Geopolitical Shifts: Preparing the Canadian Armed Forces for the challenges of tomorrow

CIC Victoria is proud to be hosting Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff

As the geopolitical environment continues to shift at a rapid pace, the Canadian Armed Forces has found itself deployed on numerous missions at home and around the globe. Canada and its allies are now confronting a multidimensional threat environment that is focused on undermining democracy, its institutions, and the overall rules-based international order. Typified by Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, our adversaries seek a world order based on authoritarianism, and in the years and decades to come, Canada will be called upon more and more to counter this threat. As a result, and to meet the challenges of the future, Canada will require a military that can adapt, fight and win. As Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff will discuss during this presentation, the Canadian Armed Forces must embark on a period of focused reconstitution and modernization, alongside an evolving profession of arms that is underpinned by a culture that reflects Canada’s values and by personnel committed to the service of others.

Our speaker, General Wayne Eyre, CMM, MSC, CD was appointed as Acting Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) on 24 February 2021, and CDS on 25 November 2021. Looking back, after graduating from the Royal Military College of Canada he was commissioned in 1988 and joined Second Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, which was followed by numerous command positions including command of the 3rd Battalion PPCLI, 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, 3rd Canadian Division and Joint Task Force West, Deputy Commanding General – Operations for XVIII (US) Airborne Corps, Deputy Commander Military Personnel Command, Deputy Commander United Nations Command in Korea, and for a short time Commander of Military Personnel Command. Before his current position he became the Commander Canadian Army in August 2019. His time in command, at various levels, has taken him all over the world from Croatia to Korea, Cyprus to Afghanistan and many points in between. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Special Forces Qualification Course, the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, the U.S. Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting, and the U.S. Army War College. General Eyre also holds a Bachelor of Science and three Masters Degrees (Military Studies, Operational Studies and Strategic Studies). Besides his many Canadian decorations he has received the Order of National Security Merit from South Korea and was awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit three times, including at the rank of Commander.

For further details about this in-person event please contact CIC Victoria: cic.victoria.sec@gmail.com