Military probes too late in arriving

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/02/2021 (1725 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Jan. 14, in a low-key ceremony at National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, Gen. Jonathan Vance officially stepped down as Canada’s chief of defence staff and handed the reins to Admiral Art McDonald.

In his first address as Canada’s top soldier, Mr. McDonald delivered a long-awaited formal apology to victims of racism and sexual misconduct. “I am deeply sorry,” he said. “I want you to know I will do all that I can to support you; to stop these unacceptable acts from happening; and to put in practice our guiding principle: respect and dignity for all persons.”

Less than a month later, news broke that his predecessor, Mr. Vance, the architect of the military’s campaign to stamp out rampant sexual misconduct in the ranks, was himself facing allegations of inappropriate relations with lower-ranked female military staff.

Mr. Vance is alleged to have had an inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate while he was defence chief, and to have sent an inappropriate email to a second woman of junior rank in 2012 before he took over the military’s top post.

During his five years on the job, Mr. Vance — Canada’s longest-serving defence chief in modern times — championed the fight against sexual misconduct. His first order as top commander was to launch an all-out effort to eliminate it from Canada’s military.

Mr. Vance has denied any misconduct, saying his relationship with the female subordinate was never sexual. He said he has no recollection of the 2012 email — which reportedly included the suggestion he and another subordinate go on a clothing-optional vacation — but that if he did send it, the email was meant as a joke and he would be willing to apologize.

Within hours of the story breaking, it was announced that military police were opening an investigation into Mr. Vance’s actions, and Mr. McDonald promised the Forces would initiate a separate independent investigation.

In a unanimous vote last week, the House of Commons defence committee agreed to study the allegations, and will call Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan and any other witnesses deemed necessary. A key focus will be what Liberal government officials knew, and when they knew it.

The second claim was brought to the attention of the Canadian Forces ombudsman who, in turn, notified the defence minister in 2018. Mr. Sajjan passed those concerns to the Privy Council Office, but has refused to say whether he informed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or his cabinet.

Military police reportedly launched an investigation in 2015 into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Mr. Vance unrelated to the issues being probed by the Commons committee. No charges were laid in that instance.

Manitoba MP James Bezan, the Conservative defence critic, said Canadians need to know more: “The news reports we have heard over the last number of weeks are disturbing to say the least… These allegations are serious and they need to be looked at.”

Mr. Bezan is on point. There is much about these allegations that is disturbing. It is deeply troubling to think political and military leaders were aware of them for at least three years, but nothing became public until Mr. Vance stepped out of uniform.

It is also terrible news for anyone who has been, or continues to be, a victim of sexual misconduct in the military ranks. And it does not bode well for what Canada’s Armed Forces insists is a zero-tolerance stand on such conduct going forward.

No one should pre-judge the outcome of these probes, but the fact Canadians were kept in the dark for so long is unacceptable.