Photo: Private Michael Seelt
Chief of the Defence Staff change of Command Ceremony for General Wayne Eyre to General Jennie Carignan at the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Ontario on July 18, 2024
More so than ever, we are operating in a global security environment characterized by uncertainty and change. The profound changes underway in geopolitics, climate, technology, and our society are highly complex, consequential, and beyond the expertise of any one individual or institution to address. Change is always uncomfortable, and that feeling often expands to one of insecurity when one’s underlying beliefs or assumptions are questioned. The nature of the confluence of challenges we face demands that a rich palette of ideas, concepts, and options from widespread sources, including from outside the CAF, be explored and discussed. We must have the intellectual confidence to do so.
The purpose of professional journals, such as CMJ, is to provide a forum for informed discussion of scholarly work relevant to the readership. This has a dual function: to strengthen professionalism, in particular individual conduct, which means understanding and addressing the context in which we live and operate; and, to acknowledge we cannot assume to have all the answers. In fact, recognizing this complexity emphasizes the importance of challenging assumptions, comprehending the experiences and backgrounds of all members, and remaining open to new perspectives, ideas, and theories that we have not previously considered.
While we are happy to draw on the scholarly work these experts have to offer, all must appreciate that the responsibility to make decisions with respect to the profession of arms in Canada resides solely with the CDS. CMJ articles do not constitute doctrine, policy, or direction. There are well-established processes for how new ideas inform doctrine, policies, and programs. Our recent doctrinal update Trusted to Serve illustrates how scholarly work and professional perspectives intersect: the responsible staff I assigned to this task did extensive reading, engaged with academic experts, and consulted with individuals across the CAF to produce recommended updates to previous doctrine, which were assessed by the members of Armed Forces Council and formally published under CDS authority. The CMJ remains an extremely valuable forum for all of us, keeping us informed about important issues and, as I point out in the accompanying article, facilitating the self-awareness and inner work required to strengthen one’s character.