Captain Michel Champagne

Captain Champagne graduated from the Canadian Coast Guard College in 1975.  Throughout his career, Captain Champagne served on all icebreakers, most of the buoy tenders and on science and patrol vessels in the Maritimes Region.  He worked in all bridge positions from quartermaster to captain and assumed his first command in 1984 on the CCGS Daring.  In 1985, as Captain of the CCGS Alexander Mackenzie, Captain Champagne received the Commissioner’s Commendation for his exemplary seamanship in the rescue of his fellow shipmates. 

During his 36 years of service, Captain Champagne participated in operations with the Department of National Defence, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Canadian Navy, the Transportation Safety Board and Transport Canada Ship Safety division.  He also conducted numerous ice operations in the Arctic from Greenland to Point Barrow Alaska and hydrographic surveys in Hudson Bay.

Captain Champagne’s career highlights include the survey and lift of the Irving Whale Barge in the Gulf of St-Lawrence, survey of the M/V Patricia McAllister and the M/V Flare after their sinking, the recovery of Swissair flight 111 and the 2007 summer science expedition that discovered new aquatic species in the Sable Island Gully.

Since 2002, Captain Champagne served as Captain on the CCGS Edward Cornwallis, the CCGS Hudson and, currently, the CCGS Terry Fox.  Although Captain Champagne enjoys the many operations conducted while out at sea, his favourite is providing assistance to ships in the ice infested waters of the Gulf of St-Lawrence and the Canadian Arctic.