Re: Chief of the Defence Staff

by Stanleyz Tue 19 Nov 2019, 8:49 pm

Top military brass forgot why Kandahar cenotaph was housed at DND: Documents

By Charlie Pinkerton. Published on Nov 19, 2019

https://ipolitics.ca/2019/11/19/top-military-brass-forgot-why-kandahar-cenotaph-was-housed-at-dnd-documents/

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 2 Mar.1900730-1200x675

by Phrampton Fri 29 Nov 2019, 8:32 pm

‘We are in active daily crisis,’ Defence chief says

By Tim Naumetz. Published on Nov 29, 2019

https://ipolitics.ca/2019/11/29/we-are-in-active-daily-crisis-defence-chief-says/

by Lucifer Tue 07 Jan 2020, 3:30 pm

Canada relocating some troops from Iraq to Kuwait

The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, January 7, 2020

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-relocating-some-troops-from-iraq-to-kuwait-1.4756570

by Jeremiah Mon 03 Feb 2020, 4:38 pm

Canadian military bars any member travel to China, citing coronavirus risk

Posted February 3, 2020

https://globalnews.ca/news/6500336/canadian-military-china-travel-ban/

by Mojave Tue 25 Feb 2020, 1:02 pm

Gen. Vance is going nowhere, at least for now - top military leader to stay on

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN - February 25, 2020

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 2 Vance-file-photo-screen-shot-2020-02-25-at-6.28.02-am

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/gen-vance-is-going-no-where-at-least-for-now-top-military-leader-to-stay-on

by **Spider** Thu 05 Mar 2020, 7:27 am

Canadian military shifts to pre-pandemic planning: Gen. Jonathan Vance

March 4 2020

Gen. Jonathan Vance explained Wednesday what changes the Canadian Armed Forces is making to its operations as it turns to “pre-pandemic planning,” attempting to shield against the potential spread of COVID-19 across Canada and within its ranks.

https://globalnews.ca/video/6633516/canadian-military-shifts-to-pre-pandemic-planning-gen-jonathan-vance

by **Spider** Thu 05 Mar 2020, 7:42 am

Next-generation missiles could hold leaders hostage in times of conflict: top general

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Mar 05, 2020

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 2 Russia-new-weapon

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/hypersonic-vance-missile-threat-1.5486364

by Stealth Fri 13 Mar 2020, 3:41 pm

Military making COVID-19 plans amid worries crisis will
embolden adversaries

Lee Berthiaume
The Canadian Press

Published Friday, March 13, 2020 11:28AM EDT
Last Updated Friday, March 13, 2020 1:15PM EDT

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 2 Image

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/military-making-covid-19-plans-amid-worries-crisis-will-embolden-adversaries-1.4851859

by Logan Tue 17 Mar 2020, 8:39 am

Union worries about health of
DND employees, questions why
some workers aren't being
allowed to stay home

DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN Updated: March 16, 2020

Employees at Canadian military bases are being put at risk because of the failure to adhere to recommendations designed to limit exposure to the novel coronavirus, warn officials with the main union representing National Defence workers.

Just hours after Canada’s top soldier issued orders Friday for military personnel to stop non-essential gatherings, hundreds of cadets came together for a party at the mess at the Royal Military College in Kingston. Serving staff were told that as the bar and snack bar are “important operations during this time of isolation” hours will be maintained as normal, said June Winger, national president of the Union of National Defence Employees or UNDE.

Contract cleaning staff at bases have also been told to continue the status quo without any additional training or equipment, she added. The crews are also not being given additional time to ensure they are doing a thorough job of cleaning, Winger pointed out.

“Considering how easily transmittable the COVID-19 virus is in asymptomatic persons, coupled with the federal government’s ongoing advice to minimize exposure, I am gravely concerned for the employees and CAF (Canadian Armed Forces) members’ health and safety,” Winger said.

Jody Thomas, the deputy minister at the Department of National Defence, issued a message on Friday that only department staff who are physically required to conduct critical tasks should be on DND premises. All other employees should remain at home, Thomas added.

