Chief of the Defence Staff (Canada)

The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS; French: Chef d'état-major de la Défense, CED) is de facto the highest ranking member of the Canadian Armed Forces, and chair of the Armed Forces Council, the general staff of the Canadian Forces. The CDS has primary responsibility for the command, control, and administration of the Canadian Forces, as well as military strategy, plans, and requirements. The position is held by the most senior member of one of the four service branches of the Canadian Armed Forces: the Army, Navy, Aerospace Forces and the Gendarmerie.

The CDS is assisted in his/her role by the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, who as a member of the Canadian Forces is subordinate only to the sitting CDS and who outranks the chiefs of staff of each service branch. The Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff takes on many roles of the CDS at the CDS' discretion, and according to the Constitution of Canada becomes acting Chief of the Defence Staff in the event of the death or incapacitation of the sitting Chief of the Defence Staff. The CDS, while the highest ranking member of the Canadian Forces in practice (de facto), is de jure the second-highest ranking member, as the constitution stipulates that the President of Canada is the commander-in-chief of the Canadian Forces. As such, the CDS is the highest ranking non-civilian member of the military, as the President of Canada is considered a civilian.