1998-, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

______

Other sites on military law

-Part I -- Canadian Military Law -- Miscellaneous

-  Blog

- Somalia Inquiry & Government Reaction
      -  1995-1997: Somalia Inquiry
      -  Departmental Reaction to Somalia Inquiry
      -  Special Advisory Group on Military Justice and Military Police Investigation Services
          January 1997 to July 1997
      -  The Special Senate Committee on the Canadian Airborne Regiment in Somalia (April 1997)
      -  Report to the Prime Minister on the Leadership and Management of the Canadian Forces (March 1997)
        -  Minister's Monitoring Committee on Change in the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces (October 1997 to 1999)
         - Bill C-25--An Act to amend the National Defence Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts
         (Royal Assent, 10 December 1998)
       - 2003 -- Five Year Review of Bill C-25
       - 2011 -- Second Five Year Review of Bill C-25    
         

-  Governments Bills 1999-2012 on National Defence Act

- Current Affairs -- Sexual Misconduct

- Court Martial Comprehensive Review 2016-2017

- JAG & DND Web Sites

- Laws, Regulations and Orders

- Superseded Legislation

- Web Sites of Interest

Part II -- Canadian Military Law -- Bibliography
 A-B--C-D--E-G--H-L--M-R--S-Z

------

(Québec) ÉDITORIAL / Le chef d'état-major de la Défense canadienne, le général Jonathan H. Vance,
s'est odieusement servi du dossier de Stéphanie Raymond pour protéger l'image de l'armée. Et c'est peine
perdue. [...]  

Both the incoming and outgoing commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy
today delivered some of their most forceful public condemnations of racism
and sexual violence in the ranks — an apparent signal the military's campaign
against misconduct has entered a new phase.

The remarks were delivered in tandem by Vice-Admiral Art McDonald — who
becomes the country's new top military commander later this week — and
Vice-Admiral Craig Baines during a virtual change-of-command ceremony in Ottawa.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Institutional Overview
  • Enhanced Victim Support 
  • Policy
  • Training and Education
  • Governance
  • Performance Measurement
  • Data Collection and Reporting
  • Leadership Vigilance
  • Military Justice and Military Policing
  •     - Victim Support during Military Prosecutions of Offences of a Sexual Nature
  •     - Enhanced Investigation of Offences of a Sexual Nature
  •     - Improved Victim Control of Jurisdictional Authority
  •     - Court Martial Comprensive Review
  •     - Table 8, Military Justice and Military Police Summary
    
  • Programs Related to Employment Equity; Diversity; Gender Based Analysis Plus; and Women, Peace and Security
  • Strategic Engagement and Awareness
• Operationalizing Operation HONOUR
  • Royal Canadian Navy
  • Canadian Army
  • Royal Canadian Air Force
  • Canadian Joint Operations Command
  • Canadian Special Operations Force Command
• Implementing ERA Recommendations
  • Progress made on ERA Recommendations 1 through 10
• Conclusion

CANADIAN ARMED FORCES, The Path to Dignity and Respect: The Canadian Armed Forces Strategy to Address Sexual Misconduct, 2020, available at https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/reports-publications/the-path-to-dignity-and-respect.html (accessed 30 October 2020)

CANADIAN FORCES, Chief of the Defence Staff, J.M.G. Baril, Open Letter, "Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct and General Military Discipline in the Canadian Forces to all Members of the Canadian Forces and Their Families", 9 June 1998, available at http://web.archive.org/web/20020209135321/http://www.dnd.ca/eng/archive/1998/jun98/discipline_n_e.htm;
FRANÇAIS :
FORCES CANADIENNES, Le Chef d'état-major de la Défense, J.M.G. Baril, Lettre ouverte, "Harcèlement sexuel, actes d’inconduite sexuelle et discipline générale au sein des Forces canadiennes", 9 juin 1998, disponible à http://web.archive.org/web/20020427052353/http://www.dnd.ca/fr/archive/1998/jun98/discipline_n_f.htm;

Also in this reporting period the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) issued his order concerning Operation HONOUR which is aimed at eliminating harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour within the CAF. Inappropriate sexual behaviour of any kind is contrary to the values of the profession of arms, the profession of law, the ethical principles of the Department of National Defence (DND) and the CAF. Accordingly, I have directed the implementation of Operation HONOUR within the Office of the JAG in order to eliminate inappropriate sexual behaviour, to ensure that efforts to implement the CDS’s direction by the chain of command occur with a complete understanding of applicable law and consequent legal risk and to ensure that those individuals who are alleged to have committed a service offence of a sexual nature contrary to the Code of Service Discipline are properly dealt with according to the rule of law. [p. iv]
......

The JAG will continue to support the CDS and other members of the chain of command in the execution of Operation HONOUR. In addition to taking the necessary steps to implement the strategy of the CDS to eliminate inappropriate sexual behaviour within the CAF, the Office of the JAG will work to ensure that efforts to implement Operation HONOUR occur with a complete understanding of applicable law and consequent legal risk. Additionally, the Office of the JAG will ensure that any efforts to develop the military justice system complement efforts that are being undertaken by other CAF authorities in support of Operation HONOUR. [pp. 33-34]

...Denise Preston, who took over as executive director last month, said the Ottawa-based centre will finally expand
 its hours after nearly two years of existence in the coming weeks.
....
...Preston, a registered psychologist who spent 19 years at the Correctional Service of Canada and eight with the Parole Board,
including in several senior positions.

The sexual misconduct response centre is unique within the military in that it is independent from the chain of command,
which Preston compared to the way the Parole Board operates.

Preston reports to National Defence's top bureaucrat, deputy minister John Forster, who is responsible for managing the
department's civilian staff in the same way defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance oversees those in uniform.

Canada’s newly minted chief of defence staff will hold a summit this August with the leadership of the Canadian military to determine
the way ahead for eradicating sexual assault and harassment in the Canadian Forces.

he inquiry examined how the military responded to the allegations and grievances of former master
corporal Stephanie Raymond, who alleged she was raped by a superior and then driven out of the
army for reporting it.

Kenney was asked point blank by NDP defence critic Jack Harris whether he would "guarantee that the Canadian Armed Forces will establish an independent body to handle sexual misconduct. Yes or no."

Kenney responded: "Yes."

....

Lawson's orders also seem to rule out Deschamps's recommendation to have civilian police handle an entire investigation, if the victim chooses.