But the message does not provide any details on what is considered critical tasks and which specific employees were required to report for work.

UNDE has asked the DND for more details. But Winger also noted she has concerns about the health and safety of contract workers and staff not employed directly by the department.

She noted that over the weekend, the bars on military bases were packed, including at the Royal Military College where a St. Patrick’s Day party was held at the cadet mess. Because of that staff couldn’t follow the social distancing rules the federal government is advising all citizens to implement.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance issued orders Friday to military commanders that all units were to cease group activities except for essential training and operations. “All ceremonial and social activities will be suspended, effective immediately,” Vance ordered.

Vance noted it was important to ensure members of the Canadian Forces “do not become an unwitting vector that accelerates the disease in Canada.”

Navy Lt. Blake Patterson, spokesman for the Royal Military College, said cadets are not permitted to leave the campus, nor are they permitted to have visitors, receive deliveries or attend any activities off-campus. “As part of our plan to ensure adequate support to the 1100 (cadets) who are now restricted to the peninsula, the cadet mess at RMC was open on Friday night but there was no St. Patrick’s Day party and numbers at no time exceeded 250,” Patterson noted in an email. “The mess closed as scheduled at 1 a.m.”

Winger said there has been a great deal of confusion as no one has defined what critical tasks are.

Bartenders, gym instructors and cashiers who work at various locations on bases have all been told to come to work. “It is hard to imagine how this work can be considered conducting a critical task,” Winger added.

Many such staff are not employees of DND but of a separate agency known as the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services or CFMWS. That agency employs around 4,000.

“Our objective is to continue to support Base/Wing Command teams and CAF community members as they deal with their particular realities,” noted an email sent by Capt. Kathleen Soucy of Military Personnel Command. “We are focused on delivering essential services to the CAF community.”

“In response to COVID-19, CFMWS has adopted a position in support of the Chief of Defence Staff’s directive,” the email added. “CFMWS will maintain core/essential services in support of the Canadian Armed Forces to serve where needed.”

No details were provided in the email about what employees are considered essential.

Military units, bases and headquarters will also prohibit visitors from entering DND and Canadian Forces premises.

“Commanders will restrict all travel outside Canada for CAF (Canadian Armed Forces) members, curtail non-essential engagements, and cancel external visits to all headquarters elements,” Vance wrote to the military leadership. “This includes preventing outbreak at our key entry level training institutions where recruit and officer production could be at risk.”

Canadian Forces members are prohibited from attending or hosting public events or conferences, Vance added. Canadian Forces sports programs have also been suspended.

Vance told the military leadership they should be prepared to assign forces if needed to “enable pandemic response operations.”

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/union-worries-about-health-of-dnd-employees-questions-why-some-workers-arent-being-allowed-to-stay-home

by **Spider** Sat 25 Apr 2020, 8:28 am

April 24: Letter from Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) regarding COVID-19

April 24. 2020

CDS Covid-19 Letter

by **Apollo** Sun 26 Apr 2020, 9:40 pm

Canadian troops urged to seek help as use of mental health services hits record low

BY LEE BERTHIAUME . THE CANADIAN PRESS

Posted April 26, 2020 2:31 pm
Updated April 26, 2020 9:03 pm

https://globalnews.ca/news/6869920/canadian-soldiers-mental-health/?fbclid=IwAR03MMaAE3YCEDm8xUpoIP5rBBBV1-3_Iz3ukvY5X1KxEv3Bkqc5isPbocA

by **Forcell** Thu 23 Jul 2020, 8:35 pm

Gen. Jonathan Vance, chief of the defence staff, announces retirement

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Jul 23, 2020

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 2 Cda-ukraine-20200324

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/vance-retiring-chief-of-the-defence-staff-1.5660106?fbclid=IwAR1GYL0b-EVH9KH_1uBekHv8qIOptQrIfGyo0iyiNpCu7oDEZ_3E4W75330

by **Rockarm** Sat 12 Sep 2020, 9:38 am

Analysis: New defence chief's main job could be to preside over budget cuts

David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen, Postmedia News (dpugliese@ottawacitizen.com)
Published: Sept 11. 2020

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 2 Gen-vance-1-20200911png_large

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 2 Gen-vance-1-20200911png_large

Candidates have been interviewed for the country’s top military position but whoever is selected will likely have the tough job of presiding over significant cuts to the Canadian Forces as the federal government tries to get its fiscal house in order.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced July 23 that Gen. Jonathan Vance would leave the position as chief of the defence staff, the job he has held since July 2015. Trudeau said he expected a new CDS to be named in the coming months.

