Role and Responsibilities
The Sergeant-at-Arms performs many ceremonial and administrative duties and, as a commissioner of oaths, is one of the officers who may administer the oath of allegiance to newly elected Members. Bearing the Mace, the Sergeant-at-Arms precedes the Speaker as he or she enters and leaves the Chamber each day. The Sergeant-at-Arms occupies a desk at the Bar of the House when the House is sitting. In accordance with the Standing Orders, the Sergeant-at-Arms preserves order in the galleries, lobbies, and corridors and is responsible for taking into custody strangers who misbehave in the galleries. Traditionally, the position has been held by retired military or police officers.
Assistant Commissioner (RCMP Retired) Pat McDonell
Patrick McDonell served as the Acting Sergeant-at-Arms and Corporate Security Officer of the House of Commons from 2015-2019. Before that, he served as Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms and Director General of the House of Commons Protective Service, and as Director of the Senate Protective Service.
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Assistant Commissioner (RCMP Retired) Pat McDonell
Sergeant-at-Arms |
Before arriving at the House of Commons, Mr. McDonell had a long and distinguished career of 31 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). In his most recent role as Assistant Commissioner for Protective Policing, he oversaw the protection of foreign and Canadian dignitaries, including the Prime Minister and the Governor General, as well as the grounds of Parliament Hill and the Supreme Court. He was also responsible for the Canadian Air Carrier Protective Program and the RCMP Major Events Section, which oversees security at events such as presidential visits, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, international summits, and Royal Visits.
During his time with the RCMP, Mr. McDonell also served in the United Nations’ civilian police force in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. He became the RCMP Liaison and Canadian Interpol representative in Vienna, Austria, in 1998, where he was responsible for advancing Canadian-led investigations and fostering relationships with police partners in twelve European countries.
Mr. McDonell was the Canadian representative on the International Association of Chiefs of Police Training Committee, Chair of the RCMP Pension Advisory Committee, and Co-Chair of the RCMP Aboriginal Employee Council. He was also a member of the Canadian Police College Advisory Board and the RCMP Pay Council. He is the current Chair and Director of the Canadian Association of Sergeants-at-Arms.
He is a recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the Alberta Centennial Medal, the RCMP Long Service Medal, a United Nations Peacekeeping Medal, the Canadian Peacekeeping Medal, and the Order of St. John Meritorious Service Medal. He has also received the RCMP Commissioner’s Commendation for his outstanding leadership, and the Commanding Officer’s Commendation for a successful four-year organized crime investigation.
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