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Wednesday, May 7, 2025

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Scott Taylor

Scott Taylor is editor and publisher of Esprit de Corps magazine.

Can the Canadian Forces avoid getting goosed by wild geese?

  • Perhaps our military planners could avoid a repeat of this year's Canada goose dilemma by having service dogs on the Carling Campus grounds.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | May 5, 2025
Residents of our nation's capital are all-too aware of how threatening these geese can be during the spring mating season after they have laid their eggs, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Sunny

Can the Canadian Forces avoid getting goosed by wild geese?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | May 5, 2025
  • Perhaps our military planners could avoid a repeat of this year's Canada goose dilemma by having service dogs on the Carling Campus grounds.

Can the Canadian Forces avoid getting goosed by wild geese?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | May 5, 2025
  • Perhaps our military planners could avoid a repeat of this year's Canada goose dilemma by having service dogs on the Carling Campus grounds.
Residents of our nation's capital are all-too aware of how threatening these geese can be during the spring mating season after they have laid their eggs, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Sunny

Canada’s sub-standard submarines

  • Can the Royal Canadian Navy really lose a capability that it doesn't actually possess?
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 28, 2025
HMCS Windsor takes part in Exercise Cutlass Fury on Sept. 18, 2016. It is the only one of Canada's four Victoria-class submarines that has been to sea since 2021, notes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of DND/Cpl. Chris Ringius

Canada’s sub-standard submarines

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 28, 2025
  • Can the Royal Canadian Navy really lose a capability that it doesn't actually possess?

Canada’s sub-standard submarines

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 28, 2025
  • Can the Royal Canadian Navy really lose a capability that it doesn't actually possess?
HMCS Windsor takes part in Exercise Cutlass Fury on Sept. 18, 2016. It is the only one of Canada's four Victoria-class submarines that has been to sea since 2021, notes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of DND/Cpl. Chris Ringius

Federal election brings new crop of defence promises to break

  • Both governing parties have a proven track record of neglecting Canada's national defence and veterans.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 21, 2025
Whichever way you cast your vote in the coming election, do not believe the promises made regarding defence investment, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Master Corporal Alana Morin

Federal election brings new crop of defence promises to break

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 21, 2025
  • Both governing parties have a proven track record of neglecting Canada's national defence and veterans.

Federal election brings new crop of defence promises to break

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 21, 2025
  • Both governing parties have a proven track record of neglecting Canada's national defence and veterans.
Whichever way you cast your vote in the coming election, do not believe the promises made regarding defence investment, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Master Corporal Alana Morin

There goes the neighbourhood

  • If our old relationship with the U.S. ‘is over,’ then we can learn from our southernmost neighbour how to be creative in rethinking what
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 14, 2025
Mexican marines perform drills at Camp Pendleton, Calif., in June 2018. The Mexican military is structured almost entirely for internal defence and security, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by OS Justin Spinello

There goes the neighbourhood

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 14, 2025
  • If our old relationship with the U.S. ‘is over,’ then we can learn from our southernmost neighbour how to be creative in rethinking what

There goes the neighbourhood

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 14, 2025
  • If our old relationship with the U.S. ‘is over,’ then we can learn from our southernmost neighbour how to be creative in rethinking what
Mexican marines perform drills at Camp Pendleton, Calif., in June 2018. The Mexican military is structured almost entirely for internal defence and security, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by OS Justin Spinello

This isn’t the ‘Whisky War’: in defence of Greenland and Denmark

  • We cannot sit back as the Trump administration bullies Denmark into submission with false claims of neglected defence.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 7, 2025
U.S. Vice-President JD Vance used Pituffik Space Base as a podium to espouse his negative views of the Danish government and Greenland during a March 28 visit to the country. Screenshot courtesy of ABC News

This isn’t the ‘Whisky War’: in defence of Greenland and Denmark

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 7, 2025
  • We cannot sit back as the Trump administration bullies Denmark into submission with false claims of neglected defence.

This isn’t the ‘Whisky War’: in defence of Greenland and Denmark

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | April 7, 2025
  • We cannot sit back as the Trump administration bullies Denmark into submission with false claims of neglected defence.
U.S. Vice-President JD Vance used Pituffik Space Base as a podium to espouse his negative views of the Danish government and Greenland during a March 28 visit to the country. Screenshot courtesy of ABC News

Will the F-35 become a casualty as Trump’s trade war widens?

  • The U.S. president badgering Canada into spending more on American defence technology under threat of economic punishment does not sit well with most patriotic
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 31, 2025
Then-Air Force Commander Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin gets ready for a flight at Solenzara Air Force Base in Corsica, France, on Dec. 4, 2013. DND photograph by Master Seaman Steeve Picard

Will the F-35 become a casualty as Trump’s trade war widens?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 31, 2025
  • The U.S. president badgering Canada into spending more on American defence technology under threat of economic punishment does not sit well with most patriotic

Will the F-35 become a casualty as Trump’s trade war widens?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 31, 2025
  • The U.S. president badgering Canada into spending more on American defence technology under threat of economic punishment does not sit well with most patriotic
Then-Air Force Commander Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin gets ready for a flight at Solenzara Air Force Base in Corsica, France, on Dec. 4, 2013. DND photograph by Master Seaman Steeve Picard

Does the military have room to get its elbows up?

  • Sadly for patriotic Canadians, the majority of the military hardware that the government does purchase is from American defence companies.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 24, 2025
Royal Canadian Air Force ground crew perform post flight checks on a CF-18 fighter jet in Kuwait on Nov. 3, 2014. Photograph courtesy of Canadian Forces Combat Camera/DND

Does the military have room to get its elbows up?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 24, 2025
  • Sadly for patriotic Canadians, the majority of the military hardware that the government does purchase is from American defence companies.

