Roundup: A new Chief of Defence Staff

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The change of command ceremony went ahead yesterday, and General Jennie Carignan became not only the first female four-maple leaf general in Canadian history, but the first female Chief of Defence Staff—also the first in the G7 and G20, but not NATO (where Slovenia beat us to the punch on that). And yes, she has served in combat as a combat engineer (because women were allowed to serve in combat positions in Canada long before the Americans allowed women to serve in combat roles in their military), which is important to note for someone who has reached her position.

In her speech, Carignan pointed to the fact that she is proof that anything is possible, that culture change remains at the heart of what everything the Forces are doing (at a time when the Conservatives are pushing to return to some nonsense “warrior culture”), and that she believes there is a five-year window for us to prepare for emerging threats like Russia and China. It has also been pointed out that she is in the enviable position to be the head of a military with money to spend rather than dealing with cuts (but that could change if Poilievre gets in power), though as a woman, we all know that she’s going to be in for some absolutely rank misogyny, particularly from the right and far-right who will insist that she’s a “diversity hire” or some other such bullshit.

Meanwhile, the Star has an exit interview with General Wayne Eyre, who was essentially Chief of Defence Staff entirely by accident after his two predecessors were both removed for abuse of office and an investigation for sexual misconduct (and when acquitted, claimed he was “exonerated” when he wasn’t, and wrote to every member of the military brass to demand his old job back, demonstrating his unfitness for the job).

Ukraine Dispatch

Ukraine shot down sixteen drones and three missiles from Russia, but attacks on the Donetsk region have killed five. The Ukrainian army has been forced to pull out of the village of Urozhaine in the Donestk region after their defensive positions were all destroyed as the village was reduced to rubble. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in the UK for European political community meetings.

https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1813977906089173311

Good reads:

  • Seamus O’Regan announced he is resigning from Cabinet for family reasons (but will stay on as MP); Steve MacKinnon will be appointed Labour minister in his place.
  • Mélanie Joly is making a last-minute trip to China at the invitation of its foreign minister, the first such trip since 2017.
  • Steven Guilbeault is pushing ahead with federal protections for woodland caribou in Quebec after the province has failed to come up with their own plan.
  • The government is deporting migrants at its highest rate in over a decade, mostly for non-compliance and criminality.
  • Ambassador Kirsten Hillman is urging Canadians to remind Americans about the importance of our countries’ relationship.
  • All major grocery retailers have now agreed to sign onto the code of conduct.
  • I see we’re still milking the non-story of the New York Consul General’s residence.
  • The Logic gets a look into the behind-the-scenes drama of Google choosing the Canadian Journalism Collective to distribute its Online News Act funds.
  • New official portraits of the King and Queen of Canada have finally been released.
  • A Federal Court challenge of a decision to strip refugee status is contesting whether or not facial recognition technology was used.
  • Mark Miller’s office in Montreal was smashed by vandals, prompting Marco to call for “protective zones” around MPs’ offices and homes.
  • Blaine Higgs is promising an HST cut if re-elected (at which point he’ll cry poor and demand the federal government send him more money).
  • Stephen Saideman gives his impression of the Change of Command ceremony that saw General Jennie Carignan take up the mantle of Chief of Defence Staff.

Odds and ends:

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