Tony Wright

Experience

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  Canadian Forces

  Sept 2008 - Aug 2012

  Working in the National Defence Public Affairs Office in Vancouver, I manage "stakeholder relations" - high-level engagements with key audiences and national public relations activities such as Team Canada visits to Afghanistan and Canadian Forces (CF) Appreciation Events. Our mandate is to inform and engage Canadians in defence issues to develop knowledge and understanding of, and give visibility to the Department of National Defence (DND)/CF. In order to achieve this mission, stakeholder relations rely on a two-way dialogue and the fostering of mutually-beneficial relationships between the DND/CF and its stakeholders that will increase public understanding of the role and priorities of DND/CF. Show less

  • Public Affairs Officer - National Defence Public Affairs Office Pacific Region

    Aug 2009 - Aug 2012

  • Public Affairs Officer - Strategic Joint Staff Command Liaison Public Affairs

    Sept 2008 - Aug 2009
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  Task Force Vancouver Operation MOBILE

  Aug 2011 - Jan 2012

  Task Force Vancouver Public Affairs Officer

  Operation MOBILE was the Canadian Forces’ participation in the international response to the popular uprising in Libya against the regime of Moammar Gadhafi.Operation MOBILE began on 25 February 2011 as a non-combatant evacuation mission based in Malta, and in March 2011 became a joint combat mission with air and maritime based in Italy. The combat phase concluded at 2110 hr GMT on 31 October 2011.HMCS Vancouver deployed from Esquimalt, B.C., on 10 July 2011, bound for the central Mediterranean Sea to join the NATO-led coalition fleet enforcing the arms embargo on Libya.Taskings for HMCS Vancouver included escorting and providing air defence for vulnerable vessels such as mine-countermeasures vessels and replenishment ships, and patrolling the embargo zone to gather information and ensure that prohibited materiel did not enter Libya. Show less

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  1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group

  Aug 2012 - Nov 2013

  Public Affairs Officer

  5000 soldiers strong, 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1 CMBG) is one of 3 Regular Force mechanized brigade groups of the Canadian Army. Headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, the brigade’s main punch comes from Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, 1 Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), and 1 Combat Engineer Regiment. As the brigade's single Public Affairs Officer, my duties included:1. Specialist Advisor to Commander 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1 CMBG).2. Public Affairs Planner for operations, exercises, and brigade events and activities3. Media Relations / Operations - Routine and Crisis Communications related to the operations, exercises, and activities of 1 CMBG units – over 5000 soldiers in Edmonton, Alberta and Shilo, Manitoba4. Imagery gathering and production – Photo and Video• Personally gathered both still and video imagery of 1 CMBG operations and training for use as B-roll for media, broadcast for Social Media, and 1 CMBG video projects• Managed and tasked CAF Image Technicians in the gathering of still and video imagery• Experienced with Final Cut Pro X, produced several short videos for use on 1 CMBG Social Media channels• Oversaw video and still imagery production by CAF Image Technicians under my command.5. Social Media Manager • Initiated 1 CMBG Social Media program, simultaneously standing up:• Twitter - www.twitter.com/1cmbg• Facebook - www.facebook.com/1cmbg• Flickr - www.flickr.com/photos/1cmbg• YouTube - www.youtube.com/1cdnmechbdegrp• Ensured 1 CMBG Social Media had consistent, high quality content, both produced in house and leveraging other CAF Social Media channels• Ensured 1 CMBG Social Media met Government of Canada and DND Assistant Deputy Minister (Public Affairs) guidelines on Social Media including bi-lingual content and accessibility requirements Show less

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  3rd Canadian Division Headquarters Public Affairs

  Nov 2013 - Jun 2014

  Public Affairs Officer - Outreach and Special Projects

  3rd Canadian Division (3 Cdn Div) is one of four operational commands of the Canadian Army. 3 Cdn Div is responsible for all Canadian Army administration and operations in western Canada from the Pacific Ocean to Thunder Bay, Ontario.3 Cdn Div is headquartered at 3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton, Alberta. Under the 3 Cdn Div command are 6000 Regular Force soldiers, 5700 Reserve Force soldiers, and 1200 civilians.As the Public Affairs Officer responsible for outreach and special projects, I maintained and developed strategic relationships with local, regional, and provincial stakeholders across Western Canada.Special Projects included public affairs support and planning to the opening ceremonies of the second session of the 28th Alberta Legislature and production of the 3rd Canadian Division information video for 2014. Show less

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  3rd Canadian Division Support Group

