Backing our sons and daughters: Canadians are once again proud of their military, says Canada's Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Rick Hillier.

General Rick Hillier was promoted to chief of the defence staff on Feb. 4, 2005, and has since led a major transformation of the Canadian Forces. Recently, General Hillier spoke with the Western Standard about how the Forces have changed not only in form, but in the minds of Canadians.

WS: The Canadian Forces have clearly been undergoing a major transformation, but there seems to be a cultural shift going on where the public's perception of the Canadian Forces is changing. Is that part of your strategy for transforming the Forces?

Gen. Rick Hillier: We are undergoing a significant transformation. In short, we are changing everything we do and how we do it. The most important part of what we do is the cultural, mental, attitude, intellectual change, and to get people to think outside of the status quo and outside of the way it was.

We said to folks that the Canadian Forces cannot exist outside of our society, and unless we are seen by Canadians--all 33 million of them--as their armed forces, as their sons and daughters in uniform, doing what they want done for their country, and unless we are seen by Joe Farmer on his tractor in Saskatchewan and Josephine Fisherwoman in her boat in Newfoundland as being something they believe in and something they see as relevant, unless that occurs, we will fail.

Unless people see us as something that Canada needs and needs to support, we won't get the political support, and we certainly wouldn't get the financial support we need to do business. Fundamental for everything we are doing in transformation is to recruit the nation and have Canadians wake up to the fact that they have an armed forces, that this armed force is [an] essential part of our society and one of the key pillars that allows us to have great stability and security and allows us to live in such a luxurious lifestyle with all the rights and privileges we have. That is a fundamental part of our transformation: connecting to Canadians.

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Have Canadians been receptive to your efforts?

It's been overwhelming. I continue to be amazed every single day. First of all, I think we have the easiest job in the world. We're marketing Canada's sons and daughters back to Canada's moms and dads, and that's a pretty easy sell. But until you actually talk about it, they don't really realize that. When we started doing that in an active manner and putting a face on it, it was incredible the resonance we had with Canadians at large. I can quote you hundreds of examples, as can anyone in uniform. Soldiers keep telling me of people coming up and shaking their hands and thanking them for what they do. Normal Canadians from every walk of life saying, "We believe in you, and we believe you are an essential part of our country, and our support is guaranteed." They had never heard that in Canada before, and now that is commonplace.

Is there anything specific that you think caused this change?

One was simply presenting the Forces with a face on it. Here's the real flesh and blood, your sons and daughters. Let them see that these are individuals, not faceless robots doing things without emotion and without compassion. So first, presenting what an incredible national treasure we have in uniform. Secondly, being able to tell the story more effectively by showing what those men and women do for our country. By showcasing just a little bit our Special Forces capability, which is world-class, or the incredible maritime capabilities we have ... or showing operations around the world, helping those who desperately need help, as in Afghanistan. Showing that has caused an incredibly positive reaction from Canadians.

Has there been a particularly effective tool for getting this message out?

Our greatest asset continues to be our national treasures in uniform. We put young men and women out there to do a great job and they put their lives on the line. And we said [that] we [must] trust them to speak to all these incredible things that are ongoing. They become the most credible spokesmen and women that exist in our country. They, without question, have become our flag-carriers; and Canadians can see what an incredible resource we have.