Former defence chief Wayne Eyre details clashes with Trudeau government in memoir
Wayne Eyre memoir: inside Trudeau clashes over military scandals and defence policy See why he stayed, what strained Ottawa relations, and what Canada still faces
Former Canadian defence chief Wayne Eyre says in a new memoir that he considered resigning several times during disputes with the Trudeau government over military misconduct, defence spending and support for Ukraine.
The book describes internal tensions around the military’s handling of the sexual misconduct scandal, the response to the 2022 convoy protest in Ottawa and debates over how quickly Canada should provide aid to Ukraine. Eyre says frustration grew as officials struggled to align political messaging with defence realities and funding decisions.
Eyre says he stayed in the job because resigning could have deepened problems inside the military and worsened relations between senior commanders and elected leaders. He adds that Canada is moving in the right direction on defence, but says the country still is not ready for the security challenges ahead.