Money well spent..........I wonder how much they spent on useless politician's goodbye's.....
Top soldier's farewell cost taxpayers $270,000
STEVEN CHASE From Wednesday's Globe and Mail March 24, 2009 at 8:36 PM EDT
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OTTAWA — Taxpayers shelled out nearly $270,000 for a pomp-and-circumstance-charged farewell to Canada's top soldier last July, including $6,600 so that departing chief of the defence staff Rick Hillier could ride off into retirement aboard a tank.
Documents obtained under access-to-information legislation show that the military was determined to send off the charismatic retiring general in style after a three-year stint in which he re-energized the Canadian Forces and emerged as the highest-profile Canadian military leader in more than a quarter century.
“I intend to provide the necessary resources to mark the occasion in a fashion that recognizes the considerable contribution made by General Hillier,” a senior colonel wrote in “tasking orders” for the July 2, 2008, event, which also welcomed Walter Natynczyk as the new top general.
The Ottawa change-of-command ceremony included a 21-gun salute ($4,035), aerial acrobatics by the Canadian Snowbirds team ($23,101), and jumps by the Skyhawks, a military parachutist team ($3,137) according to the Department of National Defence.
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Top soldier's farewell cost taxpayers $270,000
STEVEN CHASE From Wednesday's Globe and Mail March 24, 2009 at 8:36 PM EDT
Article Link
OTTAWA — Taxpayers shelled out nearly $270,000 for a pomp-and-circumstance-charged farewell to Canada's top soldier last July, including $6,600 so that departing chief of the defence staff Rick Hillier could ride off into retirement aboard a tank.
Documents obtained under access-to-information legislation show that the military was determined to send off the charismatic retiring general in style after a three-year stint in which he re-energized the Canadian Forces and emerged as the highest-profile Canadian military leader in more than a quarter century.
“I intend to provide the necessary resources to mark the occasion in a fashion that recognizes the considerable contribution made by General Hillier,” a senior colonel wrote in “tasking orders” for the July 2, 2008, event, which also welcomed Walter Natynczyk as the new top general.
The Ottawa change-of-command ceremony included a 21-gun salute ($4,035), aerial acrobatics by the Canadian Snowbirds team ($23,101), and jumps by the Skyhawks, a military parachutist team ($3,137) according to the Department of National Defence.
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