Canada's new chief of defence staff may not have many enemies, but he has tough opponents. Exhausted troops, slashed budgets, and a controversy over jet fighter costs. We look at what's in store for Lt.-Gen. Tom Lawson.

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Canada's New Chief of Defence Faces Bumpy Road - Panel

We started this segment with a clip of Lt.- General Tom Lawson shortly after he was named new head of Canada's military. The former fighter pilot and air force veteran replaces General Walter Natynczyk. General Natynczyk may have handed Lt.- General Lawson a professional armed force, but many of its troops are exhausted, its budget is shrinking, and the escalating cost of the F-35 fighter jets remains controversial with Canadians.

With their thoughts on what may be in store, we were joined by three guests.

Scott Taylor is editor of Esprit de Corps military magazine, Murray Brewster is the Defence Correspondent for The Canadian Press. And Elinor Sloan is a professor of International Relations at Carleton University and a former defence analyst with the Department of National Defence. They were all in our Ottawa studio. .

This segment was produced by The Current's Shannon Higgins and Josh Bloch.

Last Word - Rick Mercer on Bell and Rogers

We've been talking this morning about Bell's hopes to take over Astral media. Comedian Rick Mercer believes there are two kinds of people in this country. Bell people and Rogers people. And neither group is very happy about it. Today's Last Word goes to Rick.

Other segments from today's show:

U.S. Ambassador to Libya killed in Benghazi attack

What does Bell Canada's bid to take over Astral Media mean for consumers?