However, Justice Minister Peter MacKay, a former defence minister, suggested Wednesday he supports that recommendation.

"I personally think, and I encourage — I spoke to the [military's] Judge Advocate General yesterday — that there should be perhaps a protocol or perhaps a consultation that takes place between Crown prosecutors and military justice system."

"I just think there's an opportunity there for greater collaboration in some cases between our military justice system when the behaviour crosses that line."

....
Two years later, while Cox battles mental illness, no charges have been laid and no punishment delivered to the three colleagues
and one superior she has accused of sexual misconduct.

The military has not helped her navigate the process for pursuing her grievances, Cox said, despite the encouraging tone from the top.

She had hoped the office of the Forces' senior legal officer would provide assistance, but was told it was outside their mandate. At one
point she said she was advised to find her own lawyer.

Cox also said she was originally told that none of her complaints would be pursued at all, so she responded by taking her concerns up
the chain of command on her own.

Two of Cox's cases have been reopened. She said she also plans to keep fighting for the other cases to be investigated further.

Service Support

20. The JAG is committed to ensuring that those findings and recommendations within reference A that touch upon the military justice system are closely reviewed, in coordination with CSRT-SM, to ensure that any changes to military justice legislation, policies and practices are consistent with the approaches being developed by that team.
    

A Petawawa soldier was sentenced Monday to 8 years and nine months in prison for video taping and taking photographs
of women as he sexually assaulted them.

In Pembroke superior court, Cpl. Derrick Gallagher learned he will receive five years and four months of credit for the
pre-sentence custody he had already accumulated

Whitecross hopes to see change as soon as possible.

"Our first report is due in the fall" said Whitecross.  "And in that timeframe, we're hoping to actually have tangible action plans and perhaps even measurements
available in all our action items.  I can't really say how long it will take us.  Culture change takes months and years.  Behaviour change as well.    

Whitecross hopes to see change as soon as possible.
"Our first report is due in the fall," said Whitecross. "And in that timeframe, we're hoping to actually have tangible action plans and perhaps even measurements available in all of our action items. I can't really say how long it will take us. Culture change takes months and years. Behaviour change as well." - See more at: http://www.comoxvalleyecho.com/news/local-news/general-talks-to-cfb-comox-staff-about-sexual-misconduct-in-the-military-1.1937980#sthash.hdUILs41.dpuf

Abstract

Although the Canadian military has been conducting sexual assault trials for over twenty
years, there has been no academic study of them and no external review of them. This
review of the military’s sexual assault cases (the first of its kind) yields several important
findings. First, the conviction rate for the offence of sexual assault by courts martial is
dramatically lower than the rate in Canada’s civilian criminal courts. The difference
between acquittal rates in sexual assault cases in these two systems appears to be even
larger. Since Operation Honour was launched in 2015 only 1 soldier has been convicted
of sexually assaulting a female member of the Canadian Armed Forces by Canada’s
military legal system. (One other conviction was overturned on appeal and is pending
before the Supreme Court of Canada.) In addition, plea bargains in which accused
individuals can avoid Criminal Code convictions by pleading guilty to military specific
discipline offences like drunkenness and disgraceful conduct have been used in some
cases involving aggressive sexual attacks. Sanctions for even these serious sexual
attacks involved fines and reprimands. Last, the decisions of military judges in
some cases suggest a critical failure to recognize the Canadian military’s culture
of hostility to women documented in the Deschamps Report. Together these findings
raise the following question: regardless of the outcome of the current constitutional
challenge to courts martial proceedings in Canada (in R v Beaudry), should the
military’s legal system continue to maintain jurisdiction over sexual assault cases?

....the federal government argued in court filings that it does not “owe a private law duty of care to individual members within
the CAF to provide a safe and harassment-free work environment, or to create policies to prevent sexual harassment or sexual assault."

This week, two more soldiers faced court martials on sexual assault charges. In both cases, the soldiers pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disgraceful conduct while the
 sexual assault charges were stayed.

Retired Col. Michel Drapeau calls the process “a second-class type of justice system” for victims of sexual assault.

“The accused pleads guilty to (a) disciplinary offense and gets away -- I think that’s the term -- with a minor sentence, no criminal records,” Drapeau told CTV News.

....

Military prosecutors say they take sexual offences seriously and that plea bargains are not a default.

“Obviously if we put them forward professionally, it’s because we think they are appropriate in the circumstance. Otherwise we would not put them forward,” said Lt.-Col David Antonyshyn with the Canadian Military Prosecution Service.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has said the system is under review.

- CAF-DND Sexual Misconduct Class Action, see https://www.classaction.deloitte.ca/en-ca/Pages/CAF-DNDsexualmisconductclassaction.aspx (accessed 28 August 2019):

Main Documents and Notices

1. Final Settlement Agreement
2. Court-approved Notice 
3. Participation Form

-   LGBT Purge Settlement Class Action, see https://www.classaction.deloitte.ca/en-ca/Pages/LGBTpurgeSettlementClassAction.aspx (accessed 28 August 2019);

Main Documents and Notices

1. Final Settlement Agreement.pdf
2. Settlement Approval Order.pdf
3. Long Form Notice.pdf
4. Individual Application (Claim) Form.pdf

Justice (retired) Marie Deschamps' mandate specifically excludes any review of any decision relating to the military penal justice system or a decision made to investigate complaints, lay charges, to proceed with charges or prosecute charges. It also excludes any legal advice received by the Department of National Defence or the Canadian Forces, the conduct of military police or any matter related to the JAG in respect of his function as the Superintendent of the administration of the military justice. In short, her mandate is limited to (a) a review of policies, procedures and programs in relation to sexual misconduct and sexual harassment, and (b) the extent to which members actually report incidence of sexual misconduct.

I am unable to comprehend why a jurist of her high standing would have accepted such a truncated mandate. Particularly since both her vast and acclaimed judicial expertise and experience lie precisely in the area pertaining to the penal justice system and since the failure by victims to report ‘sexual misconduct’ probably exist in the first place because of the failure of the existing military penal justice system to properly deal with such crimes.

Unless, her mandate is enlarged, this External Review risks to be left with the pleasant task of giving accolades to the military for the clarity and comprehensiveness of their policies, instructions, orders, regulations, directives on the issues of sexual misconduct as well as the appropriateness of their training programs to prevent sexual misconduct. By the same token, however, this will provide the military penal justice system an unassailable opportunity to “montrer patte blanche’ despite its current alleged inability to deal effectively with victims of sexual assault resulting in a disturbingly high level of unreported incidents of sexual misconduct.

