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Canada's new chief of defense staff assumes office

Xinhua, July 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

General Jonathan Vance officially replaced General Tom Lawson to be Canada's Chief of the Defense Staff (CDS) here on Friday morning.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper also took part in the change of command ceremony on Friday, presided over by David Johnston, Canada's Governor General and Commander-in-Chief, at the Shaw Center in Ottawa.

At the ceremony, Harper outlined some of the responsibilities awaiting the new CDS, which include improving the Canadian Armed Forces' capability to carry out special operations and use advanced battlefield communications and surveillance.

General Vance became head of the Canadian Joint Operations Command in September 2014. Previously he also served as Deputy Commander of Allied Joint Force Command Naples in Italy, Director of Staff, Strategic Joint Staff, National Defense Headquarters, and Chief of Staff Land Strategy, Canadian Army.

The CDS is the second most senior member of the Canadian Armed Forces and heads the Armed Forces Council. Endite