Richard Lawrence Photography, Ottawa, ON (2026)

05/27/2026

Breaking Down the Barricades images. Anyone who wants to see the images from the Breaking Down the Barricades Awards Ceremony, held Monday evening at Beechwood Cemetery, can go to this URL.

https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/rlpgalleries/2026/bdb2026/

There's no story as it will be reported in Esprit de Corps and I haven't time as CANSEC starts tomorrow.

05/05/2026

A little rant from me about what a sh*tty platform Facebook is. I mistakenly placed a photo in an album with my watermark on it but the photo wasn't mine. I deleted the photo out of the album and replaced it with the proper attribution. But Facebook insists on making it a separate post rather than including the replacement picture in the original album. I go into the album and the picture IS included in the album. BUT it doesn't show in the post with the album, it shows as a SEPARATE post.

I've tried deleting and adding, move to another album, nothing works. FACEBOOK IS A PIECE OF S**T!

05/05/2026

Artist's conception of the National Monument to Canada's Mission in Afghanistan (Veterans' Affairs Website)

05/05/2026

On a beautiful, warm, spring day, with the sky alternating between cloud and sun, a gathering met to break ground opposite (east) of the National War Museum. The ground breaking was for the National Monument to Canada’s Mission to Afghanistan in memory of Canada’s longest combat deployment since WWII lasting from 2001 to 2014 (combat ended 2011 but the last member left in 2014). More than 40,000 Canadians served in this conflict with 158 service members, one diplomat, four aid workers, a government contractor and a journalist killed and thousands wounded, both mentally and physically. The space was blessed two years ago, construction is expected to start this spring, and completion is planned for 2028.

To see all the pictures, go to:
https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/rlpgalleries/2026/afghan/

The ceremony took place on a plot of land east of the Canadian War Museum (across the street) and north of the National Holocaust Monument. The ceremonial ground was covered with an interlocking flooring so that people weren’t subjected to walking on the grass which is good as it had rained earlier. On this flooring, three rows of chairs were set in a large circular pattern with openings in the east, west, north, and south compass positions and in those openings stood small piles of earth, along with a longer pile of earth in the middle. These piles would come into play later in the ceremony. My guess is that the seating positions and setup mimic the final design of the monument which is circular with portals at the compass cardinal points.

Now, I did ask if the piles of dirt, which were going to be used symbolically for the ground breaking, were just some garden soil that they bought at a garden store or was it earth that had been actually dug up on the site and then placed on this floor. No-one could answer the question. In my opinion, it would have been more symbolic to use actual earth from the site but the piled earth was too consistent (no weeds, grass, or stones in the mixture) to have been dug up in a field so my guess is garden soil.

The design, developed by Team Stimson, draws on elements of healing from the Medicine Wheel and takes the form of a circular, sacred space of safety, a “home base” of reflection, memory and contemplation. It is made up of four portals, where an interior area is the sanctuary where the fallen are remembered. Inscribed on the walls of three of the quadrants is the year, names of the fallen and maple leaves, in several rows. The fourth southeast quadrant wall facing the direction of Afghanistan is dedicated to fallen Afghan Allies. In the centre, four bronze flak jackets stand draped on crosses—utilitarian yet poignant reminders of protection. (lifted from the VAC website).

Each portal has two walls presenting stories from both Canadian and Afghanistan perspectives, all within a landscape of Native plantings. Each portal also has its own meaning in respect to the memorial. The North Portal is designed to represent the intellectual aspects of the war: education on conflict, and understanding the Mission. The South Portal is about acknowledging our spiritual natures. It encourages visitors to think about the connection of the spirit and the importance it has in remembrance and recognition. The West Portal recognizes those who were wounded in the conflict, especially those who are continuing to deal with those injuries today. This portal encourages visitors to think not only about those who are lost, but also those who survived. The East Portal is dedicated to emotions and Afghan poetry. The East is where the sun rises and is often associated with childhood. It will focus on the emotional well-being of those who served, and continue to serve, and the families and friends who supported them from home.

Many people were in attendance, including 53 Glebe Collegiate Institute grade 10 students and 30 cadets who had spent the morning at the War Museum learning about the Afghanistan experience as well as being informed by the Monuments designer, Adrian Stimson, on behalf of Team Stimson, on the symbology of all the elements of the Monument. A few defence attachés showed up (Germany and UK specifically), the Deputy Head of Mission for Britain, various politicians and veterans groups as well as veterans themselves and some veterans’ families. Every seat was filled.