One of Deschamps' other recommendations — still considered a work in progress — is to make the sexual misconduct
response centre fully independent and able to track and evaluate the military's efforts.

It's something defence department officials have resisted, but Emma Phillips, a Toronto lawyer who acted as counsel
to the Deschamps commission, said Tuesday's report shows DND is backtracking and the centre will now be independent.

Colonel Bruce MacGregor, the director of military prosecutions, recognizes that sexual-assault victims who pursue justice through
the court-martial system cannot rely on those legislated rights. But, he said, he has spent the past couple of years rewriting policies
for military prosecutions to take the best of the Victims Bill of Rights and put it into practice in the military system.

For instance, Ms. Deschamps recommended in her report that sexual-assault victims be allowed to express their opinion about
whether their cases should be handled by a civilian or military court. Col. MacGregor has decreed that his prosecutors must ask
the victim for their views on jurisdiction – even if the final decision rests with him. Prosecutors are also told that victims must
be kept up do date about the progress of their cases. "If there is a lack of communication," he said, "that's against our direction."

There is an effort to limit the number of times a victim has to tell their story and to ensure that the same prosecutor handles a
case from start to finish. And military prosecutors must put pressure on defence counsel to allow victim-impact statements.

Col. MacGregor has also hired Lieutenant-Colonel Maureen Pecknold, a reservist and senior mentor to the Ontario Crown on
sexual-assault cases, to be the part-time director of his sexual-misconduct prosecutions team.

In his first speech as CDS, Gen. Vance told the officers, politicians and bureaucrats attending the ceremony in a downtown convention centre that the well-being of the members of the Armed Forces will be his own top priority and that of all other officers of the army, navy, air force and special operations.

"Any form of harmful behaviour has been and always will be absolutely contrary to good order and discipline.  It is a threat to morale, it is a threat to operational readiness and a threat to this institution," said the general.  "Therefore, as my first order to the Canadian Armed Forces, everybody must continue to work together to eliminate this harmful behaviour.  It must stop now."

Description: Using the Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces
(n = 43,440) we examined risk factors associated with the experience of sexual
misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). We used logistic regression models
to identify predictors of being a target of sexual misconduct among CAF members.
We also examined whether risk factors associated with sexual misconduct vary by sex
and environmental command (Army, Navy, Air Force, or Military Personnel). The
proportions of CAF members who experienced sexual assault, inappropriate sexualized
behavior, or discriminatory behavior on the basis of sex and sexual orientation or gender
identity in the past year were 2%, 18.4%, and 5.9%, respectively. The odds ratio of being
the target for sexual assault or inappropriate sexual behavior and discriminatory behavior
in the past year among females compared to males was 4.75 (95% confidence interval
[CI] = 4.14 to 5.44), 2.55 (95% CI = 2.41 to 2.71), and 4.67 (95% CI = 4.3 to 5.08),
respectively. Being a victim of one or more of the three types of sexual misconduct in the
past year was associated with one or more of the following factors: younger, single,
Indigenous, disabled, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, highly educated, or junior
non-commissioned members of the CAF. Results were generally consistent when we
stratified our analysis by sex and environmental command. These results suggest that
sexual misconduct is a problem within the CAF. There is a need for change within the
CAF to prevent sexual misconduct among at-risk members.

[source: http://primo-pmtna01.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?ct=Next+Page&pag=nxt&page
NumberComingFrom=25&fn=search&indx=241&vl(13699712UI6)=&dscnt=0&vl(1UIStartWith0)=contains&vl(1UIStartWith
2)=contains&vid=01LOC&mode=Advanced&vl(D13699709UI3)=all_items&vl(boolOperator1)=AND&tab=default_tab&vl
(13699711UI6)=00&vl(D13699706UI0)=any&vl(freeText1)=&dstmp=1565007755287&vl(13699710UI6)=00&frbg=&vl(13
699715UI6)=&vl(D13699705UI1)=any&vl(D13699708UI4)=all_items&vl(13699714UI6)=00&vl(1UIStartWith1)=contains&
ct=Next%20Page&srt=rank&vl(480887489UI2)=any&vl(boolOperator0)=AND&Submit=Search&vl(D13699707UI5)=all_items
&vl(boolOperator2)=AND&vl(freeText2)=&vl(13699713UI6)=00&dum=true&vl(freeText0)=Canada%20military, accessed 5 August 2019]

Les efforts déployés par les Forces armées canadiennes dans les dernières années pour
empêcher les inconduites sexuelles n'ont pas donné les résultats voulus. Un sondage de
Statistique Canada mené en 2018 démontre que les agressions sexuelles sont toujours
aussi présentes qu'en 2016.

TORONTO, June 5, 2017 /CNW/ - The path has now been cleared for certification hearings to proceed in two class actions alleging systemic sexual
assault and harassment on behalf of members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Honourable Mr. Justice Fothergill of the Federal Court on May 30,
2017 ordered the motions for certification to proceed in Toronto from July 9 to 13, 2018. The defendant in the class actions is The Attorney General
of Canada.
....
Sherry Heyder, Amy Graham and Nadine Schultz-Nielsen are the plaintiffs in the Federal Court class action on behalf of women. They experienced
sexual assault, harassment and gender-based discrimination. Larry Beattie is the plaintiff in the Federal Court class action on behalf of men.
...
If you are a current or former member of the Canadian Armed Forces who has experienced sexual harassment or assault, please call 1(888) 502-7455,
visit www.kmlaw.ca/militaryassaultclassaction or www.ravenlaw.com/armed-forces-class-action, or email militaryassaultclassaction@kmlaw.ca or armedforcesclassaction@ravenlaw.com.

Following the release of Justice Marie Deschamps’ Report in 2015 and the implementation of Operation HONOUR, I ordered a
review of all military prosecution policies, including those affecting victims and the prosecution of sexual misconduct offences.
Recently, I also created the Sexual Misconduct Action Response Team (SMART), a team of prosecutors led by a reserve military
prosecutor who is also a senior prosecutor and mentor on serious sexual assault matters with the Ontario Crown Office. This was
designed in order to bring best practices on sexual violence responsiveness from civilian prosecution services into the military
prosecution service. 

LUTTE AUX VIOLENCES SEXUELLES DANS LES FORCES CANADIENNES:

CINQ CHANTIERS À SURVEILLER

1- Vers une réforme des cours martiales?

