OTTAWA — Canada’s new chief of defence staff says that he is keeping his eyes on a handful of dangerous international situations that could require Canadian Armed Forces participation or intervention, and is promising a series of new initiatives aimed at improving military culture in the weeks ahead.
“We’re watching closely what’s happening in Ukraine with the Russian buildup, we’re watching very closely what’s happening in Ethiopia. We’re watching very closely what’s happening in Lebanon. We’re watching closely what’s happening in the South China Sea and Asia Pacific,” he said in an interview on CTV’s Question Period airing on Sunday.
Over the last week, the federal government has voiced concerns over Russian forces gathering at the border, and has called for Canadians in Ethiopia to “leave immediately” amid a “rapidly deteriorating security situation.
“There is no shortage of hotspots in the world… It’s increasingly dangerous,” said Gen. Eyre.
Eyre officially took on his current role on Thursday after holding the position of “acting” defence chief for almost a year.
