User:Chzz/Marty Burke

Martin "Marty" Burke C.D., BSc (born May 19, 1960) is a former Canadian Forces Officer, United Nations Peacekeeper, defence policy advisor, and present Airline Captain with Air Canada. He is currently the Conservative Party of Canada's candidate in the riding of Guelph, Ontario.

Early Life and Career
Burke was born in Blackpool, England, and immigrated to Canada with his parents and two younger sisters at age six. Growing up in Saskatchewan, Burke attended the University of Regina and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science. In 1989, Burke married his wife, Patricia, with whom he has two sons and a daughter.

Service with the Canadian Forces
Burke joined the Canadian Navy at age 17, and attended university in the Regular Officer Training Plan. He graduated from Naval Officer training in 1982. Shortly thereafter he transferred to the Canadian Air Force. Whilst serving on active duty, Burke was assigned to fly Lockheed CP-140 Aurora patrol aircraft, based out of CFB Greenwood, Nova Scotia. Burke and his crew flew a variety of missions including anti-submarine warfare (ASW) during the Cold War, search and rescue (SAR), counter-drug operations (CDO), fishery and northern sovereignty patrols. Burke’s final posting in the Air Force was as an Aurora Instructor Pilot.

Burke also spent a year in the Middle East attached to the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization. Operating in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, he worked with officers from 12 countries to monitor and investigate clashes between various armed factions. Burke was awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration with Clasp, the Special Service Medal with NATO Bar, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization Medal, and the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal.

In 2000, after serving in the Canadian Forces for 23 years and attaining the rank of Captain, Burke retired in order to accept a pilot position with Air Canada.

National Profile
Following his retirement from the Canadian Forces and return to civilian life, Burke moved to Guelph, Ontario. During this period, Burke also became more involved in the political process. He was selected to join a unit conducting research and analysis on Canada’s military and defence strategies in 2002. Their white paper later served as one of the foundations for the Canada First Defence Strategy, implemented by the newly-elected Conservative Government in 2006.

During this period, Burke served on the Board of Directors for the Conservative Party of Canada's Electoral District Association in Guelph. He also served as a member of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario’s Guelph Riding Association.

In September 2009, he was nominated as the Conservative Party of Canada’s candidate in Guelph.

Burke attends the Church of Our Lady Immaculate, and is a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Royal Canadian Legion, and also is a Cub Leader with Scouts Canada.