Un examen en profondeur du système des cours martiales a démarré en juillet dernier, étude qui porte entre autres sur la gestion des infractions sexuelles.

C’est une introspection inhabituelle pour un appareil judiciaire que l’armée a toujours défendu bec et ongles et ce, jusqu’en Cour suprême. L’institution a jusqu’à présent refusé de remettre en question son pouvoir de traduire elle-même en justice les soldats accusés de crimes sexuels, malgré les critiques nourries dont ce système fait l’objet.

Un comité composé de quatre avocats militaires, dont une femme, a pour mission de passer en revue « tous les aspects » des cours martiales afin d’améliorer « l’efficacité, l’efficience et la légitimité du système ». L’équipe mènera sous peu des consultations publiques et sollicitera l’avis d’experts canadiens et étrangers. Elle remettra son rapport au plus tard en juillet 2017 au Juge-avocat général, le grand responsable de la justice militaire.

En ce qui concerne les infractions d’ordre sexuel, le comité se demandera s’il faut les mettre à jour ou en ajouter de nouvelles au répertoire de la justice militaire; il évaluera les règles en matière de détermination de la peine; et il envisagera des mesures pour mieux protéger les intérêts des victimes. Le comité devra aussi s’assurer que ses recommandations s’harmonisent avec les exigences de l’Opération Honour. Reste à voir s’il osera bousculer l’ordre établi.

2- Bientôt plus de rigueur dans les enquêtes et les accusations

La police militaire prend des mesures pour introduire plus de rigueur dans ses enquêtes et ainsi laisser moins de décisions à la discrétion des policiers – dont la juge Deschamps avait décrié, dans son rapport, l’incompétence et l’insensibilité.

Toutes les enquêtes sur des crimes sexuels seront désormais confiées à des enquêteurs dédiés aux infractions de cette nature, et ce, peu importe la gravité des allégations. Dix-huit postes d’enquêteurs spécialisés viennent d’être créés à cette fin dans l’ensemble du pays. Les inconduites sexuelles devront aussi être traitées en priorité, tant dans les enquêtes qu’au moment des audiences devant un tribunal militaire. Autre nouveauté, les enquêteurs devront obtenir l’accord d’un procureur militaire avant de renoncer à porter des accusations dans un dossier d’agression sexuelle, une décision qu’ils pouvaient auparavant prendre unilatéralement.

Quant aux procureurs, ordre leur a été donné de tenir compte du point de vue des victimes tout au long des procédures, y compris pour décider dans quel système judiciaire, militaire ou civil, l’affaire sera entendue.

3- Soutien aux victimes : enfin du nouveau?

Un programme d’aide exclusivement destiné aux militaires souffrant d’un traumatisme sexuel devrait voir le jour d’ici six mois. Ce nouveau service reprendra le modèle de « soutien par les pairs » qui existe déjà pour les soldats souffrant d’un traumatisme de guerre : c’est-à-dire des rencontres de groupes animées bénévolement par des militaires actifs ou retraités ayant vécu une épreuve semblable. Jusqu’à présent, le Centre d’intervention sur l’inconduite sexuelle, une ligne d’écoute et de référence créée l’an dernier, devait se contenter de diriger les appelants vers les ressources existantes, mais n’avait pas de nouveau programme à offrir.

[...]

 

C’est la première fois que l’inconduite sexuelle dans l’armée fait l’objet d’un examen externe. Le chef d’état-major, le général Tom Lawson, en avait fait l’annonce en avril, après la parution d’un dossier-choc dans L’actualité et Maclean’s. Un budget de 795 000 dollars a été alloué pour couvrir les honoraires et déplacements de l’examinatrice, d’un conseiller juridique (Pierre Fournier, ancien bâtonnier de Montréal) et d’une adjointe administrative. « On est loin du comité de neuf experts et trois sous-comités créé l’an dernier pour étudier la chose aux États-Unis », dit Eugene Fidell, professeur de droit à l’Université Yale, au Connecticut, et spécialiste de la justice militaire.

[...]


Le modèle canadien est une rareté à l’échelle internationale. Dans de nombreux États, les soldats doivent répondre de leurs crimes devant la justice civile, tandis que l’armée arbitre uniquement les entorses à la discipline. Le Canada doit suivre leurs traces, affirme Gilles Létourneau, juge retraité de la Cour d’appel fédérale et de la Cour d’appel de la cour martiale. Les victimes auraient ainsi l’assurance, estime-t-il, que leur plainte est entre les mains d’enquêteurs et de personnes de loi indépendants du pouvoir militaire. « Partout, les pays font des réformes, et nous, on rame à contrecourant, dit-il. La juge Deschamps ne pourra proposer que des cataplasmes. Il faut une révision complète du système de justice militaire. » 

OPERATION HONOUR

In 2015, the Chief of the Defence Staff announced Operation HONOUR – the CAF’s mission to eliminate harmful
and inappropriate sexual behaviour – and in February 2016, the first progress report was released. Among other
efforts, a Sexual Misconduct Response Centre was established to provide CAF members with an additional, and
unique, victim support option. Additionally, an extensive review of policies and programs has been completed to
assess the effectiveness of current resources related to harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour. This is
forming the basis of definitions, policy, and program changes, and an updated curriculum that will be implemented
starting in the spring of 2016. The CAF continue to focus efforts on a positive cultural shift to ensure a healthy,
respectful, and professional environment for all members 

The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) has completed an internal review of all 2010-2016 Canadian Forces
Military Police (CF MP) sexual assault files concluded as unfounded. CFNIS assigned a member that reviewed the 179 files from
early 2017 until July 2018 revealing that:

• 113 cases remained as unfounded following this review;
• 43 cases had been misclassified; and
• 23 cases were identified for further investigation.

The Canadian Forces Provost Marshal and CF MP Group Commander directed the CFNIS to conduct the internal review following
the Globe and Mail publication in 2017 of its two-year investigative report into unfounded cases of sexual assault.

[p. 27]


[p. 28]


[p.28]

Scope of Work

Mme Marie Deschamps will independently conduct the External Review and deliver a report to the Chief of the Defence Staff. Mme Deschamps will consider and make recommendations concerning: 

• CAF policies, procedures and programs in relation to sexual misconduct and sexual harassment.
• The definition of “sexual misconduct” and “sexual harassment” as provided for in the Defence Administrative Order and Directives.
• The training CAF members receive in relation to sexual misconduct and sexual harassment.
• The extent to which CAF members report alleged incidents of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and if applicable, any reasons why reporting may not occur, including the role of military culture and the chain of command as it relates to the reporting of incidents.
• Any other matter that Mme Deschamps considers relevant in assisting the CAF to strengthen the prevention of incidents of sexual misconduct and sexual harassment.

