Andrew Leslie

Andrew Leslie
Name	Andrew Leslie
Birth date	1957
Birth place	Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Nationality	Canadian
Occupation	Soldier; Politician; Engineer; Businessman
Rank	Lieutenant-General
Allegiances	Canada
Awards	Order of Canada; Canadian Forces Decoration

Andrew Leslie

Andrew Leslie (born 1957 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland) is a retired Canadian soldier, senior officer and public figure who served as a Lieutenant-General in the Canadian Forces and later as a Member of Parliament and minister in the House of Commons of Canada. He has been prominent in defence, international peacekeeping, civil engineering and public policy, holding senior roles that connected the Canadian Army, multinational coalitions and Canadian federal institutions, and later bridging to the private sector in engineering and infrastructure.

Early life and education

Leslie was born in Dunfermline and emigrated to Canada, where he pursued technical and military education. He earned engineering credentials that linked him to institutions such as the Royal Military College of Canada and training programs affiliated with the Canadian Forces College. His professional development included courses and staff colleges that tied him to allied military education networks including the NATO Defence College and exchange programs with the United States Military Academy and the British Army staff system. His early qualifications combined civil engineering studies with commissioned officer training, forming the basis for later leadership in both operational commands and infrastructure projects associated with the Canadian Forces.

Military career

Leslie’s military career spanned more than three decades in the Canadian Army and the broader Canadian Forces. He commanded units in domestic postings and operational deployments, including leadership roles during peacekeeping and stabilization operations linked to the United Nations and NATO-led missions. His operational experience included deployments that intersected with conflicts and missions involving the Bosnian War, NATO operations in the Former Yugoslavia and coalition activities related to the post-9/11 international security environment. In senior appointments he served at the headquarters level in positions that coordinated with the Department of National Defence, senior Canadian defence officials and multinational partners.

As a senior commander he held the rank of Lieutenant-General and was responsible for personnel, doctrine and strategic planning that interfaced with defence procurement processes, force generation and interoperability initiatives tied to NATO standards. He advised ministers and civil servants during major reviews that included capability assessments, contingency planning and transformation of joint force structures. Leslie was recognized for leadership during organizational change, and he received honours that reflected long service and distinguished performance within the Canadian Forces.

Political career

After retiring from active military service, Leslie entered federal politics as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada. He was elected to the House of Commons of Canada representing the Ridge—a suburban Ontario riding where he campaigned on defence, veterans’ affairs and infrastructure issues that referenced his military and engineering background. As a Member of Parliament he served on committees and in parliamentary roles engaging with portfolios overseen by the Minister of National Defence, the Minister of Veterans Affairs and portfolio ministers responsible for infrastructure and public works.

Leslie was appointed to the federal cabinet as Minister of State with responsibilities that connected to national infrastructure priorities and veterans’ services, collaborating with federal agencies such as Public Works and Government Services Canada and departments that administer military compensation and benefits. During his parliamentary tenure he participated in debates and legislative processes on bills affecting procurement, peace operations and veteran rehabilitation, working with colleagues across party lines and with provincial counterparts in Ontario and other provinces to address constituency priorities.

Business and engineering ventures

Parallel to and following his public service, Leslie engaged in the private sector in roles that drew on his civil engineering and leadership experience. He held executive and advisory positions with firms in the construction, engineering and infrastructure sectors that worked on projects with municipal, provincial and federal stakeholders. His appointments included board memberships and consultancy roles with companies and organizations involved in transportation, defence-related infrastructure and industrial projects that interfaced with Crown corporations and procurement authorities.

Leslie contributed to think tanks and policy institutes focusing on national security, infrastructure resilience and emergency management, linking research entities such as policy centres and veterans’ organizations with industry partners. His business activities often required navigating regulatory frameworks administered by bodies like the National Research Council Canada and collaborating with international partners from NATO-member states and allied industrial firms.

Personal life and honours

Leslie is married and has family ties in Canada and the United Kingdom, maintaining connections to communities in Ontario and his birthplace in Scotland. His honours include appointments and decorations that acknowledge military and public service, including membership in the Order of Canada and long-service distinctions issued by the Canadian Forces. He has received honorary degrees and awards from academic institutions connected to the Royal Military College of Canada and civilian universities recognizing contributions to public life, engineering and national defence. Leslie continues to contribute to public discourse on veterans’ affairs, defence policy and infrastructure through speaking engagements and advisory work with charitable organizations and veterans’ groups.

Category:1957 births Category:Canadian military personnel Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada Category:Living people