Words of welcome were provided by Chief Greg Sarazin, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan, followed by Anitia Tenasco, Council member, Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg, both of whom acknowledged the importance of this land and remembrance.

A moment of reflection was led by Lt(N). Katherine Walker, CAF Chaplin. Now, I personally don’t listen too much to religious teachings or the musings of those who offer them, BUT, Lt(N) Walker said a couple of things that made an impression on me as she noted with this mission,

“The mission evolves. Allies and adversaries are not always well defined. The course of action that seemed clear enough at one point becomes impossible. The service in Afghanistan has demanded from our members a discipline, humanity and extraordinary dedication in the face of unprecedented complexity. Over 150 Canadians did not come home. Thousands more returned, carrying wounds, visible and invisible, that remain with them today.”

She went on explaining the hope and aspiration of this monument to become,

“A place where the complexity doesn't have to be resolved. Where it can just simply be. A place where a veteran can stand in silence and know that the nation acknowledges what was asked of them. A place where a family can bring their children and say, this mattered. They mattered. A place where memory, grief and pride simply say, we don't forget.”

With all the words from all the speakers today, I think these are the most pertinent.

Minister of Veterans Affairs, Jill McKnight, next took the podium and again spoke of the sacrifice of the men and women in Afghanistan and their families at home with the hopes that this monument will be a place to remember those who served, those who supported the Mission from home, and those that didn’t return.

Lastly, Adrian Stimson, of Team Stimson, addressed the guests about the meaning of the Monument. “Our intention for this monument was to create a safe, sacred space that not only honours the fallen, but those who survived. A home base to remember, to heal, to give gratitude, and to connect with each other.”

So, with the speeches out of the way, it was time to move on to the ground breaking. As stated earlier, there were five piles of earth: one at each Portal (compass cardinal point) and a large one in the center. The Portal piles were symbolically done first with designated VIPs given shovels which they shoved into the earth and threw it forward of the pile. They went as follows:

North Portal – Parliamentary Secretary Romanado and BGen. Serge Ménard, South Portal – Minister Anandasangaree and Corps Sergeant Major Elaine Maisonneuve of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, West Portal – Minister Marc Miller and Tobi Nussbaum, and East Portal – VAC Minister Jill McKnight and Telah Morrison. Once all the portals were completed, all moved to the center for the final ceremonial ground breaking, along with some students and cadets.

Everyone was thanked for attending and this completed the ceremony. People lingered for a while, took pictures with each other, and generally enjoyed a few more minutes of what turned out to be a lovely afternoon.

05/03/2026

Well, it’s been a busy week for the photography business because last weekend (24/25 April) I had to cover seven venues in two days. On the 24th, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea marked the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of Kapyong with a ceremony at the Monument to the Canadian Fallen, which was followed by a ceremony at the National War Memorial, which was followed by a reception at the Senate of Canada (old railway station). So, one event, three separate venues. The last event of the day was to attend the rehearsal for the 700th (not a typo) Anniversary of the Order of St. George Investiture Ceremony.

On the 25th I had ANZAC Day at the Canadian War Museum, the 700th Anniversary of the Order of St. George Investiture Ceremony at St. Theresa Church, and lastly the pre-Gala Dinner reception for the Order of St. George at the Delta Hotel. Add in the Battle of the Atlantic reception on the evening of the 28th and that meant that I spent the entire week processing pictures to get out to the clients.

As much as I would like to show the entire galleries to all these events, it is the purview of the clients to control the narratives of their events so I will show just a few pictures here and suggest that you go to the websites/instagrams/facebook/whatever of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea (Kapyong), the Australian High Commission Ottawa (ANZAC Day), and the Order of St. George – National Capital Region Priory.

The Battle of Kapyong

The Battle of Kapyong is a special event in the Korean War because Canadians, fighting alongside the Australians, New Zealanders, Americans, and South Koreans, prevented a breakthrough of the North Korean and Chinese armies that would have led straight to Seoul.

