Defence policy update doesn’t meet the moment
Defence industry players and observers have been eagerly awaiting the Liberal government’s update to the 2017 Strong, Secure, Engaged policy for two years. First promised in the 2022 budget, the update was predicated on the shifting international landscape, noting that “recent events require the government to reassess Canada’s role, priorities, and needs in the face […]
Vimy anniversary highlights the myth of Canadian independence
To many Canadians, Vimy Ridge has become the symbolic birthplace of where and when Canada became a truly independent nation, and shed its colonial past.
U.S. election preoccupies Canada’s top 50 foreign influencers as feds’ focus gets pulled from Asia strategy
Current and former senior government officials, past diplomats, and insiders weigh in on who has influence over Canadian foreign policy for The Hill Times‘ annual list.
Making the Canadian military fighting fit again
The architects of restructuring the Canadian Armed Forces should look to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict for the future blueprint of Canada’s military.
Tom Cruise isn’t going to save our skies
No one in Air Force leadership is willing to admit that they have dropped so far below a sustainable personnel level that they can no longer train the next-generation fighter pilots.
The never-ending story of studying military to civilian transition
Over 10 years, the number of recommendations made by the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Defence Committee, the Senate National Defence Committee and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee counts in the dozens—more if you include additional advice from my office, and that of the Veterans Ombudsman. However, the government has acted on very few of these suggestions.
Who will be Canada’s next chief of the defence staff?
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has 12 lieutenant generals in the ranks, but only one can become Canada’s next top soldier.
Owning up to the defence debacle
It would be pretty tough to sugarcoat the military’s failings to a room full of many of the same officers who had a hand in drafting a report outlining its issues.
Throwing money at recruitment won’t fix the CAF’s personnel problems
The current offensive fails to address two important factors that have led the military to its worrisome personnel circumstances: systemic flaws in the recruitment process, and under investments in human resources.
‘Flexing some legal muscle’: info watchdog takes Blair to court as DND eschews access law
The Department of National Defence is only the second governmental entity that Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard is taking to court to compel it to follow the law.