Does the military have room to get its elbows up?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 24, 2025
  • Sadly for patriotic Canadians, the majority of the military hardware that the government does purchase is from American defence companies.
Royal Canadian Air Force ground crew perform post flight checks on a CF-18 fighter jet in Kuwait on Nov. 3, 2014. Photograph courtesy of Canadian Forces Combat Camera/DND

Another major procurement project FUBAR

  • Buried in the fine print of the Canadian Surface Combatant announcement was the fact that the total cost to build these three warships is expected
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 17, 2025
Bill Blair
Bill Blair
Defence Minister Bill Blair’s March 8 shipbuilding contract announcement was unsurprisingly dropped into a media void, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Another major procurement project FUBAR

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 17, 2025
  • Buried in the fine print of the Canadian Surface Combatant announcement was the fact that the total cost to build these three warships is expected

Another major procurement project FUBAR

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 17, 2025
  • Buried in the fine print of the Canadian Surface Combatant announcement was the fact that the total cost to build these three warships is expected
Bill Blair
Defence Minister Bill Blair’s March 8 shipbuilding contract announcement was unsurprisingly dropped into a media void, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trumped again

  • For President Donald Trump to question Canada’s military resolve is an insult to the sacrifices which were made in support of the U.S.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 10, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump recently cast baseless aspersions on NATO's reliability, given its history in the wake of 9/11, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Trumped again

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 10, 2025
  • For President Donald Trump to question Canada’s military resolve is an insult to the sacrifices which were made in support of the U.S.

Trumped again

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 10, 2025
  • For President Donald Trump to question Canada’s military resolve is an insult to the sacrifices which were made in support of the U.S.
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump recently cast baseless aspersions on NATO's reliability, given its history in the wake of 9/11, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/The White House

Casting a wider recruiting net

  • Why is the CAF trying to fix a problem that does not exist instead of addressing the issue of a lack of trainers in
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 3, 2025
Major-General Scott Malcolm was among the officials who announced changes to the CAF recruiting process on Feb. 19. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Casting a wider recruiting net

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 3, 2025
  • Why is the CAF trying to fix a problem that does not exist instead of addressing the issue of a lack of trainers in

Casting a wider recruiting net

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | March 3, 2025
  • Why is the CAF trying to fix a problem that does not exist instead of addressing the issue of a lack of trainers in
Major-General Scott Malcolm was among the officials who announced changes to the CAF recruiting process on Feb. 19. Screenshot courtesy of CPAC

Trump’s flip-flop on Ukraine

  • The lesson that Canadians need to take from the U.S. president’s complete reversal on Ukraine is that we could easily be next.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 24, 2025
Volodomyr Zelenskyy
Volodomyr Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been excluded from peace talks between the United States and Russia to end the war against his country. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trump’s flip-flop on Ukraine

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 24, 2025
  • The lesson that Canadians need to take from the U.S. president’s complete reversal on Ukraine is that we could easily be next.

Trump’s flip-flop on Ukraine

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 24, 2025
  • The lesson that Canadians need to take from the U.S. president’s complete reversal on Ukraine is that we could easily be next.
Volodomyr Zelenskyy
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been excluded from peace talks between the United States and Russia to end the war against his country. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s Arctic follies

  • Canada has the ability to rapidly deploy military personnel to Iqaluit, so what could possibly be gained through having troops stationed there permanently?
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 17, 2025
The Conservatives’ plan for the North includes doubling the size of the Canadian Arctic Rangers, but it will hardly serve as a deterrent to those ‘hostile powers’ they want to thwart, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Sgt Jean-François Lauzé

Poilievre’s Arctic follies

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 17, 2025
  • Canada has the ability to rapidly deploy military personnel to Iqaluit, so what could possibly be gained through having troops stationed there permanently?

Poilievre’s Arctic follies

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 17, 2025
  • Canada has the ability to rapidly deploy military personnel to Iqaluit, so what could possibly be gained through having troops stationed there permanently?
The Conservatives’ plan for the North includes doubling the size of the Canadian Arctic Rangers, but it will hardly serve as a deterrent to those ‘hostile powers’ they want to thwart, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Sgt Jean-François Lauzé

Talking Trump’s truth

  • Canadian leaders have begun finding creative solutions to solve a problem that does not exist.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 10, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump's blaming of Canada for the entire drug-overdose tragedy in his country defies all logic, writes Scott Taylor. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Talking Trump’s truth

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 10, 2025
  • Canadian leaders have begun finding creative solutions to solve a problem that does not exist.

Talking Trump’s truth

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 10, 2025
  • Canadian leaders have begun finding creative solutions to solve a problem that does not exist.
Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump's blaming of Canada for the entire drug-overdose tragedy in his country defies all logic, writes Scott Taylor. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Losing the battle of the bulge

  • Having a worse fitness record than the general population should be an embarrassment to the Canadian Armed Forces.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 3, 2025
According to a series of briefings to military leaders in June 2024, 44 per cent of personnel in the CAF are overweight, and another 28 per cent are classified as obese. DND photograph by Leading Seaman Sisi Xu

Losing the battle of the bulge

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 3, 2025
  • Having a worse fitness record than the general population should be an embarrassment to the Canadian Armed Forces.

