Quick. Bring back retired general Rick Hillier, before Canada’s Armed Forces enter a decade of deference.

Chief of Defence Staff Walter Natynczyk yesterday bowed to political pressure and ripped up his own vice-admiral’s order to mothball half the naval fleet to stay within budget.

“It is my job to make sure my Minister is not surprised, that’s my job,” Gen. Natynczyk told reporters yesterday. “I have a role to support the minister and if the Minister is uncomfortable with this kind of intention, then I have to adjust resources in there to ensure we achieve the Minister’s intent.”

Good grief. A military leader already ridiculed in senior circles for spending too much time flying his Challengers around the globe on questionable trips apparently now sees himself as a political staffer to Defence Minister Peter MacKay.

It’s not like Gen. Natynczyk didn’t know navy orders were coming down to dock half of Canada’s coastal defence ships, reduce service for three frigates and mothball advanced weapon systems. His name is on the circulation list.

And given that even Liberal senators had copies of the orders several days ago, it defies belief Mr. MacKay was ‘’surprised’’ by a vice-admiral directive sent out last month.

Sure, Mr. MacKay’s sensitivity to the move is understandable; his Nova Scotia riding is just a couple of hours down the road from the navy’s Atlantic HQ. But sending pitbull MP Laurie Hawn into the Commons yesterday to insist the orders were “false” is a bit rich, given they were in effect and being implemented until yesterday afternoon.

Now, let there be no doubt the Canadian navy is far from tip-top shape as it waits for overdue replacement vessels to arrive.

I was standing in St. John’s harbour when HMCS Corner Brook pulled in last Friday. It was one of those used subs we bought from Britain in 2003, most of them having spent far more time in repairs than under water.

The Corner Brook has deep pockets of rust from bow to stern. Dozens of external panels appear to have fallen off. A foreign-looking steel plate has been screwed into the hull. I asked one of the seamen if he felt safe submerging in this relic. He shrugged. “I just follow orders.”

I digress.

Perhaps Vice-Admiral Dean Mc-Fadden was engaging in the naval version of the RCMP’s Musical Ride Manoeuvre. When the Mounties are ordered to cut costs, they inevitably put the popular equestrian tourist attraction on the chopping block. It’s a given the public outcry will immediately force politicians into rescinding the cuts.

Perhaps the Vice-Admiral is willing to endure the public humiliation of having his orders rejected, in order to force Gen. Natynczyk into pledging a review to find the funds to keep the ships on active duty.

But land and air chiefs must be plenty worried because refloating the fleet will require a lot of money siphoned from other areas of the Canadian Forces. (Ironically, a senior source says Gen. Natynczyk returned almost $500-million of unspent military funds last month.)

Canada’s chief of defence staff has a duty to defend his military, not subject it to change orders based on political expediency. For his soldiers, sailors and pilots, his job performance must come as a rude surprise.