Chief of Staff biography

Lieutenant-Colonel J.M.A.L. Dufour, CD

Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence Dufour was born in Jonquière, Quebec. After obtaining a diploma from the CÉGEP de Chicoutimi in computer science, he joined the Royal Canadian Artillery in January 1987. From 1988 to 1992, he served with the 5e Régiment d`artillerie légère du Canada (5 RALC), where he held various positions: firing officer responsible for gun positions, artillery observer, and assistant to the officer in charge of the regimental headquarters.

In 1992, he spent three months in El Salvador as a military observer for the United Nations and was then transferred to Western Sahara for a year. After his return, he spent four years with the Royal Canadian Artillery, where he was involved in training new officers.

He was promoted to major in 2001 and assumed command of W Battery at the Combat Training Centre, Gagetown. In 2004, he was transferred to England, where he held the position of exchange officer with the Royal Artillery School in Larkhill. The following year, he was reassigned to the position of exchange officer for Canadian Army doctrine. His years with the British Forces took him to the Falklands, Kosovo and Iraq. He also participated in a NATO exercise by Allied Corps HQ with the British Quick Reaction Force.

He was promoted to his current rank in 2008 and is returning from a 10-month deployment in Afghanistan, during which he served as Head of Influence and Targeting Operations at the HQ of Regional Command (South) in Afghanistan. He is currently the Chief of Staff of 34 Canadian Brigade Group.

Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence Dufour holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Laval University and a certificate in law. He also has a master's in war studies from King's College, London.