Losing the battle of the bulge

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | February 3, 2025
  • Having a worse fitness record than the general population should be an embarrassment to the Canadian Armed Forces.
According to a series of briefings to military leaders in June 2024, 44 per cent of personnel in the CAF are overweight, and another 28 per cent are classified as obese. DND photograph by Leading Seaman Sisi Xu

Pushing back on Donald Trump

  • Perhaps the most effective way to alleviate the fears Trump is trying to stoke would be to simply provide facts and context to his
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 27, 2025
Donald J. Trump
Donald J. Trump
Due to his position, even U.S. President Trump’s most glib and offhand threats need to be addressed with diplomacy and tact, but they also need to be countered with some hard truths, writes Scott Taylor. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Pushing back on Donald Trump

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 27, 2025
  • Perhaps the most effective way to alleviate the fears Trump is trying to stoke would be to simply provide facts and context to his

Pushing back on Donald Trump

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 27, 2025
  • Perhaps the most effective way to alleviate the fears Trump is trying to stoke would be to simply provide facts and context to his
Donald J. Trump
Due to his position, even U.S. President Trump’s most glib and offhand threats need to be addressed with diplomacy and tact, but they also need to be countered with some hard truths, writes Scott Taylor. White House photograph by Shealah Craighead

Pride in reserve: the CAF isn’t equipped to fight Mother Nature, but what if it was?

  • Provinces are stepping up to help our U.S. neighbours fight fires, and it would be nice to see our Armed Forces similarly involved.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 20, 2025
Canadian soldiers have been called on to help battle flames, but boosting the ranks of the Air Force with a reserve to fly water bombers would be a boon, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Master Sailor Dan Bard

Pride in reserve: the CAF isn’t equipped to fight Mother Nature, but what if it was?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 20, 2025
  • Provinces are stepping up to help our U.S. neighbours fight fires, and it would be nice to see our Armed Forces similarly involved.

Pride in reserve: the CAF isn’t equipped to fight Mother Nature, but what if it was?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 20, 2025
  • Provinces are stepping up to help our U.S. neighbours fight fires, and it would be nice to see our Armed Forces similarly involved.
Canadian soldiers have been called on to help battle flames, but boosting the ranks of the Air Force with a reserve to fly water bombers would be a boon, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Master Sailor Dan Bard

Military retention bonuses equal common sense

  • DND needs to stop the exodus from the ranks, and the answer to stopping short-term retirements is retention bonuses.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 13, 2025
At present, the CAF does not have retention bonuses, but in recent years they have offered signing bonuses to recruits with specific professional skill sets. DND photograph by MCpl Cass Moon

Military retention bonuses equal common sense

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 13, 2025
  • DND needs to stop the exodus from the ranks, and the answer to stopping short-term retirements is retention bonuses.

Military retention bonuses equal common sense

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 13, 2025
  • DND needs to stop the exodus from the ranks, and the answer to stopping short-term retirements is retention bonuses.
At present, the CAF does not have retention bonuses, but in recent years they have offered signing bonuses to recruits with specific professional skill sets. DND photograph by MCpl Cass Moon

Time for a foreign legion

  • With a Canadian Foreign Legion deployed, the regular combat arms units could begin the healing process of bringing themselves back to full operational readiness
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 6, 2025
Canada’s commitment to a beefed-up mission in Latvia will negatively impact the Army's morale over time without extra support, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Staff Sergeant Christian Milano, Spanish Army

Time for a foreign legion

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 6, 2025
  • With a Canadian Foreign Legion deployed, the regular combat arms units could begin the healing process of bringing themselves back to full operational readiness

Time for a foreign legion

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | January 6, 2025
  • With a Canadian Foreign Legion deployed, the regular combat arms units could begin the healing process of bringing themselves back to full operational readiness
Canada’s commitment to a beefed-up mission in Latvia will negatively impact the Army's morale over time without extra support, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Staff Sergeant Christian Milano, Spanish Army

A defence budget that tops the two-per-cent goal? Look north

  • Whoever is running Canada in the months to come should be able to convince Donald Trump that an investment in Arctic infrastructure counts towards
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 23, 2024
Canada could and should commit to constructing northern transportation hubs, and labelling all of it an investment in the country’s defence, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by MCpl Louis Brunet

A defence budget that tops the two-per-cent goal? Look north

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 23, 2024
  • Whoever is running Canada in the months to come should be able to convince Donald Trump that an investment in Arctic infrastructure counts towards

A defence budget that tops the two-per-cent goal? Look north

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 23, 2024
  • Whoever is running Canada in the months to come should be able to convince Donald Trump that an investment in Arctic infrastructure counts towards
Canada could and should commit to constructing northern transportation hubs, and labelling all of it an investment in the country’s defence, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by MCpl Louis Brunet

Soldiers shouldn’t put up with squalid living conditions

  • Those serving in uniform in a G7 country's military should expect no less than affordable, clean, livable accommodations.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 16, 2024
Serving members of the Armed Forces have been documenting their living conditions in military barracks across the country. Photographs courtesy of Esprit de Corps  Photographs courtesy of Esprit de Corps 

Soldiers shouldn’t put up with squalid living conditions

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 16, 2024
  • Those serving in uniform in a G7 country's military should expect no less than affordable, clean, livable accommodations.

Soldiers shouldn’t put up with squalid living conditions

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 16, 2024
  • Those serving in uniform in a G7 country's military should expect no less than affordable, clean, livable accommodations.
Serving members of the Armed Forces have been documenting their living conditions in military barracks across the country. Photographs courtesy of Esprit de Corps  Photographs courtesy of Esprit de Corps 

Droning into oblivion

  • New drone technology is dominating the modern battlefield, but Canada’s procurement team is barely trying to play catch up.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 9, 2024
A Volatus Aerospace drone is pictured at the CANSEC trade show in Ottawa on June 1, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Droning into oblivion

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 9, 2024
  • New drone technology is dominating the modern battlefield, but Canada’s procurement team is barely trying to play catch up.

