National Post: Vice-Admiral Topshee To Be Next Vice-Chief Of The Defence Staff, Rear-Admiral Charlebois To Take Over As CRCN

Noah Note

Welp. The National Post got me again, for the second time in two weeks! The Post is reporting that Vice-Admiral Topshee will be moving to the role of Vice Chief of the Defence Staff this Summer, replacing the retiring Lieutenant-General Kelsey.

In turn Rear-Admiral Charlebois, current Deputy Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy will be taking over as CRCN. As of now, I still do not know who will take over his role. Vice-Admiral Topshee will hand over command on June 15th at HMCS Star in Hamilton.

We can confirm here both of these moves, in fact, I was gonna put them in next weeks newsletter. Damn you National Post for taking my top spot. Of course, we have been following the shifts in leadership across the Defence Team the last few months.

We previously reported that a new VCDS was expected, and that CDS Carignan would also be out cone this summer, though those plans have seemingly shifted back. It caps off a series of major shifts thatnwe have seen over the last few months across the Defence Team.

Several notable figures including Deputy Minister of National Defence Stefanie Beck and Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard Mario Pelletier have retired. Lieutenant-General Speiser-Blanchet was appointed Commander of the RCAF just under a year ago as well.

We've also seen a massive reshuffling at the Associate and Deputy Minister level this year, with with several other notable names shuffled out, including Ted Gallivan and David Angell. In their place the likes of Kevin Brosseau, who maintains his tri-positioning as Senior Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence and, Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, and Commissioner in Canada’s Fight Against Fentanyl.

Dominic Rochon, former Chief Information Officer and now Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (National Security and Intelligence) also joined in the March shuffle. All in all, many key figures have left the last year and with them many new ones have come in.

Above all, a congrats to the Vice-Admiral. As one of the most outspoken figures in the community, I know many are excited to see him take this role. As the man who gave me a massive opportunity to show myself, and in turn helped firmly establish TNSR, I am also happy to see him in this new position.

Perhaps I will write more on it in the coming days. It's almost midnight, so I am burnt. However I did want to highlight this massove move. Vice-Admiral Topshee will miss just short of four years as CRCN, The longest since the mid-eighties with Vice-Admiral Wood. Getting just shy of four years is surprisingly common, lord knows I couldn't tell you who got closest.

Getting to four years though would be the longest since Vice-Admiral Rayner from 60-64, and actually surpass him if it went past. That would be the longest-service CRCN since DeWolf. Isn't history fun? I was kinda hoping the Vice-Admiral would make it to four just to break that record.

Either way, we here at TNSR congratulate Vice-Admiral Topshee and Rear-Admiral Charlebois on their new appointments. On to the next!

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EDIT: The article states that the Change of Command ceremony will take place on the 15th, but apparently I'm off by a day. It is actually on the 16th and will be at Haida. Literally off by a milimeter. I apologize.

ANOTHER EDIT: JUNE COMES AFTER MAY. I DONT KNOW WHY I MIXED THIS. Man I suck at this tonight. This isn't my thing lol. Vice-Admiral Topshee assumed command on May 30th, so he will pass the four-year mark and indeed be the longest-serving CRCN since DeWolf.

A massive accomplishment in it's own right that should be highlighted, and a testament to the Vice-Admiral. I can't believe I messed up that timeline. This is what I get for rush posting at 11pm I guess.

Again, I deeply apologize for these two mistakes. Both should have been caught by me. Don't rush out articles kids, unless you wanna look the fool.