{{Short description|Canadian air force general}} {{Use Canadian English|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox military person |name=Christopher Coates |birth_date= |death_date= |birth_place= |death_place= |image=Christopher J. Coates.jpg |caption= |nickname= |allegiance=Canada |service_years= 1988 – 2021 |rank= Lieutenant-general |branch= Royal Canadian Air Force{{efn|Known as '''Air Command''' until 2011}} |commands=Canadian Joint Operations Command<br />North American Aerospace Defense Command (Deputy)<br />427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron |unit= 427 Helicopter Squadron<br />10 Tactical Air Group |battles= Afghanistan War<br />Kosovo War<br />Operation Artemis<br />Operation Hestia<br />Operation Central |awards= 20px Commander of the Order of Military Merit<br />20px Meritorious Service Medal<br />20px Canadian Forces' Decoration and Bar |other_work= }} Lieutenant-General '''Christopher J. Coates''' CMM MSM CD is a former military officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force. In July 2020, he replaced Lieutenant-General Michael Rouleau as commander of Canadian Joint Operations Command.<ref>{{cite news|title=Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau named Vice Chief of the Defence Staff|language=en-CA|work=Ottawa Citizen|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/lt-gen-mike-rouleau-named-vice-chief-of-the-defence-staff|access-date=2020-07-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Defence|first=National|date=2020-03-16|title=Promotions and Senior Appointments 2020 - General and Flag Officers|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2020/03/promotions-and-senior-appointments-2020---general-and-flag-officers.html|access-date=2020-07-21|website=gcnws}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Mar 16|first1=Charlie Pinkerton Published on|last2=2020 12:24pm|date=2020-03-16|title=Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau promoted to military's second-in-command|url=https://ipolitics.ca/2020/03/16/lt-gen-mike-rouleau-promoted-to-militarys-second-in-command/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=iPolitics|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Defence|first=National|date=2020-03-16|title=Chief of the Defence Staff announces Lieutenant-General Mike Rouleau as the new Vice Chief of the Defence Staff as part of the 2020 Canadian Armed Forces General and Flag Officer senior appointments, promotions, and retirements|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/news/2020/03/chief-of-the-defence-staff-announces-lieutenant-general-mike-rouleau-as-the-new-vice-chief-of-the-defence-staff-as-part-of-the-2020-canadian-armed-.html|access-date=2020-07-21|website=gcnws}}</ref> From July 2018 until July 2020, he was the deputy commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command succeeding Lieutenant-General Pierre St-Amand.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Leaf|first=The Maple|date=2018-07-20|title=New deputy commander appointed to NORAD|url=https://ml-fd.caf-fac.ca/en/2018/07/16594|access-date=2020-07-21|website=The Maple Leaf}}</ref>
== Education and Training == He graduated from post-secondary education at the University of Calgary in chemistry and biochemistry.
He finished his training as a pilot upon joining the RCAF, and started as a reconnaissance pilot flying light observation helicopters with 444 Squadron in Lahr, Germany, 430 Squadron in Valcartier, Québec, 408 Squadron in Edmonton, Alberta and 427 Squadron in Petawawa, Ontario.<ref name=":0" />
== Career and Retirement == He was the operations officer with 10 Tactical Air Group in St Hubert, and the director of CAOC in Winnipeg, 1 Wing in Kingston.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=LIEUTENANT-GENERAL CHRISTOPHER J. COATES CMM, MSM, CD > North American Aerospace Defense Command > Article View|url=https://www.norad.mil/Leadership/Article-View/Article/1604644/lieutenant-general-christopher-j-coates-cmm-msm-cd/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=www.norad.mil|archive-date=2019-02-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217090635/http://www.norad.mil/Leadership/Article-View/Article/1604644/lieutenant-general-christopher-j-coates-cmm-msm-cd/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On March 22, 2021, Coates announced his retirement from the Canadian Armed Forces.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/maple-leaf/defence/2021/03/commander-canadian-joint-operations-command-announces-retirement.html|title = Commander Canadian Joint Operations Command Announces Retirement|date = 22 March 2021}}</ref> The announcement came after Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan halted Coates planned promotion to lead the NATO Joint Force Command in Naples, Italy, following revelations that Coates had an extramarital affair with an American civilian in Colorado during his tenure as Deputy Commander of NORAD.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-03-22 |title=Former deputy NORAD commander leaving military after having an affair while in U.S. |work=CBC News |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/norad-commander-affair-leaving-military-1.5959068}}</ref> The Department of National Defence ruled that Coates did not violate any rules of conduct, with Coates having reported the affair at the time to Canadian and American officials.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pugliese |first=David |date=2021-02-26 |title=Top NORAD commander had affair with American co-worker but DND says no rules were broken |work=Ottawa Citizen |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/top-norad-commander-had-affair-with-american-co-worker-but-dnd-says-no-rules-were-broken |access-date=2023-10-13}}</ref>
Coates is currently the Director of Foreign Affairs, National Defence and National Security at the Macdonald–Laurier Institute.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/cm-expert/christopher-coates/|title = Christopher Coates|date = 3 April 2025}}</ref>
== Notes == {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}} * {{Cite web|title=Lieutenant-General Christopher J. Coates|url=https://www.cigionline.org/person/lieutenant-general-christopher-j-coates|access-date=2020-11-07|website=Centre for International Governance Innovation|language=en}}
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{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box|title=Deputy Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command|before=Pierre St-Amand|after=Alain Pelletier|years=21 July 2020 – 2 June 2023}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coates, Christopher J}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Canadian military personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Category:Living people Category:Royal Canadian Air Force generals Category:Officers of the Order of Military Merit (Canada) Category:University of Calgary alumni Category:Air War College alumni
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