Droning into oblivion

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 9, 2024
  • New drone technology is dominating the modern battlefield, but Canada’s procurement team is barely trying to play catch up.
A Volatus Aerospace drone is pictured at the CANSEC trade show in Ottawa on June 1, 2022. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Can Canada actually defend the Arctic?

  • The Navy’s commander thinks we could stop Russia or China from transiting through the Northwest Passage without official permission
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 2, 2024
At first glance it would seem ludicrous to think we could deter the Russian or Chinese navies with a 7,000 ton Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship which mounts a single 25mm cannon, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Corporal David Veldman

Can Canada actually defend the Arctic?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 2, 2024
  • The Navy’s commander thinks we could stop Russia or China from transiting through the Northwest Passage without official permission

Can Canada actually defend the Arctic?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | December 2, 2024
  • The Navy’s commander thinks we could stop Russia or China from transiting through the Northwest Passage without official permission
At first glance it would seem ludicrous to think we could deter the Russian or Chinese navies with a 7,000 ton Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship which mounts a single 25mm cannon, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Corporal David Veldman

Stripped of remembrance

  • OTTAWA—It all began with a newsletter circulated on Nov. 8 to the parents of students attending Sackville Heights Elementary School in Nova Scotia.  The newsletter
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 25, 2024
The misguided attempt by a Nova Scotia school to ban military uniforms on Remembrance Day, or rants about wearing poppies won’t help people understand our proud military heritage, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Stripped of remembrance

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 25, 2024
  • OTTAWA—It all began with a newsletter circulated on Nov. 8 to the parents of students attending Sackville Heights Elementary School in Nova Scotia.  The newsletter

Stripped of remembrance

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 25, 2024
  • OTTAWA—It all began with a newsletter circulated on Nov. 8 to the parents of students attending Sackville Heights Elementary School in Nova Scotia.  The newsletter
The misguided attempt by a Nova Scotia school to ban military uniforms on Remembrance Day, or rants about wearing poppies won’t help people understand our proud military heritage, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Appeasing Donald Trump with defence dollars

  • Many of the hawkish pundits are self-flagellating in anticipation of facing Trump's wrath, but we need to look at the situation from a detached
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 18, 2024
Before investing in modern weapon systems, the CAF needs to invest in its greatest asset: the men and women who serve, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Canadian Armed Forces Imagery Technician

Appeasing Donald Trump with defence dollars

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 18, 2024
  • Many of the hawkish pundits are self-flagellating in anticipation of facing Trump's wrath, but we need to look at the situation from a detached

Appeasing Donald Trump with defence dollars

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 18, 2024
  • Many of the hawkish pundits are self-flagellating in anticipation of facing Trump's wrath, but we need to look at the situation from a detached
Before investing in modern weapon systems, the CAF needs to invest in its greatest asset: the men and women who serve, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Canadian Armed Forces Imagery Technician

The new look of remembrance 

  • The modern veteran has very few fellow Canadians who fully understand the horrors they have seen. 
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 11, 2024
Remembrance Day ceremony
Remembrance Day ceremony
Sentries stand post during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Nov. 11, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The new look of remembrance 

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 11, 2024
  • The modern veteran has very few fellow Canadians who fully understand the horrors they have seen. 

The new look of remembrance 

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 11, 2024
  • The modern veteran has very few fellow Canadians who fully understand the horrors they have seen. 
Remembrance Day ceremony
Sentries stand post during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Nov. 11, 2023. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The sad saga of Afghan-Canadian military advisers

  • Veterans’ benefits have improved considerably in recent decades, but not all Canadians sent into war zones are treated equally.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 4, 2024
Interim Ombud for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces Robyn Hynes, left, has picked up the advocacy mantle for language and cultural advisers with Minister Bill Blair’s office. Photograph courtesy of DND and The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The sad saga of Afghan-Canadian military advisers

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 4, 2024
  • Veterans’ benefits have improved considerably in recent decades, but not all Canadians sent into war zones are treated equally.

The sad saga of Afghan-Canadian military advisers

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | November 4, 2024
  • Veterans’ benefits have improved considerably in recent decades, but not all Canadians sent into war zones are treated equally.
Interim Ombud for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces Robyn Hynes, left, has picked up the advocacy mantle for language and cultural advisers with Minister Bill Blair’s office. Photograph courtesy of DND and The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

CAF’s fear of publicity shouldn’t trump justice

  • Kristen Adams’ courage has exposed how the military’s fear of media coverage overrode its sense of responsibility to its employees.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | October 28, 2024
The military should be less worried about trying to protect its public reputation, and more concerned with the welfare of its people, writes Scott Taylor. Unsplash photograph by Kristina Flour

CAF’s fear of publicity shouldn’t trump justice

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | October 28, 2024
  • Kristen Adams’ courage has exposed how the military’s fear of media coverage overrode its sense of responsibility to its employees.

CAF’s fear of publicity shouldn’t trump justice

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | October 28, 2024
  • Kristen Adams’ courage has exposed how the military’s fear of media coverage overrode its sense of responsibility to its employees.
The military should be less worried about trying to protect its public reputation, and more concerned with the welfare of its people, writes Scott Taylor. Unsplash photograph by Kristina Flour
More Stories

Unpunished psyops scheme a blow to CAF credibility

  • OTTAWA—Last week, the Canadian Armed Forces were pummelled with yet another self-inflicted wound to their public trust. The Ottawa Citizen reported the stunning news
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | October 4, 2021
The initiative to train public affairs officers on behaviour-modification techniques was the brainchild of now retired Brig.-Gen. Jay Janzen, who was at the time the senior officer in the public affairs branch. Photograph courtesy of NATO/SSgt Ian Houlding GBR Army

