The recent speech by Mr. Maisonneuve at the Vimy Gala dinner made me cringe. The mere use of the words "woke", mainstream media bias, and cancel culture normally make me turn away, block, or just ignore any message the author may have. But this was different. Here was a very senior and decorated retired officer taking a national spotlight to push his political agenda.
Mr. Maisonneuve made a deliberate choice to use these words, and chose to send his message with the invitation to a prestigious gala, and the award of the Vimy prize. He chose this quasi-military (and attended by uniformed military members) platform to push a political message while using his former rank and his medals as a backdrop. There could be no more clear message - he chose to use his military service to advocate right wing political tropes mainstreamed by the political far right. "I believe we can be great again", said Maisonneuve. Where have we heard that before?
As we learned more about his speech - from those in attendance, and from various excerpts, the message became more clear. He positioned himself very near those that may fly a flag with vulgar statements about the current government. Make no mistake, Mr Maisonneuve positioned himself as anti-Trudeau/Liberal government.
This is anti-government rhetoric, couched in anti-media and "cancel culture" terms - ostensibly because his world view is more white male privileged "conservative". He advocates for the days of short haircuts, uniform uniforms, and service before self. He argues that the woke Liberal government has pushed a selfish me culture on the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), and he claims, without evidence, this culture will erode operational effectiveness. In addition, he argues, unpersuasively, that Canadian youth don't have the same drive for selfless service - Back to the Future's Vice Principle Strickland comes immediately to mind.
In one of Maisonneuve's more inflammatory statements, he argues "The idea, the concept of service seems to be forgotten in our “me-first” culture. Service to others, to one’s country, to humanity must be a noble aspiration. The obligation to give back in gratitude for a life filled with blessings, peace and good fortune should not be innovative. It seems that Canadians have lost the desire to serve and the need to serve their country."
I can think of no more offensive thing to say to Canadian people. I'm not sure about you, but everywhere I look, I see service. I see people grinding out shifts in hospitals over run by respiratory diseases. I see volunteers in community sports. I see Cadets. I see advocates. I see frustration with the past and those that want to roll back time. And by his words, I see his arrogance - he alone has the virtues, not normal Canadians.
Maisonneuve laments leadership failures, and lack of personal accountability. Yet, nowhere does he mention he was part of the CAF culture problem, buddies with now disgraced General and Flag officers (GOFOs), a senior officer in the CAF where people were bullied, harassed and assaulted by powerful men. Nowhere does he mention he had the power to fix the CAF culture in his time. On his watch Macleans publish a seminal article on rape in the Canadian Forces https://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/rape-in-the-military/. On his watch, the Canadian Airborne Regiment killed a Somali teenager. He knew the Canadian Armed Forces had issues, as did we all. He apparently did nothing. Yet he says this: "Today’s world is also where taking personal responsibility for our own actions has disappeared from the landscape while the phenomenon of collective apologies flourishes in our country. Individuals and groups fight over who gets to wear the coveted victim’s cloak." Victim's cloak indeed.
In my time in the CAF I worked for and with many very senior officers. I had access to many GOFOs. I heard many speak, and interacted with many more Canadian and foreign officers. In addition, I had access to very senior non-military national leaders. And let me tell you, many senior non-military leaders had opinions on CAF senior leadership that were not so kind. In one case I overheard a very senior government official deride CAF leadership as arrogant and over reaching. My opinions on CAF GOFOs vary, but there is indeed a non-zero amount of GOFOs I would never interact with due to hubris or arrogance or incompetence.
Here's the thing. In my opinion general officers have three roles: when asked, provide non-partisan military advice to government, force generate a capable Canadian Armed Forces for the tasks assigned by government, and when ordered by the government, go to war. In my opinion where GOFOs begin to fail is when they enter the political sphere. When they publish opinions on the current government. When they attempt to hide issues, or manipulate politicians. When they use their almost uncontested power within the CAF for their own purposes.
And so, great leaders are accountable for their actions and responsible for their words. Thus, entry into the political realm as a GOFO is fraught with personal danger.
And then, he doubles down. Maisonneuve publishes an editorial in the National Post "Clearing the air about my anti-woke speech". And let me tell you, the victim vibe is heavy. The right wing virtue signaling is clear. And the lack of responsibility and accountability over heavy criticism of his words glaring. He could have chosen different words. He could have chosen to enter the political sphere as Mr. Maisonneuve, and run for office. But he decries cancel culture from two of the most elevated pulpits - the Vimy Gala, and a national newspaper, using his retired rank and medals as tinsel on his political position. Hardly cancelled. Thus, in my opinion, he demonstrates his arrogance, utter lack of self awareness and vacuous leadership.
I did not know this man before his speech at the Vimy Gala. I do know many officers that do know him from their service whom I've spoken to.
And what I do know now is I would not follow this man into battle.
Chris Bowen
