Meet the Author

Dr. André M. Levesque, OMM, OOnt, CD, FRSA, is a distinguished Canadian historian, geographer, and retired military officer who is widely regarded as a global pioneer in the field of memorialogy. He completed his BA and MA in Geography at Carleton University before earning a PhD in History from University College Cork, Ireland, where his doctoral research established memorialogy as a distinct academic discipline. His thesis, Redefining military memorials and commemoration and how they have changed since the 19th century with a focus on Anglo-American practice, has achieved significant scholarly impact with nearly 45,000 downloads. With a career spanning over 50 years, he has spearheaded some of Canada’s most significant commemorative milestones, including serving as the project lead for the repatriation of Canada’s Unknown Soldier from Vimy, France, and creating the National Military Cemetery at Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa. In April 2024, Dr. Levesque’s impact was recognized on the international stage when French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal praised his contributions during an Ottawa ceremony attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

His commitment to remembrance is rooted in a 35-year military career in the Canadian Armed Forces Army Reserves. Serving from 1974 until his retirement as a lieutenant-colonel in 2008, he spent his formative years with the Governor General’s Foot Guards and the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh’s Own). It was through his interactions with veterans of the World Wars and the Korean War during this service that he was inspired to dedicate his life to preserving their history. Later, as the Canadian Armed Forces’ first Director of Honours and Recognition, he led the most substantial overhaul of the military honours system since the Second World War, overseeing the creation of 15 operational medals such as the Sacrifice Medal. Between 2006 and 2008, he also served as Chair of the Victoria Cross Production Planning Group, responsible for manufacturing Canada’s highest national honour.

Dr. Levesque’s extensive public service includes his time as Director General of Commemoration at Veterans Affairs Canada, where he organized national and international programs marking major anniversaries of the First and Second World Wars, while holding responsibility for the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial in France. His international work continues through more than two decades of engagement with Le Souvenir français au Canada, where he has served as Delegate General since 2023. He also serves as President of the Canadian delegation of the Société nationale d’entraide de la Médaille Militaire (SNEMM), is a co-initiator of the Amicitia France-Canada Monument, and acts as a special advisor to the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Dr. Levesque continues to lead the field as the founder and chair of the International Society for Commemoration, Memorials, and other Monuments.