Canadian Forces (CF) members are proud to serve Canada by defending its values, interests and sovereignty at home and abroad. The Chief of the Defence Staff, or CDS, is General Walter Natynczyk. He is responsible for the conduct of military operations and for the readiness of the Canadian Forces to carry out the tasks that Parliament assigns through the Minister. The CDS authority extends to the Navy, the Army and the Air force as well as to the four commands.
The Department of National Defence (DND) is the largest federal government department. DND and the CF together have a budget of approximately 18 billion dollars, and over 110,000 employees.