Gen Wayne Eyre
CPO1 Gilles Grégoire
Stag Special

The holiday season is upon us, and we hope it brings time for you to relax and recharge in the company of family and friends, after what has been yet another extraordinarily busy year.
We also hope you’ll take the opportunity to reflect on the year gone by, and all that we have accomplished together. We are so proud of all that you have done in this regard.
This past year saw our sailors, soldiers, aviators, and operators continue to perform at remarkably high tempo.
Even as Canadians began to learn to live with COVID-19, a new challenge to global stability and security arose in Europe, with Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine. Once again, we were called upon to stand strong and united with our allies, friends, and partners in the cause of freedom, and against the spread of authoritarianism and tyranny.
We continued to work closely to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, strengthening their ability to defend their homes and families against Russian aggression. Their successes, as a direct result from the training you provided, have been inspiring.
At the same time, we worked in concert with our NATO Allies to deter further instability in Central and Eastern Europe, through leading a multinational enhanced Forward Presence battle group in Latvia; air support in support of operations throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle east out of Air Task Force Prestwick; and securing NATO airspace and Baltic and North Atlantic waters through Op REASSURANCE.
We have also increased our presence in the waters off Asia, working with our allies and partners to promote stability and security in the Indo-Pacific Region.
And wherever we have gone, everyone we have met has praised the quality, dedication, and complete professionalism of the people who wear our uniform.
When we defend the rules-based international order, we defend the peace and prosperity that Canada has enjoyed for so long.
This work may take you far from home, but you can be sure: Wherever in the world you are deployed, you are defending Canada and Canadians — our interests, our values, and our way of life.
Meanwhile, here at home, thousands of you remain at an elevated state of readiness should the need for further deployments arise, and our domestic tempo has remained equally demanding.
We have continued to train and drill and assist in search-and-rescue operations – and this fall, when Hurricane Fiona battered the East Coast, our members were there alongside our domestic partners, providing vital services to Canadians in their time of need.
This is the high-profile work – the work Canadians see in the news. But many of you have also been doing outstanding work this year behind the scenes to make our Armed Forces stronger, more adaptable, and more prepared to meet the challenges we face.
From critical logistics support and sustainment, to cyber defence, to ensuring our Defence Team and Canadians are informed, your achievements have not gone unnoticed.
Like our Armed Forces in general, many of the trades within the CAF are understaffed – from signal operators and information systems technicians to weapons engineering technicians and maritime systems engineering officers to our medical trades, to name just a few. And the people working in those trades are making a heroic effort to keep up with the demands we put on them. They deserve our thanks.
We’d also like to mention here everyone involved in our modernization efforts. No matter how busy we are with current operations and initiatives, we can never stop preparing for the future, because it’s not going to wait for us.
This high tempo has not slowed the work of addressing our critical internal challenges. Indeed, the increased need for a strong, nimble, and resilient Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has underlined why this work is so vitally important.
Internally, this year we issued our Reconstitution Directive, under which we are placing a sharp new focus on recruiting new members and retaining existing members by improving the quality of their service experience as they carry out their work.
Everything we do, from now on, must been seen through the lens of Reconstitution, and every decision we make must consider the question: How does this help or hinder us in achieving these goals?
This has always been a priority, but we are redoubling our efforts, tackling it in earnest. Because for us it is an existential concern.
As is the work of evolving our institutional culture. Canada is a remarkably diverse nation, and we need to draw on all that diversity if we are to become the Armed Forces which Canada and Canadians need – a military where every individual can see themselves in uniform, applying their unique skills and perspectives to the service of our country.
In 2022, we took real and tangible steps toward realizing this goal, ranging from delivering on our new military ethos, Trusted to Serve, to the initial implementation of the Arbour Report, to many other initiatives from Chief Professional Conduct and Culture, Commands, and your units at the grassroots level.
We continue to work across government on a Post Living Differential (PLD) replacement, and the creation of a new benefit, tentatively called the CAF Housing Differential.
This would assist in bridging the gap for those struggling to afford basic housing in locations where the cost of housing is higher so that what they spend on housing is within the Canadian average for their before-tax income. Negotiations are also ongoing for an Economic Increase (AKA pay raise).
Finally, we are pleased to inform you as of Jan. 1, 2023, recruits going through the training system who are living in single quarters and on ration strength, will no longer be charged for rations and quarters until such time as they complete their occupation/trade training (DP1).
We will look back on 2022 as a historic year for other reasons as well.
We expanded our presence in recently emerged domains by standing up 3 Canadian Space Division.
We celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Canadian Rangers, whose role is becoming ever-more essential as our changing Arctic becomes the focus of greater interest and, potentially, competition.
And we mourned the death of Her Majesty The Queen, who had been the Canadian Armed Forces’ Commander-in-Chief for longer than most of us have been alive.
Through it all, the people we love have been a source of constant strength and support, and we thank every military family for your own service and sacrifice.
Without you, those of us in uniform would not be able to do what our country asks of us. And when duty calls, knowing your love awaits us at home is what gets us through.
It is wonderful that the crews of HMCS Vancouver and HMCS Winnipeg, and the personnel of ATF Romania, have returned to Canada safely in time for the holidays.
But we must also recognize that there are still some members on deployments far from home. To them we say: You may be spending the holidays on the front lines of freedom, but you are also in our hearts.
To every member of the CAF: It has been an honour and a privilege to spend another year serving alongside you. We wish you all peaceful, safe, and restful holidays.
Whatever joys the New Year brings we will celebrate. And whatever challenges arise, we will meet — as always — together.
Gen Wayne Eyre/CDS — CPO1 Gilles Grégoire/CAF CWO

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) worked in concert with our NATO Allies to deter further instability in Central and Eastern Europe, through leading a multinational enhanced Forward Presence battle group in Latvia through Op REASSURANCE. Here at home, thousands of military members remain at an elevated state of readiness should the need for further deployments arise, and our domestic tempo has remained equally demanding when it came to forest fires or flooding. 1RCHA trained during Ex FROZEN GUNNER, with A Bty first to spend six months in Latvia. Now, B Bty has replaced them. CFB Shilo soldiers have continued to train and drill in the RTA, with 1RCHA and 2PPCLI both involved in Op REASSURANCE in 2022. Photos Jules Xavier/Shilo Stag