Kevin MacLeod
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Kevin MacLeod, a music composer.
Kevin Stewart MacLeod is the Usher of the Black Rod
for the Canadian Senate, the Canadian Secretary to the Queen of Canada
, and the author of the historical fiction novel, A Stone on Their Cairn/Clach air An Càrn.
Born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia
, MacLeod studied at Boston University
and Carleton University
, where he received both his bachelor's degree
in history and political science
and a master's degree
in international affairs, before moving on to the University of Burgundy
in Dijon
, France
. After his return from there, MacLeod served for 10 years as an administrative assistant in the Canadian House of Commons
, subsequently acting as a chief of staff for one of the then ministers of the Crown
before being employed by the Department of Canadian Heritage
for 22 years. Among his accomplishments in that office, MacLeod was appointed as the Chief of Protocol and then authored A Crown of Maples/la couronne canadienne an educational book on the Canadian monarchy, published by the heritage department.
It is the responsibility of the Department of Canadian Heritage to organise royal tours of Canada
, and it was for that in 1987 of Queen Elizabeth II
, that MacLeod first had a part in coordinating such an event, and, by the time of the Queen's 2005 visit to the prairies to celebrate the centennials of Alberta
's and Saskatchewan
's entry into Confederation
, MacLeod was given the role of Acting Secretary to the Queen. For his service to the monarch, he had already been in 1992 appointed as a member of the Royal Victorian Order
, and in 2002, the year of Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee
, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. But, it was during the 2005 tour that MacLeod was elevated by the Queen in person to the highest position a Canadian can hold in the order (due to the government's
adherence to the Nickle Resolution), that of commander; this made MacLeod the only Canadian to be promoted through all three levels of the order in Canada.
On March 27, 2008, MacLeod was appointed by order of the Governor-in-council as the Usher of the Black Rod
for the Senate, replacing Terrance Christopher
.
On April 1, 2009, MacLeod was further appointed as the full-time Canadian Secretary to the Queen, putting him in charge of, amongst other things, coordinating royal tours of Canada, and chairing the Diamond Jubilee Committee, which is to organise the celebrations in 2012 for the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession
as Queen of Canada.
He was responsible for the visit of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to Canada in November 2009., and he was responsible for co-ordinating the Queen's 24th official visit to Canada in 2010.
In 2010, MacLeod was appointed by the Prime Minister to the Governor General Consultation Committee a special committee to recommend a successor to Governor General of Canada
Michaëlle Jean
. The panel recommended David Lloyd Johnston
who was installed as viceroy on October 1, 2010.
Kevin Stewart MacLeod is the Usher of the Black Rod
Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada
The Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada is the most senior protocol position in the Parliament of Canada....
for the Canadian Senate, the Canadian Secretary to the Queen of Canada
Canadian Secretary to the Queen
The Canadian Secretary to the Queen is the senior operational member of the Royal Household of the sovereign of Canada. The secretary is the principal channel of communication between the Queen and her Canadian government, provincial governments, and the governments of the fifteen other...
, and the author of the historical fiction novel, A Stone on Their Cairn/Clach air An Càrn.
Born in North Sydney, Nova Scotia
North Sydney, Nova Scotia
North Sydney is a community in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Regional Municipality.Located on the north side of Sydney Harbour, along the eastern coast of Cape Breton Island, North Sydney is an important port in Atlantic Canada as it is the western terminus of the Marine Atlantic ferry service...
, MacLeod studied at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
and Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
, where he received both his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in history and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in international affairs, before moving on to the University of Burgundy
University of Burgundy
The University of Burgundy is a university located in Dijon, France.The University of Burgundy is situated on a large campus called Campus Montmuzard, 15 minutes by bus from the City Centre...
in Dijon
Dijon
Dijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After his return from there, MacLeod served for 10 years as an administrative assistant in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
, subsequently acting as a chief of staff for one of the then ministers of the Crown
Minister of the Crown
Minister of the Crown is the formal constitutional term used in the Commonwealth realms to describe a minister to the reigning sovereign. The term indicates that the minister serves at His/Her Majesty's pleasure, and advises the monarch, or viceroy, on how to exercise the Crown prerogatives...
before being employed by the Department of Canadian Heritage
Department of Canadian Heritage
The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage |department]] of the Government of Canada with responsibility for policies and programs regarding the arts, culture, media, communications networks, official languages , status of women, sports , and multiculturalism...
for 22 years. Among his accomplishments in that office, MacLeod was appointed as the Chief of Protocol and then authored A Crown of Maples/la couronne canadienne an educational book on the Canadian monarchy, published by the heritage department.
It is the responsibility of the Department of Canadian Heritage to organise royal tours of Canada
Royal tours of Canada
Canadian royal tours have been taking place since 1786, and continue into the 21st century, either as an official tour, a working tour, a vacation, or a period of military service by a member of the Canadian Royal Family...
, and it was for that in 1987 of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, that MacLeod first had a part in coordinating such an event, and, by the time of the Queen's 2005 visit to the prairies to celebrate the centennials of Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
's and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
's entry into Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
, MacLeod was given the role of Acting Secretary to the Queen. For his service to the monarch, he had already been in 1992 appointed as a member of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, and in 2002, the year of Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was the international celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries, upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952, and was intended by the Queen to be both a commemoration of her 50...
, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. But, it was during the 2005 tour that MacLeod was elevated by the Queen in person to the highest position a Canadian can hold in the order (due to the government's
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
adherence to the Nickle Resolution), that of commander; this made MacLeod the only Canadian to be promoted through all three levels of the order in Canada.
On March 27, 2008, MacLeod was appointed by order of the Governor-in-council as the Usher of the Black Rod
Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada
The Usher of the Black Rod of the Senate of Canada is the most senior protocol position in the Parliament of Canada....
for the Senate, replacing Terrance Christopher
Terrance Christopher
Terrance Christopher, OMM, LVO, CD is a retired Canadian Naval Officer and former Usher of the Black Rod for the Senate of Canada, the most senior protocol office in Parliament....
.
On April 1, 2009, MacLeod was further appointed as the full-time Canadian Secretary to the Queen, putting him in charge of, amongst other things, coordinating royal tours of Canada, and chairing the Diamond Jubilee Committee, which is to organise the celebrations in 2012 for the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession
Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II is the forthcoming international celebration in 2012 marking the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries, upon the death of her father, King George VI, on 6 February 1952...
as Queen of Canada.
He was responsible for the visit of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall to Canada in November 2009., and he was responsible for co-ordinating the Queen's 24th official visit to Canada in 2010.
In 2010, MacLeod was appointed by the Prime Minister to the Governor General Consultation Committee a special committee to recommend a successor to Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
. The panel recommended David Lloyd Johnston
David Lloyd Johnston
David Lloyd Johnston is a Canadian academic, author and statesman who is the current Governor General of Canada, the 28th since Canadian Confederation....
who was installed as viceroy on October 1, 2010.