Major-General John Arthur Stewart Trophy

The Major-General John Arthur Stewart Trophy is awarded to the top Military Engineer cadet in his graduating year whose occupation classification is Engineer or Construction Engineer. Sponsored by the Canadian Military Engineer Association, the award is based on high standards of proficiency in each of the four components of the RMCC: academic studies, athletic capability, military performance and bilingualism. The trophy is a recognised official award in the RMC Calendar. It is recommended by the Prizes and Award Committee and approved by the faculty council.

3173 MGen John Arthur Stewart was a past commandant of RMC, Chief of Construction and Properties (now ADM(IE)), and Colonel Commandant of the CME. He received the Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from RMC and was a Professional Engineer.

Past Winners

2012: 25285 OCdt Christiann A. Bouwman
2013: 25701 OCdt Brandon R. Pinkney
2014: 25644 OCdt Guillaume Lepine
2015: 26305 OCdt Daniel Felipe Cruz
2016: 26420 OCdt William Antoine Carle
2017: 26973 OCdt Philippe Bolduc
2018: 27766 OCdt Ross Raymond Steeves
2019 OCdt Ross Steeves
2020 OCdt Amelie LeFrancois
2021 OCdt Adam David Johnson
2022 OCdt Devin Theodore Mercer
2023 OCdt James Lynes
2024 OCdt Megan Roy

Background of the Award

The award replaces two previous RMC awards:

the previous Canadian Military Engineers Association Award (CMEA) which was presented to the highest standing Second Year Officer Cadet in Military Engineering, and
the Military Engineering Prize, that had been given to the top cadet in all of the engineering disciplines combined.

As such, this cash prize was misnamed ‘Military Engineering’. It had lost its original sponsor, Honeywell, a number of years ago.

Background of the Trophy

This trophy was originally presented to the winners of an Engineer Training Company competition in 1944 by Captain Coulson Nicholas Mitchell, VD (Volunteer Decoration, the predecessor of the Canadian Forces Decoration). Captain Mitchell served with the “Little Black Devils” or the Royal Winnipeg Rifles from 1885 to 1919. He was the father of Lieutenant Colonel Coulson Norman Mitchell, VC, MC. Lt Col Mitchell was a former Commandant of RCSME in Camp Chilliwack and won his Victoria Cross when a member of the First Tunneling Company, RCE, for action in 1918 at Canal de l’Escaut, northeast of Cambrai, France. He had previously won the Military Cross for action in 1917 with the same unit.

In 1974 the trophy was mounted on a wood base and renamed the CFSME Cadet Proficiency Award. In 1975 it was accessioned into the CME Museum collection but continued to serve in active service until 1979 after four presentations. The trophy will be on display at RMC although it remains on loan from the permanent collection of the Canadian Military Engineers Museum in Gagetown, NB. In 2012 the trophy will begin its new life as the MGen JA Stewart trophy presented annually to the top Canadian Military Engineer cadet at RMC in their final year.

The Trophy will remain at RMC and a separate plaque is provided to the winner as a memento of the award.

*Updated 22 May 2024

Stewart

October 1994 - October 1997

Major-General Stewart is a native of Montreal, QC. He enrolled in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1949 and attended Royal Roads Military College, Victoria, Royal Military College, Kingston, Ont and Queen's University, Kingston where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering in 1954. Following flying training, he flew as an instructor at CFB Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He transferred to the Construction Engineering Branch and was assigned to 2 Construction Maintenance Unit in Calgary, Alberta. In 1959, he returned to the Royal Military College to serve three years as a lecturer and, at the same time, completed his Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering at Queen's University.

Between 1962 and 1973 Major-General Stewart served in several engineering and staff positions, including ones in the Canadian Air Division, Germany and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Belgium. He attended the Canadian Army Staff College in 1966-67 and later the National Defence College in 1973-74. Promoted to Colonel in 1973 he became the Director of Construction Engineering Control at National Defence Headquarters in 1974 and later was assigned to Air Command Headquarters as Deputy Chief of Staff Military Engineering. On promotion to Brigadier-General in 1978 he was named the Director General Quartering at National Defence Headquarters. In 1980 he was appointed Commandant of the Royal Military College of Canada.

In 1982 Major-General Stewart was appointed Chief of Construction and Properties. He retired from the Canadian Forces in 1986 and is now the President of Guider Corporation. Major-General Stewart is a past president of the Royal Military College Club of Canada and a Director of other military associations. In 1992 the Royal Military College of Canada conferred upon Major-General Stewart the Honorary Degree Doctor of Engineering.