Taking down the Drapeau
Retired colonel and full-time defence talking-head for CTV Michel Drapeau came out with his latest ruling on national defence issues. I'm sure he makes a great lawyer... But the L.T. is going to have to pull the Drapeau down to half-mast and do some debunking.
Drapeau:
For quite a while now, I have been bothered by the increasingly substantive political role taken by Gen. Hillier to present to the electorate his own "vision" on defence issues.
L.T.
Gen. Hillier presented his vision to the Prime Minister in January 2005. The Prime Minister endorsed it and nominated then Chief of Land Staff, LGen Hillier to become the new Chief of Defence Staff. The Defence Policy Statement, which was a government-developed and approved policy at the military and political level, endorses that vision and declares that the CF will transform itself.
The CDS addresses most of his comments to defence constituencies, at speaking events. Saying that he is addressing the "electorate" is misleading and manipulative.
Drapeau:
This demands that he be present in Ottawa, not in Afghanistan -- and not giving speeches to develop a personality cult.
L.T.:
To suggest that Gen Hillier is trying to develop a personality cult says a lot more about the person making the accusation than Gen Hillier, who has spent his career serving Canada. If a retired logistics colonel can comment on government policy, I think the Chief of Defence Staff can probably do it also.
Drapeau:
I am troubled by the fact that, less than two days before the new Harper government was sworn in, on his own authority and without debate inside or outside the Defence Department, Gen. Hillier implemented, with much fanfare and considerable costs, the most significant reorganization of the Defence establishment since Paul Hellyer's unification of the air, land and naval forces.
L.T.:
Perhaps you didn't read the Defence Policy Statement of April 2005? It's almost like what General Hillier did was mandated by the federal cabinet, and planned well in advance. It is false that the reorganization was solely done on the authority of the CDS, although he has the authority to do it. It was mandated by federal policy. It is also false that transformation is being done without the opportunity for debate. Since July of 2005, transformation information has been publicly available at the following internet site: CF Transformation.
Drapeau:
What if Hillier's very own and unique vision of the universe proves to be wrong?
L.T.:
Then we all go down to the mess and have a beer. There are risks in taking bold policy moves. However, with the CF, the greater risk is not acting. All serious commentators agree that serious remediation in defence policy was needed. Hillier's vision is much less risky than the status quo, which has us using equipment from the Cuban missile crisis in organizations that are too complex to put on flow charts.
Thank you for participating in this one-way debunking of your disgruntled confusion. I know you are already retired... But I was wondering if maybe you could retire a bit more?
Drapeau:
For quite a while now, I have been bothered by the increasingly substantive political role taken by Gen. Hillier to present to the electorate his own "vision" on defence issues.
L.T.
Gen. Hillier presented his vision to the Prime Minister in January 2005. The Prime Minister endorsed it and nominated then Chief of Land Staff, LGen Hillier to become the new Chief of Defence Staff. The Defence Policy Statement, which was a government-developed and approved policy at the military and political level, endorses that vision and declares that the CF will transform itself.
The CDS addresses most of his comments to defence constituencies, at speaking events. Saying that he is addressing the "electorate" is misleading and manipulative.
Drapeau:
This demands that he be present in Ottawa, not in Afghanistan -- and not giving speeches to develop a personality cult.
L.T.:
To suggest that Gen Hillier is trying to develop a personality cult says a lot more about the person making the accusation than Gen Hillier, who has spent his career serving Canada. If a retired logistics colonel can comment on government policy, I think the Chief of Defence Staff can probably do it also.
Drapeau:
I am troubled by the fact that, less than two days before the new Harper government was sworn in, on his own authority and without debate inside or outside the Defence Department, Gen. Hillier implemented, with much fanfare and considerable costs, the most significant reorganization of the Defence establishment since Paul Hellyer's unification of the air, land and naval forces.
L.T.:
Perhaps you didn't read the Defence Policy Statement of April 2005? It's almost like what General Hillier did was mandated by the federal cabinet, and planned well in advance. It is false that the reorganization was solely done on the authority of the CDS, although he has the authority to do it. It was mandated by federal policy. It is also false that transformation is being done without the opportunity for debate. Since July of 2005, transformation information has been publicly available at the following internet site: CF Transformation.
Drapeau:
What if Hillier's very own and unique vision of the universe proves to be wrong?
L.T.:
Then we all go down to the mess and have a beer. There are risks in taking bold policy moves. However, with the CF, the greater risk is not acting. All serious commentators agree that serious remediation in defence policy was needed. Hillier's vision is much less risky than the status quo, which has us using equipment from the Cuban missile crisis in organizations that are too complex to put on flow charts.
Thank you for participating in this one-way debunking of your disgruntled confusion. I know you are already retired... But I was wondering if maybe you could retire a bit more?
posted by Lt Smash at 6:11 AM
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