Canada’s armies in from the cold

Well, there is going to be a style change in the armed forces.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced L/Gen. Walter Natynczyk will replace the popular Gen. Rick Hillier as chief of defence staff (CDS) next month. Natynczyk is currently vice-chief of defence staff.

This is significant: not only is Natynczyk an army general, as is Hillier, but he is also an armoured officer with that cavalry tradition, also shared by Hillier.

The Afghan mission is obviously the priority defense focus, along with re-equipment, which continues.

Unlike the Americans in Iraq, the Canadian government has sent the best in personnel, armed with increasingly improved equipment as it is developed and made available.

In one story, Hillier is said to have spied some advanced artillery technology the Americans had just begun acquiring, and ordered it bought on the spot - making sure his troops had the best, and fast.

Defense Minister Peter MacKay notes Natynczyk is a "gentleman's general," though the new appointee acknowledged being a rugby and football player.

Known by some troops as "Uncle Walt," Natynczyk is seen as a milder version of Hillier.

The Newfoundlander seemed abrasive at times, but that was part of the job. Appointed by Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin to help rebuild the forces and Canada's place in the world, he had an uphill climb to get attention - and the support of many politicians and the public. Then he had to get them to see what had to be done to rescue the armed forces from malignant neglect through the1990s. Later, Hillier had run-ins with then Tory defence minister Gordon O'Connor, a fellow tanker.

Times have changed.

Hillier's work has reached a point at which it needs to be solidified, and the next stage begun. In Afghanistan, that includes winding down - or changing Canada's role.

A Winnipeg native, Natynczyk joined the army in 1975, attending Royal Roads Military College and Collège Militaire Royal in St-Jean and receiving a business degree in 1979. He has wide experience at various operational levels in the Balkans. He commanded the Royal Canadian Dragoons and even served as III U.S. Corps deputy commander and deputy commander of the Multi-National Corps in Iraq. In fact, Natynczyk served in Iraq for 15 months in Iraq.

Things are unfolding as they should.

End of the ice season ... and all is well in the hockey world, too.

The Detroit Red Wings nabbed the Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh after edging the Penguins in the sixth game of the finals June 4.

It was a thriller. During the finals, there were a couple of incidents that involved what, in soccer, would have been considered "own-goals." Not a regular viewer of hockey, I had expected to see the same theatrics one sees on the soccer pitch. I assumed the Penguin goalie whose pants scored in his own net would be debagged on the spot.

It didn't happen. Being a Canadian game, the goal goes to the last opposing team member whose stick touched the puck. Odd, considering the pounding those guys otherwise put on each other.

Now, I would have preferred the Habs be the Stanley Cup champions. But, at my age, any of the original six - the “real” NHL - who win is great with me.