It is hard to believe that it is September already. I hope that everyone had the opportunity to take some time to recharge their batteries over the summer. It is critically important that we take time for ourselves and families when we get the chance.
As we move into the fall I would like to talk about safety in several forms. Firstly, with children returning to school, there is going to be more foot and car traffic in parts of the city. When driving I urge you to slow down and be particularly alert in school zones.
Secondly, Kingston and the surrounding areas appear to be doing well regarding the spread of COVID-19, vaccination numbers are high and people generally are following the public health guidelines. However, with the variant forms it is important to not let our guard down. We are all getting tired of restrictions and it is easy for complacency to take over, but we must stay the course. As members of the defence team, Canada depends on us to be healthy and ready to respond when needed.
Finally, as you all are aware the conduct and culture of the Canadian Armed Forces is under review. Members of the defence team have been hurt and morale in places has suffered because of problems in the culture of the Forces. There will be guidance and direction coming from the upper-levels of the department in future. In the meantime, I ask you all as leaders, regardless of your position, to start reflecting on this issue now and make changes to protect our people proactively. Our people are the heart of the defence team and we must do better to ensure that they have a safe and healthy environment in which to work.
It has been just over a year since I took my position as Base Commander. I continue to be impressed by the work, resourcefulness and dedication of the soldiers and civilians of CFB Kingston. The lodger units of this base do everything from training the next generation of soldiers and leaders to writing doctrines to which that next generation will use, all the while still providing troops and resources for operations around the world. You should all be proud of the part you play in supporting these activities.