Unpunished psyops scheme a blow to CAF credibility

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | October 4, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, the Canadian Armed Forces were pummelled with yet another self-inflicted wound to their public trust. The Ottawa Citizen reported the stunning news

Unpunished psyops scheme a blow to CAF credibility

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | October 4, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, the Canadian Armed Forces were pummelled with yet another self-inflicted wound to their public trust. The Ottawa Citizen reported the stunning news
The initiative to train public affairs officers on behaviour-modification techniques was the brainchild of now retired Brig.-Gen. Jay Janzen, who was at the time the senior officer in the public affairs branch. Photograph courtesy of NATO/SSgt Ian Houlding GBR Army

Truth and reconciliation holiday a chance to untangle unexamined family ties

  • OTTAWA—The current sense of national shame began on May 28 with the media reports of some 200 unmarked graves discovered on the grounds of
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 29, 2021
Pupils of Mohawk Institute are pictured in Brantford, Ont., in September 1934. Scott Taylor writes that he now knows that under the terms of the 1885 Indian Act, it would have been mandatory for his grandmother Pauline to attend the Mohawk Residential Institute at Brantford until the age of 16. Photograph courtesy of Library and Archives Canada

Truth and reconciliation holiday a chance to untangle unexamined family ties

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 29, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The current sense of national shame began on May 28 with the media reports of some 200 unmarked graves discovered on the grounds of

Truth and reconciliation holiday a chance to untangle unexamined family ties

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 29, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The current sense of national shame began on May 28 with the media reports of some 200 unmarked graves discovered on the grounds of
Pupils of Mohawk Institute are pictured in Brantford, Ont., in September 1934. Scott Taylor writes that he now knows that under the terms of the 1885 Indian Act, it would have been mandatory for his grandmother Pauline to attend the Mohawk Residential Institute at Brantford until the age of 16. Photograph courtesy of Library and Archives Canada

AUKUS alliance could mean it’s time for a NATO rethink

  • OTTAWA—At the United Nations’ general assembly in New York, U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and U.K Prime Minister Boris Johnson
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 27, 2021
If a nuclear-powered submarine pact by U.S. President Joe Biden, left, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and U.K Prime Minister Boris Johnson can undermine NATO ally France, maybe it is time for Canada to rethink our own membership in NATO? Photographs courtesy of Flicker and Wikimedia Commons

AUKUS alliance could mean it’s time for a NATO rethink

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 27, 2021
  • OTTAWA—At the United Nations’ general assembly in New York, U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and U.K Prime Minister Boris Johnson

AUKUS alliance could mean it’s time for a NATO rethink

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 27, 2021
  • OTTAWA—At the United Nations’ general assembly in New York, U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and U.K Prime Minister Boris Johnson
If a nuclear-powered submarine pact by U.S. President Joe Biden, left, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and U.K Prime Minister Boris Johnson can undermine NATO ally France, maybe it is time for Canada to rethink our own membership in NATO? Photographs courtesy of Flicker and Wikimedia Commons

Canadian track record for wars won as poor as for wars lost

  • OTTAWA—With the Taliban firmly back in control in Afghanistan, many Canadian veterans of that war are conflicted in their emotions. They question the sacrifice
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 20, 2021
After the NATO-assisted Libyan rebels toppled and executed president Muammar Gaddafi, the Harper government proudly staged a patriotic victory parade, complete with an RCAF flypast on Parliament Hill on Nov. 24, 2011, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Canadian track record for wars won as poor as for wars lost

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 20, 2021
  • OTTAWA—With the Taliban firmly back in control in Afghanistan, many Canadian veterans of that war are conflicted in their emotions. They question the sacrifice

Canadian track record for wars won as poor as for wars lost

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 20, 2021
  • OTTAWA—With the Taliban firmly back in control in Afghanistan, many Canadian veterans of that war are conflicted in their emotions. They question the sacrifice
After the NATO-assisted Libyan rebels toppled and executed president Muammar Gaddafi, the Harper government proudly staged a patriotic victory parade, complete with an RCAF flypast on Parliament Hill on Nov. 24, 2011, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Public narrative of victory in Afghanistan contributed to Canada’s lacking response

  • OTTAWA—Last week, the former Hamid Karzai International Airport was back in business under the new moniker of Kabul International Airport (a.k.a. KIA). The first
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 13, 2021
The Kabul International Airport, pictured in 2009. We can only pray that this new incarnation of the Taliban remains a kinder, gentler version of itself and that airlifts to safety replace vengeful bloodletting, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Jim Kelly

Public narrative of victory in Afghanistan contributed to Canada’s lacking response

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 13, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, the former Hamid Karzai International Airport was back in business under the new moniker of Kabul International Airport (a.k.a. KIA). The first

Public narrative of victory in Afghanistan contributed to Canada’s lacking response

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 13, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, the former Hamid Karzai International Airport was back in business under the new moniker of Kabul International Airport (a.k.a. KIA). The first
The Kabul International Airport, pictured in 2009. We can only pray that this new incarnation of the Taliban remains a kinder, gentler version of itself and that airlifts to safety replace vengeful bloodletting, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Jim Kelly

Afghanistan’s fate was there to see, but no one bothered to look

  • OTTAWA—Now that the last U.S. air force plane has departed the Hamid Karzai International airport in Kabul, western analysts and pundits remain shell shocked
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 6, 2021
Then-Canadian ambassador Chris Alexander’s inaccurate view that Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum was a remnant of Afghanistan’s past revealed just how little the youthful ambassador grasped the complexity of the Afghan political landscape, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times file photograph

Afghanistan’s fate was there to see, but no one bothered to look

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 6, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Now that the last U.S. air force plane has departed the Hamid Karzai International airport in Kabul, western analysts and pundits remain shell shocked