Although many units participated in the battle, the 2nd Battalion, PPCLI and the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), bore the brunt of the fighting with approximately 1,400 combined troops against an estimated 20,000 men of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army (PVA). They were positioned as a blocking force to the Kapyong Valley on hills 677 (2 PPCLI) and 504 (3 RAR) allowing South Korean and other troops to withdraw. The battle got so intense that Capt. John Mills (10 Platoon, 2nd PPCLI) called down “danger close” artillery fire from the 16th Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Regiment, on their own positions as the PVA was amongst them and the PPCLI was in danger of being overrun. The New Zealanders poured 2,300 shells into the position in an hour and, while the PVA were devastated, the Canadians came out with minimal casualties because they were effectively entrenched.

In the four days of the battle (22-25 April, 1951), the United Nations lost 59 dead and 111 wounded of which Canadian casualties were 10 dead with 23 wounded. The estimate of Chinese casualties is placed around 2,000 with an unknown number of wounded.

In recognition of the role played in this battle, the 2nd Battalion, PPCLI, was awarded the U.S. Presidential Unit Citation, along with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and the U.S. 72nd Heavy Tank Battalion. The 16th New Zealand Field Regiment was awarded the South Korean Presidential Unit Citation for their part in saving the 2 PPCLI and 3 RAR from possible annihilation.

ANZAC Day

April 25th is observed by Australia and New Zealand as a national day of remembrance commemorating all those who have died in war, conflict, and peacekeeping operations. It also marks the 1915 landing at Gallipoli during WWI which, along with the Australian and New Zealanders, also included the Newfoundland Regiment, though not yet part of Canada, now lends a Canadian connection to this event.

The assault on the Gallipoli Peninsula was supposed to open the Dardanelles Strait, capture Constantinople, and knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war. The initial naval assault failed in March which lead to a massive amphibious assault on the 25th April, 1915. The landing never really got off the beaches and bogged down into trench warfare with very little territorial gains for the Allies. Mostly, this is thanks to the Turkish commander at Gallipoli, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who dealt with his shortage of manpower by superior maneuvering. Both sides endured harsh weather (heat and cold), shortages, deprivations, and illness. By January 1916, it was acknowledged that the entire affair was a failure and the allies withdrew on the 9th. The Newfoundland Regiment was one of the last regiments off the beach.

This battle was a defining moment for the Australians and New Zealanders, helping to foster their national identities, much like Vimy Ridge did for Canadians. It was done at a cost though, which seems to vary depending on whom you ask. British losses have been stated as high as 205,000 dead/wounded/missing/prisoners/sick, the French at 47,000, and the Turkish losses at 251,000. The Australians counted over 8,700 dead and over 19,400 wounded and the New Zealanders over 2,700 dead and 4,700 wounded.

The Newfoundland Regiment lost 30 combat dead, 10 dead from disease, and 93 wounded and are the only North American regiment to hold the Gallipoli Battle Honour. They would later become the “Royal” Newfoundland Regiment in 1917 after exceptional service on the Western Front, specifically the first day of The Battle of the Somme (Beaumont-Hamel).

As a matter of note, the Turkish commander, Mustaf Kemal Atatürk, would survive the war and become the founder of the Republic of Turkey and be its first president (1923-1938). Also of note is how graciously the Turkish nation treats the dead of their enemies, now regarded as brothers.

700th Anniversary of the Order of St. George

From their website, “The Order of St. George is a chivalric order whose Mission, together with its charitable arm, The Order of St. George Foundation, is “to better the health and well-being of members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans and their families, and to support the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers Programs.” They were established in 1326 as a Christian Chivalric order but today maintain a secular outlook with each Dame and Knight committed “to continually practice the Chivalric virtues of Faith, Service, and Honour.” Some of their assistance is directed to Soldier On, Homes for Heroes Foundation, Paws for Thought and others, all in the service of military families and veterans.

In observing this, the 700th Anniversary of the Order, an Investiture Ceremony was held which saw the induction of 53 postulants (this is a candidate in the initial stages of joining the Order, not a disease). The ceremony started by the marching in of a flag party (with piper) then the marching in of the postulants followed by Priory members with the Officiant Party bringing up the rear. Once all were seated, the Dean of the NCR Priory led the postulants and attendees in acknowledgments, prayers, and blessings.

After the Postulants declared and affirmed their intentions to loyally server the Order, the real personal part of the Investiture started. The postulants were called forward four at a time where they kneeled in front of the Grand Prior and Grand Prior Designate. In turn, they were dubbed with a sword x 3 (right shoulder, left then right again), then had spurs attached, a cloak with insignia put on them, an insignia placed around their necks and finally welcomed into the order. While it doesn’t sound important when placed in a paragraph, it was a deeply significant moment for the people invested.

