Jonathan Parker ’95

Since 1910, the Royal Canadian Navy’s motto has proudly been, Ready aye ready. 

For RCN Commander Jonathan Parker ’95, the leadership and preparedness he’s embodied throughout his distinguished naval career were kindled at St. Andrew’s College.

Born in Toronto and raised in Ottawa, the 43-year-old, newlywed to Sarah in May 2019, lives in Westport, Ont., close to Canadian Forces Base Kingston, where he is stationed. 

A St. Andrew’s College boarder, Jonathan was a valued member of the debate team and a force on the pitch. “I already had an exposure to leadership and camaraderie through playing rugby at SAC,” he says. “Rugby gave me the building blocks of leadership on and off the field.”

He earned Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees at the University of Toronto. In 1999, midway through his studies, he joined the navy, motivated by a desire to lead. Jonathan joined the RCN as a Naval Warfare Officer. The first few years of training were challenging, he says, but everything seemed familiar.

After basic officer training in Esquimalt, B.C., Jonathan continued warfare training and graduated with a bridge-watchkeeping certificate, meaning he could hold charge over all members of a Canadian warship.

While he always intended to return to Toronto and go to law school, the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks significantly changed the course of his career, and he continued to sail Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic waters.

In 2006, he was selected for specialty training and twice deployed to Afghanistan. When he returned, he transferred to the Strategic Joint Staff as an analyst. Soon after, Jonathan accepted a foreign posting to work as a liaison officer to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence in Washington, D.C. 

“During this posting, I had the opportunity to deploy, on a counter-narcotics mission in the Caribbean Ocean, tracking the illicit flow of drugs from South America into North America,” he says.

After four years in Washington, he was posted to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he briefed intelligence to the Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic on threats concerning RCN assets and missions worldwide. Soon he was promoted and posted to Ottawa to work on the staff of the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. This posting led to a promotion as the head of the intelligence team for the Commander of Task Force Arabian Sea, the Canadian counter-terrorism mission in the Indian Ocean. 

He cites a trio of St. Andrew’s teachers for guiding his stellar career path. 

“I learned the value of hard work and focusing on homework from my math teacher, Derek Inglis,” he says. “I received an important life lesson from John Waldon ’71, my English teacher, who told me charm alone would not lead to success.”

He also acknowledged the mentorship from bagpipe instructor, Aubrey Foy: “He taught me that availability to the people you’re responsible for is important in leadership.” 

Jonathan’s illustrious career includes numerous distinctions, such as the Canadian Forces Decoration, the Operational Service Medal, the Special Service Medal, and the United States Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal along with a Commander’s Commendation.

Last year, the career naval officer returned to St. Andrew’s as a guest speaker at the Wellington Dinner. The event marked a dual anniversary as it commemorated his 20th year in uniform and two decades since he attended the same dinner when his father, Federal MP Rob Parker ’60, was the guest speaker. 

He says his father was a significant influence. “He always identified as an Old Boy. He returned to campus often and loved his time at St. Andrew’s and the experiences it provided.”

His grandfather, Eric Cook, a Canadian senator from 1964 to 1984, was also a guiding light.

When thanked for his naval service, Jonathan responds modestly: “Service isn’t service when you love what you do.”