The limits on a Chief of Defence Staff's speaking publicly

Angry in the Great White North writes:
...
Should the General's [Hillier] comments be vetted through the PMO? Just because this hasn't been the custom in the past doesn't mean it's not a good idea. Consider it instead a recognition of the importance of the CDS as a means of delivering signals. Frankly, that the Liberals have always ignored the CDS and his speeches is the real insult. Instead, the CDS is recognized now as a a person whose comments on national and international issues carry real weight. As such, those comments need to reflect government policy, and to have people skilled in understanding how words can be represented and misrepresented by the media look over a speech doesn't sound like a bad thing...

If Stephen Harper and his people allow other people to start driving the agenda every which way, it is the surest means of making sure nothing gets accomplished. General Hillier is no fool -- I'm sure he gets it, even if the media seems eager to spin this in a bad way ("reeled in"?). He might want to talk about some issues important to the military, but now is not the time...

At which post I commented:

It is certainly not the role of the CDS (or officers generally) to comment on foreign policy or the broad outlines of government defence policy.

But it is the CDS's role to speak frankly in public about the military consequences of policy specifics, and about the equipment and numbers he thinks the CF need to carry out the government's policies. In this he is only giving the expert advice that he is being paid for.

If he is not allowed to give it publicly (to a government of any colour) this allows the government to mislead the public about the state of the CF and its ability to do the government's bidding--which it must do, even if not properly equipped and even if not having sufficient numbers.

And once the government has taken a decision--for whatever reason, say on what type of transport aircraft to purchase--the military must carry out that decision without any further public discussion.

One should note that Hillier has not spoken publicly about the Conservatives' ridiculous campaign promises to put battalions (now non-existent) in these silly places: Goose Bay, Bagotville, Trenton and Comox, or to buy armed icebreakers for the Navy when in fact the Canadian Coast Guard operates our icebreakers and badly needs new ones itself.

I suspect it was General Hillier's saying the Air Force needs new heavy-lift helicopters in Afghanistan by September that caused Prime Minister Harper to act.

Update: Hillier denies PMO office vets speeches.

But perhaps the General has been given a hint.

See also:
Oh dear: Conservatives re-assessing military equipment procurement

When will the Conservatives start putting money behind their defence promises?

Cross-posted to Daimnation!