Commander inherits base shaken by slayings

Published On Sat Feb 20 2010


Allison Jones The Canadian Press

TRENTON, ONT.–Leadership at an air force base rocked by scandal changed hands Friday with the new commander urging the men and women of CFB Trenton to break through the dark cloud left by their former commander, who is now facing murder charges.

A pair of signatures on a certificate officially made Col. Dave Cochrane the leader of the shaken base. But it will take more than that to truly move past the allegations against Col. Russell Williams, a top air force officer said Friday.

"If (only) it was as easy as just signing a piece of paper and telling somebody, 'You got the job' and I'll be satisfied that we have a new wing commander and everything is going to be fine," Maj.-Gen. Yvan Blondin, commander of 1 Canadian Air Division, said at an assumption of command ceremony.

Cochrane assumed command of Canada's busiest air force base during the ceremony attended by hundreds of officers and dignitaries. With his family – wife Sherri and children Jamie, 13 and Lindsay, 12, – looking on, he urged the soldiers under his command to stay proud.

"Stand tall, ladies and gentlemen. You deserve it," Cochrane said.

Williams, 46, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Cpl. Marie-France Comeau and Jessica Lloyd.

Williams was formally relieved of his command Thursday after making his first court appearance, via video.