Brigadier-General J.E.P. Lalonde, CD, was born in Montreal 8 July 1943. He studied at Ottawa University and Sir George Williams University and, following a year of reserve service, enrolled in the Canadian Army in 1961. Commissioned in the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada in 1964, he served in various positions with the Second Battalion and the Regimental Depot until 1968. This was followed by a tour as Deputy Commanding Officer of Premier Commando, Canadian Airborne Regiment, and attendance at the Land Forces Command and Staff College in 1970.

In 1971, MGen Lalonde was posted to Lahr, Germany as Operations Officer, Headquarters 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (CMBG). He was the assigned to the Royal 22e Regiment in 1972, and commanded a company in the First Battalion. Returning to Canada in 1974, he served at the Combat Arms School until his appointment in 1976 as Deputy Commanding Officer of Third Battalion Royal 22e Regiment.

Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1977, he assumed the position of Senior Staff Officer, Personnel Management, Headquarters Force Mobile Command  (FMC) in Montreal until returning to Lahr in 1979 as Commanding Officer First Battalion Royal 22e Regiment. On promotion to Colonel in 1981, he took command of Canadian Forces Base Montreal. From 1983-86, he successively held the appointments of Director Personnel Careers, Director Personnel Careers Administration, and Director General Personnel Careers for all non-commissioned members of the Canadian Forces.

Major General Lalonde took command of 4 CMBG from 9 July 1986-15 September 1987. On return to Canada he led two study teams to improve productivity of operational and support activities for Department of National Defence. In 1989 he was appointed Chief of Staff Operations at Headquarters FMC. He then became Director General Intelligence at National Defence Headquarters in 1991. Promoted to Major General in 1992, he was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), a position he held until his retirement in 1994.

MGen Lalonde completed a Masters Degree (Magna Cum Laude) in International Relations at Université Libre de Bruxelles. In recognition of his contribution to coalition Intelligence efforts, he was made an Officer of the Legion of Merit by the United States government.

Since retiring, MGen Lalonde made his home in Calgary, then Ottawa, and has served as Vice President, Strategic Planning and Corporate-Marketing, Computing Devices of Canada Ltd., a leading Canadian high technology company. He is married to the former Maurene Fleming of Calgary.

He was a member of the SHAPE Officer’s Association and the North Atlantic Association.

Source: HLCol Harold A. Skaarup, Out of Darkness – Light, A History of Canadian Military Intelligence, Volume 3, 1998-2005, Annex C. (iUniverse.com, Lincoln, Nebraska, 2005).