Re: Chief of the Defence Staff

by **Forcell** Tue 03 Jan 2023, 11:25 am

As 2023 dawns, Canada's top soldier confronts a long list of worst-case scenarios

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Jan 03, 2023

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CBC News

by Monsfool Sat 28 Jan 2023, 6:35 am

Is Canada’s military ready for the challenges ahead? ‘No,’ says defence chief

By Rachel Gilmore . Global News
Posted January 27, 2023

Canada’s military is not ready for the challenges the future holds as the global security situation continues “deteriorating,” warned Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre.

In an interview with The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson airing Sunday, Eyre spoke about the efforts the military is making to support Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion, but also about the difficulties the Canadian Forces are facing in preparing for the demands of a more unstable world.

“Do you think that you are ready right now?” Stephenson asked.

“Right now, for the challenges that lie ahead? No,” Eyre said.

“That’s why it’s so important that we reconstitute our force, get our numbers back up, that we get the capabilities in place that are relevant for the future security environment, while at the same time, as we focus on that future piece, being able to respond today.”

The full interview will air at 11 a.m. Eastern on Sunday.

The Canadian Armed Forces have been facing a significant personnel crisis over recent years.

While it is supposed to be adding about 5,000 troops to regular and reserve forces to meet a growing list of demands, the military is instead short more than 10,000 trained members – meaning about one in 10 positions are currently vacant.

In addition to a lack of recruits, the Canadian military continues to face longstanding challenges in procuring new equipment, maintaining aging gear, and tracking down replacement parts.

There are also ongoing questions about whether the federal government will move to contract replacements for the weapons, gear and other equipment such as ammunition that the Canadian military has been donating in the billions to Ukraine.

While military officials aren’t placing blame on any single issue with respect to the recruitment and retention problems, the Canadian Forces have been shaken in recent years by a sexual misconduct crisis that touched even the highest ranks, along with wider attention on systemic racism.

The reputational problem has been compounded by concerns about the presence of right-wing extremists and racism in the ranks, which a review said last year were factors “repulsing” new recruits.

Global News

by Cypher Fri 10 Mar 2023, 5:53 am

Canadian military likely lacks capacity to lead Haiti mission: Gen. Wayne Eyre

By Steve Scherer Reuters
Posted March 9, 2023

Global News

by Monsfool Tue 14 Mar 2023, 5:50 am

DND claimed a July 7, 2021 document involving Canada's top soldier couldn't be found. Then we told them we had it.

David Pugliese • Ottawa Citizen

Published Mar 13, 2023

Canada’s top soldier received advice from a sexual misconduct survivors’ group on how to finesse his public statements about unethical behaviour as well as reassurances the organization wasn’t pushing for harsh punishment for senior officers.

According to the Department of National Defence, that July 7, 2021 document sent to the office of Gen. Wayne Eyre and requested by this newspaper under the Access to Information law could not be found.

But that isn’t true.

The document has been provided to this newspaper by individuals concerned about how the Canadian military has dealt with ongoing sexual misconduct scandals.

And the false claims by DND staff and military personnel about the document in question represent the latest in the department’s troubling handling of records requested under the access law.

The latest incident involves an email sent by Lori Buchart, head of the sexual misconduct survivor’s group, INJ700. In her correspondence, she provided Eyre with public-relations advice and assured him her group was not looking to see senior officers punished too harshly for wrongdoing.

That correspondence to Canada’s defence chief was requested under the access law, which allows the public to obtain government-held records for a fee.

But, instead of acknowledging its existence, Anne Bank, head of DND’s Access to Information branch, sent a Nov. 18, 2022, letter to this newspaper claiming that a thorough and complete search had been conducted and that no such document could be found.

On March 4, 2023, this newspaper informed the department it had the very document DND claimed couldn’t be found. It was only then that DND said a mistake had been made, the department claimed in an emailed statement.

Eyre and Defence Minister Anita Anand declined to comment. Bank did not provide comment.

The “situation … is an isolated incident,” the department claimed in its email.

However, the military and department have a long history of incidents involving the destruction of records and the withholding of documents dating back to the scandals of the Somalia murders in the early 1990s.

In December 2018, a military officer at the trial of Vice Adm. Mark Norman testified the Canadian Forces circumvented the Access to Information law when records existed.

In January 2019, this newspaper reported that, despite being warned what they were doing was potentially illegal and punishable by imprisonment, top military officers failed to disclose important documents requested under the access law. A military police investigation later pinned blame on a clerk despite having written evidence showing the involvement of senior officers.

Other records related to the INJ organization and its close relationship with Canadian military leadership have also been requested by this newspaper and some survivors of sexual misconduct. Those records continue to be withheld by the department.

DND access analyst David Matlak declined to say when the records would be released.

One record being withheld was sent by Buchart to senior military leaders Sept. 28, 2021, and outlined the need “to steer INJ700 from any ATI requests.”

It was obtained by this newspaper from sources.

Buchart did not provide comment on why she included that advice to military leaders.

But, in response to other questions about her emails, Buchart noted her philosophy “is that those who have caused harm need to be held accountable through consistently and ethically applied legal, administrative, and/or other policies/processes.”

Buchart, who has since stepped down from INJ, stated she believed, “restorative processes should be used to support healing for the victim, to aid in members learning from mistakes and to facilitate culture change for the CAF and/or other affected organizations.”

The sexual misconduct scandals have resulted in more than 10 senior officers either being charged or removed from their military jobs.

It also prompted senior staff at DND’s Access to Information branch to put in place a warning system designed to alert then Deputy Minister Jody Thomas whenever a member of the public or news media filed a request about sexual misconduct cases.

In March 2021, Deirdra Finn, then access branch director, provided information for Thomas outlining specific details on four requests from members of the media and three from members of the public. She also reported that, by that time, there were 12 access requests received on sexual misconduct topics.

Thomas’s office would also be provided with specific release dates for each request, according to an email Finn sent to her boss, Joanne Lostracco.

The names of those who submitted the requests were kept anonymous, but they were classified as being either members of the public or media.

Defence Watch

by Silveray Fri 06 Oct 2023, 4:48 pm

Top generals warn that allies — Canada included — are running dangerously low on artillery shells

Leading NATO official says the alliance is coming close to scraping 'the bottom of the barrel'

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Oct 06, 2023

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 5 Wayne-eyre

CBC News

by **Accer** Fri 27 Oct 2023, 4:59 pm

Chief of defence staff says military must switch gears in increasingly chaotic world

Sarah Ritchie . Published Oct. 26, 2023

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 5 Chief-of-the-defence-staff-gen--wayne-eyre-1-6618823-1698353004096

CTV News

by Rocko Sat 13 Apr 2024, 5:03 pm

Shooting blanks: Why so many Canadian defence policies fail to launch

Defence policies tend to warn of a world in chaos — this time, the warning was particularly stark

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: Apr 13, 2024

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 5 Raven-indigenous-youth-initiative-20180821

CBC News

by **Accer** Fri 03 May 2024, 1:45 pm

Top soldier says military looking for 'clarity' on Ottawa's budget plans

Between cuts and new spending, military is being asked 'to suck and blow at the same time,' says Gen. Eyre

Murray Brewster · CBC News · Posted: May 03, 2024

Chief of the Defence Staff - Page 5 Trident-fury-20130517

CBC News

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