Over the course of the contract, Mme Deschamps will complete a comprehensive review of CAF policies, procedures and programs related to sexual misconduct and sexual harassment, will conduct onsite interviews with CAF members, subject matter experts, and stakeholders outside of the CAF, and is scheduled to provide a final report to the Chief of the Defence Staff, complete with recommendations, by Spring 2015.

Mme Deschamps will receive the full cooperation of the CAF and the DND and will have direct access to CAF members, facilities and documents as she wishes.  She will also be available to CAF members that wish to contact her directly.

Limitations to the Scope of Work

The scope of work for the External Review does not include:

• The review of any decision relating to the military or criminal justice system including: a decision by a military judge in the performance of his or her judicial duties, a decision of a court martial or summary trial, or a decision made to investigate complaints, lay charges, proceed with charges or prosecute charges.
• Legal advice received by the DND or the CAF in relation to any matter or any proceedings.
• Professional conduct and professional standards under the jurisdiction of the Bar Society of province.
• Conduct of military police that may be the subject of a complaint under Part IV of the National Defence Act.
• Any matter related to the Judge Advocate General (JAG) in respect of his superintendence of the administration of military justice in the CAF.

Reviewer’s Biography

The Honorable Marie Deschamps received a Licentiate in Laws from the Université de Montréal in 1974 and an LL. M. from McGill University in 1983. The Université de Montréal awarded her an honorary doctorate in 2008; she received from the Law School of McGill University the F. R. Scott award for distinguished service in 2013. She was appointed Companion of the Order of Canada in 2013. She was called to the Quebec Bar in 1975 and practiced as a litigator at Martineau Walker and Sylvestre et Matte in family, civil and commercial law, then at Rouleau, Rumanek et Sirois in criminal law and finally at Byers Casgrain in civil and commercial law.

She was appointed judge to the Quebec Superior Court in 1990, to the Court of Appeal in 1992 and to the Supreme Court in 2002. She retired from the judiciary in August 2012. She has been an adjunct professor at the law schools of University of Sherbrooke since 2006, and of McGill University since 2012. She continues to serve as member of a number of committees and boards of directors, including Gaz Metro inc., Éducaloi and Pro Bono Canada. She rejoined the Quebec Bar in 2013. She is regularly invited to give lectures and conferences to various audiences, mostly on constitutional and commercial law and on governance and ethics.

How to contact the Reviewer

All current and former CAF members who wish to get in touch with the Reviewer are encouraged to do so via email at forces@review-examen.com.

Portée des travaux

M^me Marie Deschamps mènera un examen indépendant externe et soumettra un rapport au chef d’état‑major de la défense. M^me Deschamps tiendra compte des éléments ci‑après et formulera des recommandations :

• Les politiques, les procédures et les programmes des FAC qui touchent l’inconduite sexuelle et le harcèlement sexuel.
• La définition des expressions « inconduite sexuelle » et « harcèlement sexuel », comme il est établi dans les Directives et ordonnances administratives de la Défense.
• La formation que les membres des FAC reçoivent relativement à l’inconduite sexuelle et au harcèlement sexuel.
• La mesure dans laquelle les membres des FAC signalent les incidents présumés d’inconduite sexuelle ou de harcèlement sexuel et, s’il y a lieu, les raisons qui expliquent l’absence de signalement, y compris le rôle de la culture militaire et de la chaîne de commandement en ce qui concerne le signalement des incidents.
• Toute autre question qui, de l’avis de M^me Deschamps, pourrait s’avérer pertinente et aider les FAC à renforcer la prévention des incidents d’inconduite sexuelle et de harcèlement sexuel.

Dans le cadre de l’exécution du contrat, M^me Deschamps effectuera un examen complet des politiques, des procédures et des programmes des FAC qui touchent l’inconduite sexuelle et le harcèlement sexuel, mènera des entrevues sur place avec des membres des FAC, des experts en la matière et des intervenants de l’extérieur des FAC et présentera, au chef d’état-major de la défense, un rapport final contenant des recommandations d’ici le printemps 2015.

M^me Deschamps pourra compter sur la coopération pleine et entière des FAC et du ministère de la Défense nationale (MDN) et aura, à sa guise, un accès direct aux membres, aux installations et aux documents des FAC. Les membres des FAC pourront également communiquer directement avec elle.

Limites de la portée des travaux

La portée des travaux réalisés dans le cadre de l’examen externe n’inclut pas : 

• L’examen de toute décision relative au système de justice militaire ou criminel, notamment : les décisions rendues par un juge militaire dans l’exercice de ses fonctions judiciaires, les décisions rendues par une cour martiale ou dans le cadre d’un procès sommaire, ou les décisions rendues pour faire enquête sur une plainte, déposer des accusations ou intenter une poursuite. 
• Les avis juridiques reçus par le MDN ou les FAC relativement à toute affaire ou procédure judiciaire. 
• La déontologie et les normes professionnelles sous la juridiction du barreau d’une province. 
• La conduite de la police militaire pouvant faire l’objet d’une plainte en vertu de la partie IV de la Loi sur la défense nationale. Toute question relative au juge-avocat général (JAG) en ce qui a trait à sa supervision de l’administration du système de justice militaire dans les FAC.

Biographie de l’examinatrice

L’honorable Marie Deschamps a obtenu une licence en droit de l’Université de Montréal en 1974 et une maîtrise en droit de l’Université McGill en 1983. L’Université de Montréal lui a décerné un doctorat honorifique en 2008 et la faculté de droit de l’Université McGill, le prix F.R. Scott pour service exemplaire en 2013. En outre, elle a été nommée Compagnon de l’Ordre du Canada en 2013. Admise au Barreau du Québec en 1975, elle a exercé comme avocate plaideure au sein des cabinets Martineau Walker et Sylvestre et Matte dans les domaines du droit civil, du droit de la famille et du droit commercial, ensuite chez Rouleau, Rumanek et Sirois en droit criminel, puis chez Byers Casgrain en droit civil et commercial.