Afghanistan’s fate was there to see, but no one bothered to look

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | September 6, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Now that the last U.S. air force plane has departed the Hamid Karzai International airport in Kabul, western analysts and pundits remain shell shocked
Then-Canadian ambassador Chris Alexander’s inaccurate view that Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum was a remnant of Afghanistan’s past revealed just how little the youthful ambassador grasped the complexity of the Afghan political landscape, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times file photograph

It gets worse than the Taliban

  • OTTAWA—The deadly terrorist attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 26 was yet another serious blow to American martial pride as
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 30, 2021
There’ve been tough words, but as the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan now consists of nothing more than a desperate rear-guard securing the soon to be renamed Hamid Karzai International Airport, U.S. President Joe Biden’s only hope of punishing the culprits behind the Aug. 26 airport bombing will require the Taliban’s co-operation. Screenshot courtesy of CNN

It gets worse than the Taliban

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 30, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The deadly terrorist attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 26 was yet another serious blow to American martial pride as

It gets worse than the Taliban

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 30, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The deadly terrorist attack at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Aug. 26 was yet another serious blow to American martial pride as
There’ve been tough words, but as the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan now consists of nothing more than a desperate rear-guard securing the soon to be renamed Hamid Karzai International Airport, U.S. President Joe Biden’s only hope of punishing the culprits behind the Aug. 26 airport bombing will require the Taliban’s co-operation. Screenshot courtesy of CNN

The collapse no one and everyone saw coming

  • OTTAWA—It has been just over a week since the Taliban shocked the world with their blitzkrieg speed overthrow of the Afghan regime. The first
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 24, 2021
No one can ever question the courage of the average Afghan fighter. Afghanistan has shed a lot of blood over the centuries to earn itself the moniker ‘the graveyard of empires,’ writes Scott Taylor. Screenshot courtesy of France24

The collapse no one and everyone saw coming

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It has been just over a week since the Taliban shocked the world with their blitzkrieg speed overthrow of the Afghan regime. The first

The collapse no one and everyone saw coming

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 24, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It has been just over a week since the Taliban shocked the world with their blitzkrieg speed overthrow of the Afghan regime. The first
No one can ever question the courage of the average Afghan fighter. Afghanistan has shed a lot of blood over the centuries to earn itself the moniker ‘the graveyard of empires,’ writes Scott Taylor. Screenshot courtesy of France24

Reliance on ‘strongmen’ a weak strategy to repel Taliban

  • OTTAWA—At the time of writing, Afghan government security forces had completely collapsed without a fight and Taliban forces in Afghanistan were in control of
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 16, 2021
Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was appealing to ‘regional strongman’ Atta Muhammad Noor, pictured second from the left, to help prevent the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif, as part of his last-ditch appeal to help repulse the Taliban advances, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph by ISAF Public Affairs

Reliance on ‘strongmen’ a weak strategy to repel Taliban

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 16, 2021
  • OTTAWA—At the time of writing, Afghan government security forces had completely collapsed without a fight and Taliban forces in Afghanistan were in control of

Reliance on ‘strongmen’ a weak strategy to repel Taliban

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 16, 2021
  • OTTAWA—At the time of writing, Afghan government security forces had completely collapsed without a fight and Taliban forces in Afghanistan were in control of
Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was appealing to ‘regional strongman’ Atta Muhammad Noor, pictured second from the left, to help prevent the fall of Mazar-i-Sharif, as part of his last-ditch appeal to help repulse the Taliban advances, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph by ISAF Public Affairs

The legacy of Afghanistan, and the lessons not learned

  • OTTAWA—The mad scramble has begun in an effort to extricate those Afghans who will be at risk when the Taliban wrest control of Afghanistan
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 9, 2021
The last Canadians involved in the NATO training mission in Afghanistan board a Chinook helicopter to leave Kabul in March 2014. Sparked by demands from Canadian veterans of that war, the Liberal government has been hurriedly arranging flights and visas for Afghan civilians who were formerly employed as interpreters by our combat forces, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of the Canadian Armed Forces/Cplc Patrick Blanchard

The legacy of Afghanistan, and the lessons not learned

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 9, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The mad scramble has begun in an effort to extricate those Afghans who will be at risk when the Taliban wrest control of Afghanistan

The legacy of Afghanistan, and the lessons not learned

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 9, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The mad scramble has begun in an effort to extricate those Afghans who will be at risk when the Taliban wrest control of Afghanistan
The last Canadians involved in the NATO training mission in Afghanistan board a Chinook helicopter to leave Kabul in March 2014. Sparked by demands from Canadian veterans of that war, the Liberal government has been hurriedly arranging flights and visas for Afghan civilians who were formerly employed as interpreters by our combat forces, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of the Canadian Armed Forces/Cplc Patrick Blanchard

Learn lessons from Afghanistan withdrawal and get Canada out of Iraq

  • OTTAWA—The recent withdrawal of the bulk of U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan has caused angst and consternation among the thousands of Canadian soldiers who
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 4, 2021
Canadian Armed Forces infantrymen deployed on Joint Task Force Operation Impact board a CC-130J Hercules for Iraq to begin their seven-month tour, at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait on Nov. 27, 2019. In March, the feds quietly extended Canada’s own military commitment to Iraq, known as Operation Impact, until the end of March 2022, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Cpl. Jerome Lessard

Learn lessons from Afghanistan withdrawal and get Canada out of Iraq

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 4, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The recent withdrawal of the bulk of U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan has caused angst and consternation among the thousands of Canadian soldiers who

