Canadian Parliament needs to think outside the proverbial box to select CDS and Service Commanders

 

• March 25, 2021. I disagree with the acting Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Wayne Eyre’s intervention as reported  by the Canadian Press under the title: “Military playbook lacks plan for dealing with cases against defence chiefs. The playbook, being developed is intended to ‘help Canada’s top military commander deal with allegations of misconduct involving senior officers.”

Given the current state of affairs in the Canadian military, the last thing Canada should do is to allow the military to fix the problem, so to speak, by themselves and FOR themselves. 

To be fair, the Canadian military leadership  has already been given more than sufficient warning that the issue of sexual misconduct need to be addressed and corrected. Such public dire warnings go back to the early 90’s. Over the past decade alone, starting with the murderous conviction of then Colonel Russell Williams followed in 2015 by the damming report on Sexual Misconduct in the Military by retired Madam Justice Marie Deschamps, the military had more than ample opportunity and sole authority to bring about the required change of course. We now find out in 2021 that the vaunted Operation Honour has not only presented a distorted façade but that the anticipated progress in coming to grips with sexual misconduct under this moniker amounts to naught. The last thing we need at this stage is another playbook conceived and designed by the military brass. We are well past this point. 

CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP IS REQUIRED

"If  what you've done over the past 5years hasn't worked for you, 

then change what you're doing or the next 5 years will be the same!" 

John Carlton. 2019

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE ALSO REQUIRED TO  APPOINT TOP MILITARY LEADERS

As also noted in one of my earlier posts, the time has come to effect a real change of leadership in the top echelons of the Canadian Armed Forces command hierarchy.  

First of all, it is now time to not only change the Maestro but, as importantly, to devise a new selection process to pick the new Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).

 Given the supremacy of Parliament in our system of governance, parliamentarians should play a leading role in that procedure.  

Second, in order to achieve positive result and inspire confidence and trust in each of the military and civil societies, in searching for the next CDS, there is a need to go "outside the box", that is to NOT restrict the pool of candidates to the current roster of lieutenant-generals and vice-admirals. 

By moving down the rank pyramid, one hopes that younger 'up and comer ' CAF members of the family of potentials leaders – both females and males - can be found to lead the armed forces towards a better future.  

Once that selection is made, the same procedure should be used for the selection of future leaders of the three Services.