'No basis' to talk of replacing Hillier: MacKay
Updated Wed. Oct. 3 2007 10:30 AM ET CTV.ca News Staff
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Any talk of the Conservative government replacing Gen. Rick Hillier as chief of defence staff is just speculation, says Defence Minister Peter MacKay.
"There's no basis to this discussion. We're at war with respect to terrorism. Gen. Hillier has shown great leadership and we have tremendous confidence in his ability," MacKay told reporters in Halifax on Wednesday.
"He serves at the pleasure of the prime minister, and the prime minister is pleased with the work he is doing."
CTV News reported Tuesday night that the Conservative government won't extend the charismatic top general's three-year term when it comes up for renewal in February. Some observers told CTV News they thought he wanted to stay on to oversee Canada's mission in Afghanistan.
However, Hillier may have personally decided not to stay on as the Armed Forces' chief of defence staff when his term expires.
Robert Fife, CTV's Ottawa bureau chief who broke the story, said a source told him late Tuesday that Hillier had decided against an extension to his term.
"We'll see if that in fact is the case. All his office will say is that his reappointment is the prerogative of the prime minister," Fife told Canada AM on Wednesday.
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