Responsibilities
The Chief of the Defence Staff is appointed by the Governor-in-Council on the advice of the Prime Minister. The CDS also has a special relationship to the Governor General who, as the Queen's representative in Canada, exercises virtually all of her powers under the Constitution and, therefore, serves as Commander in Chief of the Canadian Forces. Thus there is in formal terms, though not in practice, a direct "line of command" from the Head of State through the CDS to all the officers who hold the Queen's Commission and, through them, to all members of the Canadian Forces.
The Chief of the Defence Staff is charged with the command, control and administration of the Canadian Forces and advises the Minister on all these matters - including military requirements, capabilities, options and the possible consequences of undertaking or failing to undertake various military activities. Whenever required, the Chief of the Defence Staff advises the Prime Minister and Cabinet directly on major military developments. The CDS is thus the senior military advisor to the Government as a whole.
The Chief of the Defence Staff implements government decisions involving the Canadian Forces by issuing appropriate orders and instructions. The CDS is accountable to the Minister for the conduct of CF activities, as well as for the condition of the Forces and their ability to fulfil the military commitments and obligations undertaken by the government.
General Rick Hillier
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| General Rick Hillier |
General Rick Hillier was born in Newfoundland and graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science Degree. He joined the military in 1972 and has held progressively more senior positions since that time, serving throughout Canada, twice in both Europe and the United States, and with the United Nations and NATO forces in the former Yugoslavia and in Afghanistan as Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). In Afghanistan, he commanded some 6,000 troops from 35 nations from February to August of 2004. This was the largest multinational mission commanded by a Canadian since the Suez Canal crisis in 1956. It established the security situation within Afghanistan for the October 2004 democratic elections. He assumed his previous position as Chief of the Land Staff on May 30, 2003.
SOURCE: Department of National Defence.
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