The Sun chain, among others, is reporting today that Chief of Defence Staff General Rick Hillier has scrapped the defence policy set to be announced by the Martin administration. Officials are said to be busily re-writing the document described as "boring" in its original form.
Bill Graham, the Minister of National Defence is reported to have pushed both for Hillier's appointment and for the complete re-write.
Surprise, surprise!
General Hillier is widely known and respected for his leadership ability, sharp mind and commitment to laying the facts on the table, good, bad or indifferent. National Defence Headquarters, sometimes known as Disneyland on the Rideau among Ottawa insiders, is likely adapting quickly to Hillier's new style.
Hillier first gained wider public prominence during the Ice Storm in 1998 when his 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group oversaw the military support to civil authorities in Eastern Ontario. Some may recall that 129 soldiers from the local garrison in St. John's spent a couple of weeks just outside Ottawa working for General Hillier. They were in the air before many local reserve units mobilized and they did such a fine job that the company-sized organization wound up taking some 70 military engineers from Ontario under command. The Newfoundland reserve soldiers came from 1 Royal Newfoundland Regiment, 36 Service Battalion and 56 Field Engineer Squadron, with vehicle transportation being supplied by soldiers from 31 Service Battalion in Saint John New Brunswick.
True to form, Hillier came out personally to thank the soldiers as they waited at Ottawa airport for airlift home. He insisted on having his picture taken with them as a souvenir. That's the same approach he has taken in all his jobs.
Basically, it hasn't taken very long for the guy one Ottawa-based defence analyst called a "plain spoken Newfoundlander" to make his presence felt. That line apparently got knickers in a knot at one television program here in St. John's, where the crowd that put the show together took offense at the remark. Seems they were desperately looking for yet another slight to rant against in the wake of Margaret Wente.
Chaulk one up for Rick.
Chaulk one up for Bill Graham.
Now we just have to watch for the plan when it finally emerges.