The last piece of business had to do with the Grand Prior, Chevalier Charles Hill (KGCStG), who was ending his tenure and handing over the reins to the new Grand Prior Designate, Dame Linda Colwell (DGCStG). The Dean took the opportunity to bless the appointment after which the newly installed Grand Prior returned to her seat.

The ceremony ended with a group picture of about 65 people on the steps of St. Theresa’s (new inductees plus officiants) which grew to about double that number once Priory members were added for the second group picture.

Later that evening, a Gala Dinner was held at the Delta Hotel where I was tasked to photograph the pre-dinner reception. It was all grip-and-grin pictures and everyone was in a good mood because all the ceremonies were completed and it was now on to celebrations. Some music was supplied by Canadian Military Wives Choir – Ontario and a sub-section of The Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces with a singer I hadn’t seen before. And could she sing! Beautiful tone, tremendous power, and she really embraced the music. I wish I could have stayed for more but, unfortunately, my time came to an end just after the welcome and before the Mayor’s and Patron of the Order’s addresses and the dinner service. Maybe I can stay longer for the next one.

04/15/2026

To see all the pictures, go to: https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/rlpgalleries/2026/panam2026/

Just a quick note on the Pan American Day and the Brazilian Army Day which was celebrated on April 14th, 2026, at the Sacred Space of Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa and hosted by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Brazil. Speakers included the Latin American Soldiers Committee who spoke of their efforts in bringing to light the sacrifices of Latin American soldiers on behalf of Canada, the Defence Attaché of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Colonel Gustavo Telles Ferreira Bandeira, Major-General Travis Morehen, CAF Director General – International Security Policy, along with others addressed the guests.

Recognition awards were given to Danilo Velasques along with defence attachés from Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia for their efforts in bringing to light the Latin American soldiers’ efforts and accomplishments on behalf of Canada. Wreaths were laid on behalf of Canada, the CAF, the Brazilian Embassy, the Latin American Soldiers Committee, and the Medaille Militaire France.

With the ceremony and presentations completed, everyone adjourned for a morning reception, complete with Brazilian coffee. I must say that the breakfast burritos (scrambled eggs, onions, peppers and sausage wrapped in a spinach wrap) were exceptional and were big enough to constitute an entire breakfast in itself.

04/10/2026

Pictures from the ceremony are at: https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/rlpgalleries/2026/vimy109/

One hundred and nine years ago, on the 9th of April, 1917, four Canadian divisions fought together for the first time as the Canadian Corps and achieved, in three days, what the French and British armies had failed to do in years of fighting. In October, 1914, the German Army took the Vimy Ridge escarpment, a strategic position, and doggedly held onto it until the Canadians took it back in a battle from the 9th – 12th April, 1917, costing 3,600 dead and 7,000 wounded Canadian lives. Four members of the Canadian Corps were awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions during the battle. The commander of the Corps, General Julian Byng, would go on to be the 12th Governor-General of Canada.

Now, marking occasions such as Vimy Ridge, Dieppe, Ortona, and other major Canadian efforts are usually marked each year with Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) placing a wreath by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa without much fanfare. On major occasions, say every five or ten year anniversary, a more elaborate Remembrance Ceremony is held with politicians, speeches, choirs, and all levels of government placing wreaths along with various veterans organizations. This year, being the 109th anniversary, the VAC plan was a simple wreath placing.

However, this upset some people, most notably veteran Jerry Kovacs who lobbied VAC and a couple of other groups and managed to take this from the planned simple wreath laying to something more elaborate. As it wound up, representatives from VAC (Skye Purdy) the Province of Ontario (MPP Karen McCrimmon), The Vimy Foundation, The Royal Canadian Legion (Larry Murray), and other groups combined for a simple ceremony (no speeches, no commitment to remember, no microphone, no chairs,etc) in which eleven wreaths were laid in remembrance of the fallen at Vimy Ridge.

They also managed to find a piper (Mr. K**k) and bugler to play the last post (Sgt. Chris Gerhei of the Central Band of the CAF) who used a bugle that was 100 years old. There were two pipers and a drummer from the Royal Canadian Legion in Kemptville and two re-enactors showed up in World War I dress to round out the field.

So, under blue skies on a beautiful spring day, the fallen of Vimy Ridge were remembered.

