PETER W. CAIRNS, Vice Admiral

Vice Admiral Cairns was born in Orillia in 1938. The son of Mildred and Carrol Cairns, he attended Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute. In 1956, he entered the Royal Canadian Navy as an Officer Cadet. During his active service, he has had numerous sea commands, and has completed tours of duty in the Royal Navy, the United States Navy and on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's maritime staff. Mr. Cairns is also a qualified submarine officer.

In 1991, he was appointed to the Order of Merit in the grade of Commander, and until his retirement from the navy in 1994, was the senior Canadian naval officer - Commander of Maritime Command.

He is now president of the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineers, and continues to remain active in other associations. Vice Admiral Cairns resides in Ottawa with his partner Carol Potvin, and has two sons, Simon and Nicholas.