Portrait of General Wayne Eyre by Gertrude Kearns. The Chief of the Defence Staff for the Canadian Armed Forces is reaching the end of his term at a worrying time for the Canadian Armed Forces.GERTRUDE KEARNS
Gertrude (Steiger) Kearns C.M. will receive a Doctor of Law honoris causa from the Royal Military College of Canada on June 25. She is an honorary war artist at the Royal Canadian Military Institute in Toronto. In 2023, she completed a portrait commission of the Honourable William (Bill) C. Graham for Trinity College at the University of Toronto. Her work is included in the new Canadian War Museum exhibition Outside the Lines, which explores the evolving perspectives of women on war and conflict in a series of works by female artists spanning more than two centuries.
This new portrait of General Wayne Eyre references two combat uniforms. The first is a uniform from his past – the arid beige CADPAT (Canadian Disruptive Pattern) you see on his legs and shoulders (which Canadian troops eventually wore throughout our 12 years in Afghanistan), evokes his “coming out of Afghanistan.” The predominantly green Woodland CADPAT represents Gen. Eyre’s current post and his time as Chief of the Defence Staff. His concerns are many as he nears the conclusion of his final command. Canada is feeling the pain of shrinking military might.
The foremost concern is the dire state of our military capability and readiness. Our forces have faced spending cuts across the board that have left us increasingly inept both as a player on the world stage, and as an effective responder nationally. Hiring and retention problems, while not unique to Canada, are extremely concerning. Procurement needs for land, sea and air, always a formidable task at the best of times, is hard to convey to politicians and the public alike, and Gen. Eyre has tried. The new defence policy, Our North Strong and Free, which promises some serious spending, echoes his concerns but is likely only long-range rhetoric for short-term political gain. Hopefully not.
How we’ll hit our 2-per-cent-of-GDP NATO commitment is a task open for interpretation. But NATO’s broadened scope of interests in the Arctic, for one due to proliferating Russian activity, could have a northerly focus making up for that 2-per-cent contribution. It’s money well spent in Canada. Canadian prosperity hinges on security.
This is a turning point in history. The Chief of the Defence Staff often uses the word “polycrisis” to emphasize this era of globally integrated threats. These are perilous times, with entrenched conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and NORAD and the Indo-Pacific requiring continuing attention. We desperately require a reconstituted Canadian Armed Forces to adapt to the changing character of war, and to hold our own as a contributor to NATO.
The portrait is intended to convey a sense of urgency.