Pictures from the ceremony are at: https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/rlpgalleries/2026/vimy109/

It should also be noted that this was the first day of the National Sentry Program where selected military personnel stand guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. So the pictures of the sentries are the first of this year.

03/23/2026

The first roundtable panel discussion of day two of the 2026 CDAI Conference on Security and Defence was unique in that all environmental commanders were together in one spot. Moderator, ex-CDS Gen. (ret’d) Tom Lawson, even went so far as to comment that when he was CDS it was almost impossible to get them in one room together at the same time. The panelists were the Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy (CRCN), Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (CRCAF), LGen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet, and Commander of the Canadian Army (CCA), LGen. Michael Wright.

to see the full article, go to: https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/2026/03/23/defence-investments-perspectives-from-caf-commanders/

As the conference theme was “on the road to 5%” Tom Lawson first noted that he, when CDS, was working with a budget just slightly above one percent of GDP and that the current commanders are living with the results of that. Shortages of people, poor infrastructure, fleets that are old and having maintenance issues are all a result of underspending on national defence.

But the first question put forward by Tom Lawson was, “[what is] your idea of what the real threats to Canada are and why they matter?”, which was directed to VAdm. Topshee.

to see the full article, go to: https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/2026/03/23/defence-investments-perspectives-from-caf-commanders/

03/18/2026

A conversation with the new Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, Stephen Fuhr and LGen. (ret'd) Guy Thibeault at the CDAI 2026 conference..

The Conference of Defence Associations Institute (CDAI) has held a Conference on Security and Defence annually with the 94th year being held at the Chateau Laurier this past March 4th/5th, 2026. Topics were wide ranging within the defence sphere and included military and civilian experts in all aspects of global defence and security along with keynote speakers from the military and government. The second day of this year’s conference opened with a discussion between the Honourable Stephen Fuhr, newly appointed Secretary of State for Defence Procurement (appointed May 25th, 2026), with former Vice-Chief of Defence Staff, LGen. (ret’d), Guy Thibeault, to discuss the mission and the new organization.

To see the full article, go to: https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/2026/03/18/cdai-2026-conference-on-security-and-defence-secretary-of-state-for-defence-procurement/

The new Defence Procurement organization will be “focused on accelerating military acquisitions" (ed. not a trivial task given Canada’s historical record). He works alongside the newly established Defence Investment Agency (DIA) to streamline equipment delivery for the Canadian Armed Forces and Coast Guard, while driving domestic industrial growth in sectors like shipbuilding and aerospace”. That is not a new goal as all capital procurement seems interested in faster delivery and “driving domestic industrial growth”, more often than not, to the detriment of the delivery of the capital equipment being procured.

From the Government of Canada website, “The Defence Investment Agency is modernizing Canada’s defence procurement by centralizing expertise, cutting red tape and streamlining decisions. This means faster delivery of critical equipment to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard, protecting Canada’s sovereignty and strengthening our armed forces”.

So, how will the new man achieve this. Well, the first question from LGen. Thibeault was multi-faceted as Mr. Fuhr was asked “what do you do? What’s your role” … who do you work for? … What makes you really exited? And what causes you to lose sleep at night?”. Rather a lot for an opening salvo.

To see the full article, go to: https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/2026/03/18/cdai-2026-conference-on-security-and-defence-secretary-of-state-for-defence-procurement/

03/09/2026

The Conference of Defence Associations Institute (CDAI) annually hosts its Conference on Security and Defence at the Chateau Laurier Hotel over two days which, this year – its 94th edition, was the 4th/5th of March, 2026. This year’s theme was the “Road to Five Percent” which references the NATO commitment to reach military spending of 5% of GDP to help Canada’s armed forces to expand in size, structure, and enhance its readiness. Topics included the need to change military procurement methods for faster turnarounds from assessing a need to equipment delivery, economic and social impacts of this investment, building Canada’s sovereign defence industry, and working more closely with allies in Europe than we have previously, both for battle readiness and sovereignty protection.

