Ramsey Withers, Senior Counsel

General Ramsey Withers spent 35 years in uniform, serving in the Korean War and in command and staff positions throughout Canada and overseas, culminating in his appointment as Chief of the Defence Staff, 1980-1983.

Appointed Deputy Minister of Transport in 1983, he served under Ministers Pepin, Axworthy, Mazankowski, and Crosbie. He retired from the Public Service in 1988.

Awards during this period included The Commissioner's Award of the Northwest Territories and the Outstanding Achievement Award of the Public Service of Canada.

Prior to joining Hillwatch Ramsey served as Chairman of one of Canada's leading government relations firms. A Professional Engineer, he has degrees from The Royal Military College of Canada and Queen's University and is a graduate of the Canadian Army Staff College and Britain's Joint Services Staff College. Ramsey holds two doctorates (honoris causa), is a Fellow of Georgian College and is an honorary graduate of the National Defence College and the NATO Defense College.

Ramsey is a former Trustee of the Canadian Museum of Civilization and Chairman of the Canadian War Museum Committee, former Director of the Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies, and a Honourary Vice-President of the Boy Scouts of Canada.