Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Government of Canada and all members in the House, I would like to congratulate General Rick Hillier on assuming the post of chief of the defence staff of the Canadian Forces.
General Hillier's extensive experience and proven no-nonsense leadership will be instrumental in transforming our Canadian Forces to meet our security challenges in the post-September 11 environment.
He has served on many UN and NATO missions. Most recently he led 6,000 troops from 35 nations as the commander of NATO's international security assistance force in Afghanistan.
I would also like to congratulate outgoing chief of the defence staff General Ray Henault, who was elected to the post of NATO's most senior military officer as chairman of its military committee providing excellent advice and strong leadership.
On behalf of all members, I thank both generals for their profound service to our country. I look forward to working with General Hillier to strengthen the capabilities of our men and women who work in our Canadian Forces.