Pictures of all the speakers and panels can be found at:
https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/rlpgalleries/2026/cdai2026-d2/

Now, I was only able to attend the second day of the conference which, for me, was a little better as the first day panels dealt mostly with civilians, other than the panel on Mobilizing the CAF, and the panel on the Future of NATO. I’m sure they were interesting, as they have been in the past, but I like to hear the military leaders speak. The second day was certainly the day to be there for that as all three environmental commanders were on the first panel (Tom Lawson said that he could barely get all three Commanders together at one time when he was CDS so this was a treat). The following panel consisted of the commanders of the Canadian, Danish, and Swedish armies with commanders from CJOC, Special Ops, and Joint Forces appearing on others. Moderators consisted of CDAI Chairman Tom Lawson (ex-CDS), ex-Vice-CDS LGen. (ret’d) Frances Allen, LGen (ret’d) Guy Thibeault, and MGen. (ret’d) Sylvain Ménard. To finish the day, Tom Lawson hosted a chat with the CDS, Gen. Jenny Carignan, CDS to CDS. More stripes and maple leafs than you can count.

There are two observations that I would like to make with the first being that the Americans were conspicuous by their absence. I noted on the first day, last panel of the day, that the United States Ambassador to NATO did sit on the panel about “the Future of NATO” and I’m told that some of the American military showed up in support (or perhaps as body guards) but they were largely absent from the conference. I noted this as well for the second day as there were no American military on any panels and I think I only saw one American uniform in passing and that was only for an instant. I don’t know if they were afraid to show their faces over the mess they’re making of the world or they’d been ordered away in case they said something stupid or in support of the current U.S. Administration (also stupid). Either way, they were not a presence at this year’s conference, either as speakers, panel members, or participants. Cowards.

The second observation is that no one took the Americans to task for their recent disruptive behaviour. There were a couple of references to “traditional allies” and the “current state of affairs”, but other than that, no-one came out and said that the responsibility for “the current state of affairs” was the American Administration.

For those who have seen the movie Love Actually, I point out the press conference between the British Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) and the U.S. President (Billy Bob Thornton) after negotiations which, to me, illustrates exactly how the world should react to the U.S., knowing that there will be consequences and that we should be prepared to live with them. It doesn’t mean to cut off relationships with the U.S. but to work with them from an equal/superior position rather than that of a subordinate. But I digress, here is the quote..

“I fear that this has become a bad relationship. A relationship based on the President taking exactly what he wants and casually ignoring all those things that really matter to Britain. We may be a small country but we’re a great one too. A country of Shakespeare, Churchill …. A friend who bullies us is no longer a friend and since bullies only respond to strength … the President should be prepared for that”.

Back to the conference. I have yet to see a CDAI conference this big and I’ve been covering it for maybe 12 years. It’s held in the Ballroom at the Chateau Laurier Hotel and this year’s seating covered front to back and side to side with only a small walkway around the edges for photographers and a center aisle. Usually it’s full for the morning keynote speaker and then it empties out somewhat for the panels. Not so this year as all panels, at least on the second day, were well attended. I was told that next year the event will be held at the Westin Hotel as their conference rooms can hold a larger crowd as there was a large waiting list this year for people who couldn’t get in.

The day started with the Honourable Steven Fuhr, Secretary of State for Procurement, speaking to Guy Thibeault about the new job, the Defence Investment Agency, and how the procurement process needs to change and become faster. This is interesting to me as last year there was a panel that was said the same thing – spend faster to get equipment into the hands of operators realizing that every t may not be crossed or every i may not be dotted . He did make mention that some of the latest procurements have been much faster and Tom Lawson commented on the fact that he never planned to see delivery of any capital equipment initiated when he was CDS.

The next panel had the Commanders of the RCN, RCAF, and the Army on a panel with ex-CDS Lawson debating the defence investments from the perspectives of the CAF commanders. This was a good panel and I’ll be doing a separate article on just this panel. Following the Commanders panel was another panel of Commanders, specifically the Canadian Army, Danish Army, and the Swedish Army about sovereignty, readiness, and inter-operability of forces. This panel will also rate a separate article of its own.

The other panels I cannot yet comment on as I’ve not re-listened to them but the one on “Defending Canada and North American from Crisis to Conflict”, and “Forces Integration and Pan-Domain Operations” (note how we’ve gone from joint to multi to pan-domains over the years), sounded good as I heard snippets that stuck in my mind as I was working the conference.

The conference ended with CDS Gen. Carignan in a one-to-one chat with Tom Lawson so I look forward to hearing that and sharing my impressions.

I will say that this conference is long but filled with lots of information. The CDAI does everything it can to keep things on schedule, provide breaks, and make one feel welcome. For their courtesies, I’d like to pass on my thanks and congratulations to the CDAI events and communications staff.

More to come as I review the panels.

Richard Lawrence Photography

05/27/2026

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05/03/2026

04/15/2026

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