Elle a été nommée juge à la Cour supérieure du Québec en 1990, à la Cour d’appel du Québec en 1992, puis à la Cour suprême du Canada en 2002. Elle a pris sa retraite de la magistrature en août 2012. Elle est professeure associée aux facultés de droit de l’Université de Sherbrooke depuis 2006 et de l’Université McGill depuis 2012. Elle siège sur divers comités et conseils d’administration, dont Gaz Metro inc, Éducaloi et Pro Bono Canada. Elle est redevenue avocate en 2013. Elle est régulièrement invitée à donner des cours et des conférences à des auditoires variés, principalement en droit constitutionnel et commercial et sur la gouvernance et l’éthique. 

Comment communiquer avec l'examinatrice

Tous les membres actuels et anciens des FAC qui souhaitent communiquer avec l'examinatrice sont encouragés à le faire par courriel à forces@review-examen.com.

The practice of thinking about gender and GBA+ is based on earlier measures. These include the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and
the seven Resolutions that followed. The Resolution on Women, Peace and Security was a landmark measure. It was the first instrument to deal solely with women
in situations of armed conflict. It acknowledged that these conflicts have a different impact on men, women, boys and girls.

The CAF also issued a Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) Directive for Integrating UNSCR 1325 and Related Resolutions into CAF Planning and Operations  in
 January 2016. It shows what the CAF is doing to further integrate gender perspectives.  It also ensures that GBA+ is always considered as an essential part of all CAF activities.

The CAF has considered gender in its work for years. However, this is the first time this practice has been applied under a single Directive.

 

The Conservatives have specifically excluded any examination of how the military justice system has handled sexual assault cases in their upcoming external review of sexual misconduct and harassment in the armed forces.

The way Canadian military police and the Judge Advocate General’s office handle sexual assault reports will be excluded from scrutiny, meaning that the review will not be able to examine the systematic failure to investigate or prosecute sexual crimes in the military.

“Any meaningful investigation must look at all aspects of Canada’s military justice system, and its findings must be made public,” said NDP Defence critic Jack Harris (St. John’s East). “Instead, the Conservatives have set up a process that specifically excludes the key issue of military justice and how the system has failed victims of sexual assault. The review won’t be able to look at some of the most serious problems that have been reported.”

The external review was launched after reports that approximately five sexual assaults take place every day in the Canadian military, many of which go unreported due to a lack of confidence that complaints will be appropriately dealt with. New Democrats have called for a full judicial commission into these reports.

“The Conservatives love to talk about supporting victims, but when it’s time to take action they’re not there,” said NDP deputy Defence critic Élaine Michaud (Portneuf – Jacques-Cartier). “It’s time for them to stop passing the buck and take real action to protect the women and men in the Canadian Forces from sexual assault.”

Dans leur prochain examen externe de l’inconduite sexuelle et du harcèlement dans les forces armées, les conservateurs ont exclu de manière spécifique l’examen de la façon dont le système judiciaire militaire a traité les cas d'agressions sexuelles.

En effet, la façon dont la police militaire canadienne et le Bureau du juge-avocat général ont géré les incidents d’agressions sexuelles signalés ne sera pas soumise à cette enquête, ce qui veut dire que l’examinatrice ne pourra pas enquêter sur l’absence systématique d’enquête et de poursuites dans les cas de crimes sexuels dans l’armée.

« Pour que cet examen soit exhaustif, il faut que tous les aspects du système judiciaire militaire soient scrutés à la loupe et que les résultats soient rendus publics, a affirmé le porte-parole du NPD en matière de défense, Jack Harris (St. John’s Est). Or, les conservateurs ont mis en place un processus qui exclut de manière spécifique le plus grand problème de la justice militaire, soit la manière dont le système laisse systématiquement à leur sort les victimes d’agression sexuelle. En raison de ces restrictions, l’examen va ignorer certains des plus sérieux problèmes signalés.»

L’examen externe a été lancé à la suite d'un reportage journalistique révélant qu'il y avait cinq agressions sexuelles par jour dans l’armée canadienne et que la majorité n’était pas signalée en raison du fait que la plupart des victimes ne croient pas que leurs plaintes seront gérées de manière appropriée. Le NPD avait demandé qu’une commission judiciaire soit mise sur pied afin d’enquêter sur cette situation.

« Les conservateurs se vantent d’appuyer les victimes, mais ils sont aux abonnés absents quand vient le temps d’agir, a ajouté la porte-parole adjointe en matière de défense, Élaine Michaud (Portneuf-Jacques-Cartier). Il est temps pour eux d’arrêter de lancer la balle aux autres et d’agir afin de protéger les femmes et les hommes des Forces canadiennes contre toute forme d'agression sexuelle. »

Image reproduced from Google Image, accessed on 2  June 2014

O'HARA, Jane with Brenda Branswell, John Geddes, Shanda Deziel, Sharon Doyle Driedger and Stephanie Nolen, "Rape in the military", 25 May 1998 issue, Maclean's -- Canada's Weekly NewsMagazine; available at
 http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/rape-in-the-military/ (accessed on 2 June 2014);





Operation Honour Manual (Interim edition), The, A Comprehensive Guide to Information and Resources on Sexual Misconduct, July 2019, available at https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/dnd-mdn/documents/reports/2019/operation_honour_manual.pdf (accessed 14 August 2019);





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Video still at 36:09 (Law reform --The Winds of Change  Conference, Ottawa)         Phillip Millar, avocat, capitaine à la retraite, video still at 40:58
PASIC, Seana, 

Cinq femmes des Forces armées canadiennes témoignent des agressions sexuelles qu’elles ont subies dans
 l’armée. Elles ont fait face à un ennemi venu de l’intérieur, leurs frères d’armes. Femmes au combat, c’est le
 parcours de ces femmes courageuses qui ont osé porter plainte au prix d’une carrière dont elles rêvaient.

