WRITER PROFILE
In May 2007, Michel Maisonneuve completed 35 years of active service in the Canadian Armed Forces and retired at the rank of Lieutenant-General. An Army officer from le 12e Régiment blindé du Canada, he distinguished himself in progressive leadership positions in Canada and abroad and served as an operational commander in missions ranging from humanitarian relief to conflict operations. He became Academic Director at Collège militaire royal Saint-Jean / Royal Military College Saint-Jean and retired in 2018.
Articles by this writer
The CAF is in crisis mode, attempting to deal with a lack of personnel and equipment, efforts to change its culture, operational pressures and reputational challenges. This huge machine cannot rapidly ramp up from dereliction when needed – it's time for Canadians to begin to recognize service to country as important, and give it the priority it deserves.
When U.S. Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State visited Kyiv on April 24th, stating “We want to see Russia weakened..." it marked a turning point in the Russian war against Ukraine. The U.S. is now fully engaged and will not let Ukraine lose. Although the West hopes not to have to put boots on the ground, hope is not an effective strategy.
Ste. Anne’s Hospital, the last hospital wholly owned and operated by Veterans Affairs Canada on the West Island of Montreal, was transferred to the province of Québec with a monetary allowance for each Veteran living there. Services and care immediately declined as staff departed over pay cuts and reduced hours. This failure to care properly for our war Veterans also highlights the deficiencies in elder care across the country. Will the battle waged by a 96-year old Veteran result in changes before it’s too late?
How did the re-opening of RMC Saint-Jean become a strategic issue and make it into the new Canadian Defence Policy “Strong, Secure, Engaged”?
RMC Saint-Jean is tasked with educating and training selected personnel for an effective service career within the CF.
