) for her maiden operational tour which included the enforcement of sanctions against the former Yugoslavia in support of OP SHARP GUARD in the Adriatic Sea, Executive Officer of HMCS IROQUOIS (1998-2000) during her tenure as the Flagship of both NATO's Standing Naval Force Atlantic and the Canadian Atlantic Fleet, and most recently Commanding Officer of the frigate HMCS ST. JOHN'S (2003-2005).

His staff experience incorporates both naval and joint appointments including two brief tours in MARCOMHQ (1989 and 1995), three years on the staff at the Maritime Warfare Centre as the Above Water Warfare Tactics Officer (1995-'98) in Halifax, two years as the Above Water Warfare Section Head in the Directorate of Maritime Requirements (2001-'03), and in 2005 he was briefly the Director Maritime Training and Education in National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa. In January 2006 he joined the then newly established Strategic Joint Staff as the Director International Plans.  He assumed the duties as Director Strategy (subsequently Transformation and Strategic Planning) in the Chief of Force Development (CFD) organization in July 2007.

Commodore Norman is a graduate of Queen's University with a degree in Economics (1985), the Operations Room Officer Course (1993), the Above Water Controller Course (1993), the Canadian Forces Command and Staff Course (2001), and most recently the National Security Studies Program (2007) at the Canadian Forces College in Toronto. 

Commodore Norman was promoted to his current rank in 2009 and appointed Commander Canadian Fleet Atlantic on 3 March 2009.

When not working, he spends his time with his family, working on his old British car, alpine skiing, botching home repairs, losing golf balls, and trying to maintain a reasonable level of physical fitness.