Image source: https://www.google.com, image search,  accessed 22 January 2017
Former service member

 
Image source: goldblattpartners.com/our-lawyers/emma-phillips/, accessed 10 March 2017
Emma Phillips
PHILLIPS. Emma, "Sexual Harassment: Canadian Forces' toughest battle is culture change", Opinion Page, The Globe and Mail, Monday, 15 February 2016, p. A9;  "Emma Phillips: Counsel to the External Review into Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces.  Partner at Goldblatt Partners LLP"; see http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/the-canadian-forces-toughest-battle-is-culture-change/article28745892/ (accessed 10 March 2017);


Image source: ca.linkedin.com/in/charlie-pinkerton-b7a507114, accessed 31 May 2018
Charlie Pinkerton
PINKERTON. Charlie, "

 


Jason Proctor
PROCTOR, Jason, "

Defence Watch podcast, the Ottawa Citizen’s David Pugliese discusses this with women’s rights advocate Julie Lalonde and lawyer and retired Col. Michel Drapeau." --IMPORTANT;


MGen Chris Whitecross, photo by

Maj.-Gen. Christine Whitecross will develop a plan to deal with problems identified in a new report produced by Marie Deschamps, a former Supreme Court of Canada Justice, according to an email Lawson sent to military staff. The email was obtained by the Citizen.

“The team will be led by Major-General Chris Whitecross, who will be supported by Chief Warrant Officer Helen Wheeler to form the leadership team,” Lawson stated in the message sent Monday. “Its mandate will be to conduct a detailed review of the final report produced by Mme Deschamps, and to develop an action plan to address the report’s recommendations.”
....

But in advance of receiving that report, Lawson is putting in place what he is calling the Canadian Armed Forces Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct. That is the team led by Whitecross.

Sources say the move by Lawson is designed to offset criticism about the Canadian military when the Deschamps report becomes public. (source: http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/general-named-to-devise-plan-to-deal-with-sexual-misconduct-in-canadian-forces, accessed on 7 March 2015)

Image source: https://twitter.com/dougquan, accessed 2 December 2016
Douglas Quan
QUAN, Douglas, "

source: http://hsajjan.liberal.ca/, accessed 2 November 2017
Harjit Sajjan
SAJJAN, Harjit, Minister of National Defence, question period in the Senate, Tuesday, 31 October 2017, 1st Session, 42nd Parliament, volume 150, Issue 153, available at https://www.sencanada.ca/en/content/sen/chamber/421/debates/153db_2017-10-31-e#42 (accessed 2 November 2017);

Pursuant to the order adopted by the Senate on December 10, 2015, to receive a Minister of the Crown, the Honourable  Harjit S. Sajjan,
Minister of National Defence, appeared before honourable senators during Question Period.

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, Senator Eggleton, I’m sorry; I have to interrupt the proceedings. It is now 3:30, and the
minister is present. Honourable senators, please join me in welcoming the honourable Harjit Sajjan, P.C., M.P, Minister of National Defence. Welcome.
....

Sexual Misconduct

Hon. Paul E. McIntyre: Welcome back to the Senate, minister. My question today concerns sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces, and
more particularly, the prosecution and conviction in the military justice system.

Now, that said, my understanding is that between April 2014 and March 31 of this year, only 23 per cent of sexual assault cases prosecuted in the
military justice system resulted in a conviction, considerably less than the conviction rate for sexual assault in civilian courts of 43 per cent in 2014-15.

To what do you attribute this extremely low conviction rate? What message do you think a conviction rate of just 23 per cent sends to the women and
men of our Armed Forces who have experienced harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour?

Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence Thank you, honourable senator. The only message I want to send in the Canadian
Armed Forces is that any inappropriate behaviour like this is completely unacceptable.

In terms of the prosecutions, as you mentioned, because it’s an independent system, we have to be respectful of that. We have a new Judge Advocate
General, the first female Judge Advocate General, who is taking this extremely seriously. She is making sure that the prosecutors have the right training
and that the victims have the right support.

We’re making sure that we are putting the right resources in with the military police in the NSI branch, which does the investigation, so they have the right
training, have the ability to deploy and have all the right tools to do the work.

More important, we want to make sure we send a message to anyone in the Canadian Armed Forces who has been a victim to come forward. We will
investigate.

Regardless of the numbers, the only message we want to send is that it’s completely unacceptable. If someone is a victim, please come forward. If you have
done any inappropriate behaviour, we will find you and you will be prosecuted.

SÉNAT, Comité sénatorial permanent de la sécurité nationale et de la défense, Le harcèlement et la violence: Rapport du Comité sénatorial permanent de la sécurité nationale et de la défense, mai 2019, 32 p., disponible à https://sencanada.ca/content/sen/committee/421/SECD/Reports/SECD_Report_harassment_May_19_f.pdf  (consulté le 20 mai 2019);

----
Colonel David Antonyshyn                                                        Honourable Marie Deschamps

Sexual misconduct and Operation HONOUR orders, policies and directives

Orders, policies and directives issued by the Canadian Armed Forces related to sexual misconduct and Operation HONOUR.

CDS Intent and Operation Orders

Operation HONOUR was initiated by a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Operation Order in 2015. The mission has been continually refined to reflect developments and lessons learned.

• Directive for the Institutionalization of the Operation Honour Tracking and Analysis System (OPHTAS) (December 2019)
• CDS Intent – Operation HONOUR (December 2018)
• CDS Directive – Retention of Members Affected by HISB (June 2018)
• FRAGO 004 to CDS Op Order – Operation HONOUR (March 2018)
• FRAGO 003 to CDS Op Order – Operation HONOUR (December 2016) – Cancelled by CANFORGEN – 049/19 – Clarification on the definition of sexual misconduct and appropriate administrative actions (April 2019) – (accessible only on the National Defence network)
  
• FRAGO 002 to CDS Op Order – Operation HONOUR (December 2016)
• FRAGO 001 to CDS Op Order – Operation HONOUR (March 2016)
• CDS Operation Order – Operation HONOUR (August 2015)
• CDS Initiating Directive – Sexual Misconduct and Harassment Prevention and Response in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) (February 2015)

Policies and procedures

• The Operation HONOUR Manual – The Manual serves as interim policy on sexual misconduct in the CAF. It is a comprehensive guide with definitions, tools and resources for responding to sexual misconduct and supporting those affected.
• Sexual Misconduct Incident Management Decision Tree – Step-by-step directions for managing disciplinary and administrative processes and providing victim support for reported incidents.

CANFORGEN

• CANFORGEN – 113/19 – Release of administrative action outcomes to victims of sexual misconduct (July 2019) – (accessible only on the National Defence network)
  
• CANFORGEN – 049/19 – Clarification on the definition of sexual misconduct and appropriate administrative actions (April 2019) – (accessible only on the National Defence network)
  

Defence administrative orders and directives

The following Defence Administrative Orders and Directives (DAODs) provide detailed direction for the administration of personnel with respect to sexual misconduct.