  Jun 2014 - Jun 2017

  Senior Public Affairs Officer

  3rd Canadian Division Support Group (3 CDSG) is headquartered at 3rd Canadian Support Base Edmonton (3 CDSB Edmonton). As a formation, 3 CDSG takes care of the baseline institutional support such as infrastructure, ranges and training areas, personnel services and technical services for Canadian Army installations and training areas from Thunder Bay, ON to Victoria, BC. 3 CDSG also supports the Canadian Armed Forces Arctic Training Centre in Resolute, NU.As the Senior Public Affairs Officer for 3 CDSG, I managed several teams. My immediate team consisting of the Edmonton Garrison Public Affairs officer and the Western Sentinel Editor as well as two imagery sections. Each imagery section - one in Wainwright Garrison and the other in Edmonton Garrison - is responsible for imagery support services to their respective bases. These services included routine imagery capture for graduations, promotions, and special events on base as well as forensic imagery gathering in support of boards of inquiry or accident investigations. Graphic art and framing services are also offered.In addition to acting as the public affairs advisor to Commander 3 CDSG, I provided strategic comms planning and execution of formation level initiatives and regularly provided on-the-ground public affairs support as required to Wainwright Garrison, CFB Suffield, and other locations across the 3 CDSG area of operations for issues and events such as Medicine Hat Freedom of the City, ministerial announcements and visits, instalment of AB Lieutenant Governor and opening of AB legislature.Other duties included:1. Managing Editor Western Sentinel - military newspaper for 3rd Canadian Division. 2. Conducting team member performance review (military and civilian).3. Conducting public affairs coordination with higher and lateral formations.4. Providing regular media awareness/public affairs training to military/civilian members of 3 CDSG. Show less

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  Maritime Forces Pacific, Royal Canadian Navy

  Jul 2017 - Mar 2020

  Public Affairs Officer

  Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) is responsible for maintaining multi-purpose, combat-capable maritime forces to conduct operations in Canadian waters and in support of national objectives primarily in the Pacific Rim Region but also anywhere in the world.As the Deputy MARPAC Public Affairs Officer, my duties run the gamut from media relations during Search and Rescue (SAR) operations to multimedia production for social media. In the spring of 2018, I was deployed with Her Majesty's Canadian Ship (HMCS) VANCOUVER during Operation PROJECTION, a three month deployment to the Asia-Pacific in support of Canada's Defence Policy, "Strong, Secure, Engaged". In China, Singapore, Australia, and Fiji I coordinated stakeholder and media engagements with Global Affairs Canada, foreign media, and partner navies, providing news release, media advisories, backgrounders and multimedia products. While at sea, I provided media awareness training to the crew and prepared the Command Team for engagements with media and foreign officials. With the help of the deployed Imagery Technician, multimedia was routinely produced for use on Canadian Armed Forces media channels.My most recent accomplishment is introducing a new imagery capability to MARPAC Public Affairs. After meeting the regulatory requirements for piloting a commercial Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV), MARPAC Public Affairs now has the capability to gather imagery of our ships, events, and operations from the air. Show less

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  Maritime Forces Pacific / Joint Task Force Pacific

  Apr 2020 - Jun 2022

  Senior Staff Officer Public Affairs Maritime Forces, Royal Canadian Navy

  Maritime Forces Pacific is responsible for maintaining multi-purpose, combat-capable maritime forces to conduct operations in Canadian waters and in support of national objectives primarily in the Pacific Rim Region but also anywhere in the world. Joint Task Force Pacific is one of six regional joint task forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. Joint Task Force Pacific directs the Canadian Armed Forces response anywhere in British Columbia if help is requested, including intervention for disaster relief, support to critical incidents, and search and rescue.As the Maritime Forces Pacific / Joint Task Force Pacific Senior Staff Officer Public Affairs, my main duty is to advise Commander Maritime Forces Pacific / Joint Task Force Pacific on Public Affairs matters affecting the formation and the Royal Canadian Navy. I plan and execute regional and national communications efforts in support of Maritime Forces Pacific, Joint Task Force Pacific, and Royal Canadian Navy operations and activity. I am responsible for managing a team of two military Public Affairs Officers and two civilian Communications Officers as well as overseeing the operations of the Maritime Forces Pacific Imagery Section made up of 12 Imagery Technicians and 2 civilian support staff.The past year has seen my section respond to issues related to maintaining a combat capable force during the COVID pandemic, unprecedented wildfires in British Columbia in summer and most recently, unprecedented flooding in the Fraser Valley. Show less

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  Canadian Army - 3rd Canadian Division

  Jul 2022 - now

  Senior Public Affairs Officer, 3rd Canadian Division/Joint Task Force West - Canadian Army

  Headquartered at 3rd Canadian Division Support Base Edmonton, Alberta, 3rd Canadian Division (3 Cdn Div) is one of four operational commands of the Canadian Army. 3 Cdn Div is responsible for all Canadian Army administration and operations in western Canada from the Pacific Ocean to Thunder Bay, Ontario and represents over 1/3 of the Canadian Army's combat strength.As the Senior Public Affairs Officer for 3rd Cdn Div, I advise the Commander on Canadian Army public affairs issues within the division's area of operations. On behalf of the Commander, I and my team plan and execute regional campaigns, conduct issues management, train and prepare soldiers for media engagement and engage with the public through several activities such as Canadian Army participation in the Calgary Stampede and Klondike Days. I oversee a team of 2 Canadian Armed Forces Public Affairs Officers, 2 civilian Communications Officers, and 3 Imagery Technicians. I provide guidance and direction to Public Affairs Officers in subordinate formations located in Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Yellowknife. Show less