John Adams

Who is John Adams?

John Adams was the previous Chief of the Communications Security Establishment Canada and Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence. He was appointed in July 2005, and left in January 2011. He was succeeded by John Forster.

Adams graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada, earning a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering in 1965. Adams is also a Rhodes Scholar after graduating, in 1967, with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oxford University, in England, in 1967. He also graduated from the Army Staff College as well as the National Defence College. Adams joined the Canadian Forces in 1967 and served until 1993. He took on many roles, from command of 1 Combat Engineer Regiment in Chilliwack, British Columbia to posts at National Defence Headquarters. He retired with the rank of Major-General.

After his retirement from the Canadian Forces, Adams was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, Infrastructure and Environment, for National Defence. He left that post in 1998. From 2003 to June 2005, as Associate Deputy Minister and Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, and from 1998 to 2003 as Assistant Deputy Minister, Marine Services and Commissioner, Canadian Coast Guard for Fisheries and Oceans Canada.