• DAOD 5019-5, Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Disorders (amended by CANFORGEN – 049/19)
• DAOD 5012-0, Harassment Prevention and Resolution (updated January 2017)

Military justice policies and directives

The following policies and directives were issued by the Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Director of Military Prosecutions (DMP) with respect to sexual misconduct.

• 002 Pre-Charge Screening (PDF, 370 KB)
• 003 Post-Charge Review (PDF, 418 KB)
• 004 Sexual Misconduct Offences (PDF, 246 KB)
• 007 Responding to Victims’ Needs (PDF, 225 KB)
• 008 Plea, Trial and Sentence Resolution Discussions (PDF, 221 KB)
• 012 Witness Interviews (PDF, 236 KB)

Related orders and directives

These items relate to sexual misconduct but are not specific to Operation HONOUR.

• QR&O article 4.02, General Responsibilities of Officers
• QR&O article 5.01, General Responsibilities of Non-Commissioned Members
• DAOD 5019-1, Personal Relationships and Fraternization
• DAOD 5019-2, Administrative Review
• DAOD 5019-4, Remedial Measures (updated July 2014)
• DAOD 5019-7, Alcohol Misconduct
• DAOD 5044-4, Family Violence
• DAOD 5046-0, Alternative Dispute Resolution
• DAOD 5047-1, Office of the Ombudsman
• DAOD 7026-1, Management of Administrative Investigations
• CDS Guidance to Commanding Officers and their Leadership Teams (accessible only on the National Defence network)

Provide feedback

If you have comments, suggestions or ideas related to Operation HONOUR initiatives or products, please fill out our feedback form.

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT RESPONSE CENTRE -- Annual Report 2016-17, available at http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/caf-community-support-services/annual-report-smrc-2016-17.page  and http://www.forces.gc.ca/assets/FORCES_Internet/docs/en/caf-community-support-services/smrc-annual-report-2016-2017.pdf  (accessed 18 January 2018);

Image source: twitter.com/mmsioui, accessed 2 December 2016
Marie-Michèle Sioui
SIOUI, Marie-Michèle, "Inconduites sexuelles: l'armée met sur pied une équipe stratégique", 2 mars 2015, http://www.lapresse.ca/, disponible à http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/201503/02/01-4848818-inconduites-sexuelles-larmee-met-sur-pied-une-equipe-strategique.php (vérifié le 3 mars 2015);

L'Équipe d'intervention stratégique sur l'inconduite sexuelle, dirigée par la major générale Christine Whitecross, doit réagir au dépôt, ce printemps, du rapport de l'ex-juge de la Cour suprême Marie Deschamps sur les agressions sexuelles dans les forces armées.
[...]
Pour l'instant, l'équipe stratégique n'est constituée que de cinq personnes. «L'équipe se met en place. Il reviendra à la major générale de déterminer de quelles ressources elle aura besoin», a affirmé la porte-parole.

STATISTICS CANADA, "Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces, 2016", released 2016-11-28; available at http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/161128/dq161128a-eng.htm and http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/161128/dq161128a-eng.pdf and http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/olc-cel/olc.action?ObjId=85-603-X&ObjType=2&lang=en&limit=0(accessed 29 November 2016);

“Gen. Jonathan Vance will be investigated over allegations of inappropriate behaviour”, (3 February 2021), online: Global News <https://globalnews.ca/news/7616625/jonathan-vance-military-investigation/> (accessed 7 February 2021); includes video; 



SULLIVAN, Steve, "Missing in action: Harper is shrugging off military sexual assault", ipolitics, 6 May 2015; available at  http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/05/06/missing-in-action-how-harper-is-shrugging-off-military-sexual-assault/ (accessed 10 May 2015);

One of the most important recommendations in the report calls for the creation of “an independent centre for accountability for sexual assault and harassment outside of the CAF with the responsibility for receiving reports of inappropriate sexual conduct, as well as prevention, coordination and monitoring of training, victim support, monitoring of accountability, and research, and to act as a central authority for the collection of data.” The military doesn’t seem comfortable with this recommendation — probably the “independent” part — but they’ve had decades to deal with this problem and have failed repeatedly. It’s time to take it out of their hands.

Fatima Syed
SYED, Fatima, "

The 1998 stories were eerily similar to the most recent revelations, in that victims of rape had also been
victimized by a military chain of command intent on protecting careers and the reputation of the
institution, at the expense of administering justice. By then, the public had already soured on the
Canadian military after more than two years of public inquiry into a top-level attempted coverup
of a murdered prisoner at the hands of Canadian paratroopers that became collectively known as
the Somalia Scandal.

Then-Liberal defence minister Art Eggleton had at first attempted to defuse the bombshell as a
tempest in a teapot, but by the fourth weekly front cover body blow, the public clamour was
too loud to ignore. In response to the outrage, Eggleton announced the appointment of Andre
Marin as the first-ever ombudsman for the Forces. Marin was a keen young lawyer, and in the
interest of full disclosure, I consider him a friend.

However, despite all the fanfare that accompanied the creation of the ombudsman’s office,
the powers which Marin insisted he needed to effectively challenge the chain of command
were never granted.

Now that we are back to Square 1, 17 years later, perhaps the solution is not to create another
non-independent layer of oversight, but to simply revisit those powers Marin recommended
but never received

Le lundi 4 mai dernier à l’auditorium de la Garnison Saint-Jean avait lieu la présentation du major-général Christine Whitecross, commandant de l’Équipe d’intervention stratégique des Forces armées canadiennes (FAC), en matière d’inconduite sexuelle.  Secondée par le colonel Gisèle Fontaine, commandant adjoint de l’Équipe, ainsi que par l’adjudant-chef Helen Wheeler, adjudant-chef de l’Équipe, le mgén Whitecross est venue exposer son plan d’action en réponse au rapport déposé le jeudi 30 avril dernier par la juge à la retraite Marie Deschamps.

[...]


Entrevue avec le major-général Whitecross
[...]
Servir : Pourquoi les membres des FAC doivent se tourner vers le système de justice militaire plutôt que civil?
Mgén Whitecross : Le système militaire est en place pour plusieurs bonnes raisons, mais nous gardons l’esprit ouvert. Selon la situation, une victime pourra porter plainte selon le système de justice civil. Par contre, je sais que nos commandants sont engagés à enrayer ce problème et qu’ils veulent relever ce défi. Ils sont imputable du bien-être de leurs gens et le système de justice militaire leur per-met d’agir en ce sens