Learn lessons from Afghanistan withdrawal and get Canada out of Iraq

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | August 4, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The recent withdrawal of the bulk of U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan has caused angst and consternation among the thousands of Canadian soldiers who
Canadian Armed Forces infantrymen deployed on Joint Task Force Operation Impact board a CC-130J Hercules for Iraq to begin their seven-month tour, at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait on Nov. 27, 2019. In March, the feds quietly extended Canada’s own military commitment to Iraq, known as Operation Impact, until the end of March 2022, writes Scott Taylor. DND photograph by Cpl. Jerome Lessard

Amid work to bring interpreters to safety, tell the whole Afghanistan story

  • OTTAWA—The situation on the ground in Afghanistan continues to worsen for Afghan government troops attempting to contain a resurgent Taliban. Since the U.S. pulled
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 26, 2021
Master Corporal Daniel Choong helps stabilize Lieutenant Commander Gina Connor with her fire stance as she fires her C7 rifle during firing practice at the Kabul Military Training Centre range in Kabul, Afghanistan during Operation Attention on Oct. 30, 2013. DND photograph by Sgt. Norm McLean

Amid work to bring interpreters to safety, tell the whole Afghanistan story

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 26, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The situation on the ground in Afghanistan continues to worsen for Afghan government troops attempting to contain a resurgent Taliban. Since the U.S. pulled

Amid work to bring interpreters to safety, tell the whole Afghanistan story

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 26, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The situation on the ground in Afghanistan continues to worsen for Afghan government troops attempting to contain a resurgent Taliban. Since the U.S. pulled
Master Corporal Daniel Choong helps stabilize Lieutenant Commander Gina Connor with her fire stance as she fires her C7 rifle during firing practice at the Kabul Military Training Centre range in Kabul, Afghanistan during Operation Attention on Oct. 30, 2013. DND photograph by Sgt. Norm McLean

Is it time for Canada’s own war with the truth about Afghanistan?

  • OTTAWA—The news out of Afghanistan has gone from bad to worse since the American military virtually fled their main base at Bagram in the
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 20, 2021
Lieutenant-General Wayne Eyre, the acting chief of the defence staff and Afghanistan veteran, issued a Forces-wide message on July 13, after the Taliban took the Afghanistan district of Panjwai, acknowledging that it 'has hit many of us particularly hard, and as we question our legacy, it serves as a harbinger for all Canadians who served in the country regardless of when and where.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is it time for Canada’s own war with the truth about Afghanistan?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 20, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The news out of Afghanistan has gone from bad to worse since the American military virtually fled their main base at Bagram in the

Is it time for Canada’s own war with the truth about Afghanistan?

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 20, 2021
  • OTTAWA—The news out of Afghanistan has gone from bad to worse since the American military virtually fled their main base at Bagram in the
Lieutenant-General Wayne Eyre, the acting chief of the defence staff and Afghanistan veteran, issued a Forces-wide message on July 13, after the Taliban took the Afghanistan district of Panjwai, acknowledging that it 'has hit many of us particularly hard, and as we question our legacy, it serves as a harbinger for all Canadians who served in the country regardless of when and where.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

With U.S. departure, no one left to clean up mess made in Afghanistan

  • OTTAWA—Over the past few weeks, the news out of Afghanistan has not been very reassuring. In keeping with U.S. President Joe Biden’s election campaign
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 12, 2021
Almost exactly one decade after Canada withdrew, the Taliban officially rendered our soldiers’ sacrifice meaningless by retaking the ground which we had temporarily held, writes Scott Taylor, spurring an ask to fast track the immigration process for those Afghans who served as translators for the Canadian military. DND photograph by MCpl Dan Shouinard

With U.S. departure, no one left to clean up mess made in Afghanistan

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 12, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Over the past few weeks, the news out of Afghanistan has not been very reassuring. In keeping with U.S. President Joe Biden’s election campaign

With U.S. departure, no one left to clean up mess made in Afghanistan

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 12, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Over the past few weeks, the news out of Afghanistan has not been very reassuring. In keeping with U.S. President Joe Biden’s election campaign
Almost exactly one decade after Canada withdrew, the Taliban officially rendered our soldiers’ sacrifice meaningless by retaking the ground which we had temporarily held, writes Scott Taylor, spurring an ask to fast track the immigration process for those Afghans who served as translators for the Canadian military. DND photograph by MCpl Dan Shouinard

Questions remain over DND’s false Cyclone crash narrative

  • OTTAWA—On June 25, the Royal Canadian Air Force released its final report on the April 29, 2020, CH-148 Cyclone helicopter crash, which claimed the
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 5, 2021
Initial statements by both Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, left, and then-chief of defence staff General Jonathan Vance implied that the helicopter had crashed some distance from HMCS Fredericton, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Questions remain over DND’s false Cyclone crash narrative

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 5, 2021
  • OTTAWA—On June 25, the Royal Canadian Air Force released its final report on the April 29, 2020, CH-148 Cyclone helicopter crash, which claimed the

Questions remain over DND’s false Cyclone crash narrative

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | July 5, 2021
  • OTTAWA—On June 25, the Royal Canadian Air Force released its final report on the April 29, 2020, CH-148 Cyclone helicopter crash, which claimed the
Initial statements by both Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, left, and then-chief of defence staff General Jonathan Vance implied that the helicopter had crashed some distance from HMCS Fredericton, writes Scott Taylor. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Canadians not interested in military spy games

  • OTTAWA—It is now official. Last week, the Department of National Defence released the results of four separate internal investigations into the Canadian military’s recent
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 28, 2021
Canadians want their military to defend Canadian interests and uphold Canadian values at home and abroad. We do not want them spying on us, deceiving us, or trying to modify our behaviour, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Canadians not interested in military spy games

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 28, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It is now official. Last week, the Department of National Defence released the results of four separate internal investigations into the Canadian military’s recent