Defence and government sources say interviews for the position were held this week with a number of candidates.

Lt.-Gen. Christine Whitecross, who is heading into retirement, is considered the front-runner for the job if she wants it. Whitecross still has an office at defence headquarters at Carling Avenue and there is an interest in the Liberal government to have a woman in the job of defence chief for the first time.

The view that Whitecross has strong support within the Liberal government was further solidified when Trudeau took the unusual step on July 18 of singling out the lieutenant general on Twitter. He thanked the officer for her three decades of service in the Canadian Forces and for “being a strong voice for gender equality in the military.”

Among the other individuals considered to be candidates for the chief of defence staff job are Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau, who recently took over as second-in-command of the Canadian Forces, navy commander Vice Adm. Art McDonald, air force commander Lt.-Gen. Al Meinzinger and army commander Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre. Vice-Admiral Darren Hawco’s name has also been mentioned. At least eight individuals were to be interviewed, according to various government sources.

But the new CDS is expected to face the challenge of dealing with significant budget cuts because of the financial strain on federal coffers created by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Spending on various emergency relief programs has resulted in Canada’s deficit increasing to $343 billion this year, according to the federal government’s economic snapshot released in early July.

Trudeau has acknowledged that the full economic impact of the pandemic is unknown. A second COVID-19 wave could further worsen the economic situation.

Department of National Defence deputy minister Jody Thomas said in a June 5 interview with The Canadian Press that she hasn’t seen any indication defence spending, and the government’s defence policy called Strong, Secure, Engaged, or SSE, will even be affected at all by COVID-19. There have been no slowdowns and the DND and Canadian Forces has been aggressively pushing forward on implementing SSE, according to Thomas.

Behind the scenes, however, there is significant concern within some quarters in the military about the cuts expected in the coming years. Some organizations within National Defence headquarters have already told staff to prepare for a rocky road in the future.

The Canadian Armed Forces and Department of National Defence, with the largest source of discretionary funds in the federal government, is a ripe target for cost-cutting. DND’s current budget is listed as $21.9 billion.

SSE has been billed by the Liberal government and its supporters as “a historical investment in Canada’s military” since it promises $497 billion for the Canadian Armed Forces over 20 years. But the policy was always built on shaky foundations, as was the previous Canada First Defence Strategy brought in by the Conservative government and largely undercut by funding reductions at that time.

Despite defence analysts’ cheerleading on both policies, the fact is that such strategies only promise future spending. There is no guarantee and plans can be jettisoned as fiscal circumstances change.

In 1994 the Liberal government of Prime Minister Jean Chretien embarked on significant cost-cutting measures throughout the federal government as it struggled to deal with the deficit. The Canadian Forces and the DND were a prime target during that period. Equipment was mothballed. Military and civilian staff were cut.

The coming years could see a replay of similar cost-reduction measures.

https://www.saltwire.com/news/canada/analysis-new-defence-chiefs-main-job-could-be-to-preside-over-budget-cuts-495666/

by Ironman Sun 13 Sep 2020, 9:52 am

Next defence chief will signal Liberals' priorities for the military

Lee Berthiaume

The Canadian Press
Staff
Contact

Published Sunday, September 13, 2020

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/next-defence-chief-will-signal-liberals-priorities-for-the-military-1.5102784

by **Falcon** Tue 20 Oct 2020, 8:42 pm

Troops ordered to keep guard up to protect military from COVID-19 resurgence

Published Tuesday, October 20, 2020

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/troops-ordered-to-keep-guard-up-to-protect-military-from-covid-19-resurgence-1.5153204

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