Good evening to all...
Leadership...it is a tough term to define, but I know when I see it, and I know it when it is lacking.
It has been lacking of late, in both the US and in Canada.
Whatever else President Biden will get right or wrong, I accept that his politics will differ from mine, and that is okay. Leadership fails, however, when the nightmare taking place in China is chalked up to "cultural differences." Sorry...no. When a population is systematically segregated, raped, and prohibited from speaking its preferred language, that is not a cultural difference. That is genocide. To chalk it up to cultural differences is a disgrace to the Uighur Muslims. It cheapens the sacrifice of the Jews of Europe, of the Armenians, of the victims of Pol Pot, and of so many more.
Would that such a failure be limited to one country. For the Prime Minister to skip out on a vote on this very issue goes beyond poor leadership to outright cowardice. For the PM: I accept your premise that what happened in Canada with First Nations and residential schools was genocide. What criteria did you use to reach that conclusion? What is different in the case of the Uighurs that you have not reached a similar conclusion?
Four years ago, VADM Mark Norman was relieved of duty as Vice Chief of Defence Staff. More than two years of legal wrangling ensued, during which PM Trudeau openly said that it would end up in court. He said this prior to any charges being filed. Ultimately, a very skilled lawyer ripped the Crown's case to shreds. It never made it to the courtroom.
Meanwhile, the officer who relieved VADM Norman is being investigated for sexual misconduct while in uniform (and probably while out of uniform). He recently retired from active service. I remind everyone though that a commission is lifetime. Any officer can be called back to duty right up until death. When COVID began, numerous retired military physicians were called back into active duty. General Vance can be called back if the investigation of his conduct goes beyond the point of investigation.
This brings us to his successor, ADM McDonald. After just a couple of months in the position, he has now stepped aside, also under an investigative cloud.
On one side, we have an admiral who did his job. On the other side, we have a president and a prime minister unwilling to call genocide for what it is, a general who had a reputation for sexual misconduct, and now an admiral also with a leadership problem. One out of five people took the risks that the uniform demands and did not blink when people of lesser character tried to throw those risks back at him. One out of five demonstrated leadership. The other four....I am disappointed.
Have a good evening.
R/SCG