Canadians not interested in military spy games

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 28, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It is now official. Last week, the Department of National Defence released the results of four separate internal investigations into the Canadian military’s recent
Canadians want their military to defend Canadian interests and uphold Canadian values at home and abroad. We do not want them spying on us, deceiving us, or trying to modify our behaviour, writes Scott Taylor. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Call in the RCMP to dig military police out of no-win scenario

  • OTTAWA—It was on Sunday, Feb. 2 that the current military sexual misconduct scandal first emerged. Global News reporter Mercedes Stephenson broke the story that
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 23, 2021
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki is pictured at September 2019 Ottawa press conference. The RCMP should be called in to conduct an independent investigation into the various misconduct allegations against military leaders, writes Scott Taylor, to pre-empt any public perception that the process is tainted. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Call in the RCMP to dig military police out of no-win scenario

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 23, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It was on Sunday, Feb. 2 that the current military sexual misconduct scandal first emerged. Global News reporter Mercedes Stephenson broke the story that

Call in the RCMP to dig military police out of no-win scenario

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 23, 2021
  • OTTAWA—It was on Sunday, Feb. 2 that the current military sexual misconduct scandal first emerged. Global News reporter Mercedes Stephenson broke the story that
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki is pictured at September 2019 Ottawa press conference. The RCMP should be called in to conduct an independent investigation into the various misconduct allegations against military leaders, writes Scott Taylor, to pre-empt any public perception that the process is tainted. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Memo reveals Iraq prophecy come to fruition

  • On June 9, the Canadian Press reported on a memo which they had obtained from the Department of National Defence under the Access-to-Information law.
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 14, 2021
In a September 2018 column about the then-impending training mission, Scott Taylor included a side note to Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, pictured right with then-Major General Jennie Carignan at a November 2019 change of command ceremony in Iraq, which read: ‘I cannot wish you success in your mission because you are embarked on a fool’s errand. Training more Iraqis to kill in the name of a corrupt regime is insane.’ DND photograph by Cpl. Ryan Moulton

Memo reveals Iraq prophecy come to fruition

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 14, 2021
  • On June 9, the Canadian Press reported on a memo which they had obtained from the Department of National Defence under the Access-to-Information law.

Memo reveals Iraq prophecy come to fruition

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 14, 2021
  • On June 9, the Canadian Press reported on a memo which they had obtained from the Department of National Defence under the Access-to-Information law.
In a September 2018 column about the then-impending training mission, Scott Taylor included a side note to Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, pictured right with then-Major General Jennie Carignan at a November 2019 change of command ceremony in Iraq, which read: ‘I cannot wish you success in your mission because you are embarked on a fool’s errand. Training more Iraqis to kill in the name of a corrupt regime is insane.’ DND photograph by Cpl. Ryan Moulton

Papering over the ‘cracks’ not a long-term solution to CAF woes

  • OTTAWA—Last week, in an interview with the Canadian Press, Lieutenant-General Wayne Eyre, Canada’s acting chief of the defence staff, admitted that the Canadian military
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 9, 2021
Brigadier-General Krista Brodie, left, was named the head of the country’s vaccine rollout effort, and Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan, right, was tapped as the new head of professional conduct and culture. These recent promotions will definitely change the face of the ‘old boys’ club,’ which was previously the composition of our senior military leadership. However, this in itself will not be enough to change an institutional culture that has been defined as highly sexualized, writes Scott Taylor. Screenshot courtesy of Parlvu, photograph courtesy of the Department of National Defence

Papering over the ‘cracks’ not a long-term solution to CAF woes

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 9, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, in an interview with the Canadian Press, Lieutenant-General Wayne Eyre, Canada’s acting chief of the defence staff, admitted that the Canadian military

Papering over the ‘cracks’ not a long-term solution to CAF woes

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 9, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Last week, in an interview with the Canadian Press, Lieutenant-General Wayne Eyre, Canada’s acting chief of the defence staff, admitted that the Canadian military
Brigadier-General Krista Brodie, left, was named the head of the country’s vaccine rollout effort, and Lieutenant-General Jennie Carignan, right, was tapped as the new head of professional conduct and culture. These recent promotions will definitely change the face of the ‘old boys’ club,’ which was previously the composition of our senior military leadership. However, this in itself will not be enough to change an institutional culture that has been defined as highly sexualized, writes Scott Taylor. Screenshot courtesy of Parlvu, photograph courtesy of the Department of National Defence

Lukashenko’s ‘lose-lose’ air caper

  • OTTAWA—On May 23, a Ryanair flight from Athens, Greece, en route to Vilnius, Lithuania, was diverted while in Belarus airspace and forced to land
Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 2, 2021
If the flight diversion and arrest of Roman Protasevich was in fact an elaborate and diabolical plot conceived by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, he has to be one of the dumbest dictators to ever rule a country, writes Scott Taylor. Wikimedia Commons photograph by Serge Serebro

Lukashenko’s ‘lose-lose’ air caper

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 2, 2021
  • OTTAWA—On May 23, a Ryanair flight from Athens, Greece, en route to Vilnius, Lithuania, was diverted while in Belarus airspace and forced to land

Lukashenko’s ‘lose-lose’ air caper

Opinion | BY SCOTT TAYLOR | June 2, 2021
  • OTTAWA—On May 23, a Ryanair flight from Athens, Greece, en route to Vilnius, Lithuania, was diverted while in Belarus airspace and forced to land
If the flight diversion and arrest of Roman Protasevich was in fact an elaborate and diabolical plot conceived by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, he has to be one of the dumbest dictators to ever rule a country, writes Scott Taylor. Wikimedia Commons photograph by Serge Serebro

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