Canada apologises for 'scourge' of military sexual misconduct

Canada's Minister of National Defence described a 'crisis of trust' in the military

Canada's defence minister joined the country's highest ranking officer on Monday to offer an apology to survivors and victims of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces - two years after a formal apology was promised.

Defence Minister Anita Anand, Gen Wayne Eyre and deputy defence minister Jody Thomas each offered unreserved apologies for all those who experienced sexual harassment and violence while serving in Canada's military.

"Countless lives have been harmed because of inaction and systemic failure," Ms Anand said. "This is a failure that our Canadian Armed Forces, our department and the government will always carry with us."

For nearly a year, the Canadian military has been engulfed in crisis as a steady stream of senior officials were removed from active service over accusations of sexual misconduct. To date, 11 military leaders - current and former - have been removed, investigated or forced to retire in relation to the scandal.

The apology was promised as part of a 2019 C$900m ($700m; £532m) class-action settlement approved by the Federal Court. Almost 19,000 claims were submitted by the November deadline by current and former military personnel and defence department employees.

"Most Nato allies have had a moment of reckoning when it comes to sexual misconduct scandals", according to Stéfanie von Hlatky, the director of the Center for International and Defense Policy, at Queen's University - but the number of top brass implicated in Canada is "unique", she said

'A culture of harm'

The scandal began in February, when Global News reported that the former Chief of the Defence Staff, retired Gen Jonathan Vance, was facing two allegations of sexual misconduct. The Chief of the Defence staff is the top position in Canada's military.

Military police were investigating whether Gen Vance's relationship with a former subordinate, Major Kellie Brennan, was inappropriate and broke internal regulations. In April, Major Brennan testified before lawmakers that Gen Vance had fathered but refused to support two of her children. According to Major Brennan, her former boss told her that he was "untouchable" and "owned" the military.

Soon after, Gen Vance's replacement, Admiral Art McDonald, abruptly stepped down from his post after Canadian news outlets received tips he was being investigated over a sexual misconduct allegation as well.

Gen Vance addresses the media last year, as Prime Minister Trudeau and former Defence Minister Harijit Sajjan look on

The dual inquiries prompted Lt-Col Eleanor Taylor, an Afghanistan combat veteran, and one of the Canadian military's highest-profile women, to step down in protest in March.

In a stinging resignation letter, Lt-Col Taylor said she was "sickened" by the investigations, adding: "Unfortunately, I am not surprised".

"I am also certain that the scope of the problem has yet to be exposed. Throughout my career, I have observed insidious and inappropriate use of power for sexual exploitation," she wrote.

Lt-Col Taylor's letter was a "turning point", said Leah West, a former armoured officer who is now an assistant professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa.

"No one was having conversations about sexual assault, sexual misconduct. It was outright rejection: 'that's not my armed forces,'" she said. "Eleanor Taylor was a leader to both men and women. When she got angry, it gave the rest of us permission to get angry, to start talking about it."

In the months that followed, nine other senior military officials became embroiled in sexual misconduct investigations, either as the subject of a probe or for allegedly shielding another offending officer.

"From where I'm sitting, it's not just about preventing and responding to sexual misconduct," said Prof von Hlatky. "Really, there's a culture that's been permissive of these acts of harm and abuse of power."

Old patterns

Monday's apology and vows of reform come nearly six years after a government report found that Canada's military was "hostile to women and LGBTQ members and conducive to more serious incidents of sexual harassment".

More than a quarter of women in the Canadian military have been sexually assaulted during their careers, the 2015 report found. Just 23% of those women reported what had happened, and only 7% filed reports with the military police of the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service.

According to the survey, women in the military are almost twice as likely as the general population to have been victims of sexual assault in the previous year, and nearly 80% of all respondents witnessed or experienced "inappropriate sexualised behaviour".

One in four women in the Canadian military have been sexually assaulted in their careers, according to a 2015 survey

Prof West, who spent a decade with the Canadian military, told the BBC that sexualised behaviour, laughing and mocking women and other minorities in the military "permeated everything".

"It just became so much of the culture, you couldn't see out of it," Prof West said.

She has previously disclosed that she was sexually assaulted by a senior officer while serving.

She was found unconscious after a house party in 2008 and taken to hospital, where a rape kit found evidence of intercourse. Military police turned the matter over to her commanding officer, but he turned the issue back to her, asking her what she wanted to do. Not wanting to rock the boat, she said nothing.

She noted that men have also been victims of military sexual assault. More than 40% of the 19,000 claims submitted to the sexual misconduct class action suit were from men.

What's next?

Gen Eyre, who was named Chief of the Defence Staff in October, promised a wholesale reset of the military's culture.

"It is the greatest challenge of our times. It is existential," he said.

A slew of new initiatives are expected, including an independent reporting body for victims and survivors of sexual misconduct.

Some observers hope that newly appointed leaders can deliver the change promised for years.

"There's been a complete renewal in terms of leaders in key positions," said Queen's University's Professor von Hlatky. Ms Anand's appointment comes alongside new female leadership in key military positions.

However, Prof West was still sceptical about how thorough the military's reform may be, after years of inaction.

"This is going to take a lot of effort, time and money to actually implement change," she said. "But a changing of the guard is not a bad thing."

Who has been implicated?

Eleven senior leaders of the Canadian military have been enveloped by scandal. Some are under investigation for sexual misconduct, others face charges. And others still faced sanction for their handling of sexual misconduct by subordinates.

• Retired General Jonathan Vance, former Chief of the Defence Staff. He faces one count of obstruction of justice for repeatedly contacting a former subordinate and asking her to make false statements about their past relationship. He has denied the charge.

• Admiral Art McDonald, Gen Vance's successor. The complainant, Navy Lt Heather McDonald, told Global News he "shoved the face of the ship captain into her breasts" after a button on her shirt popped open. After a probe into the allegations, the Canadian Forces said in October that there would be no charges because of insufficient evidence. The admiral has denied all wrongdoing and has publicly campaigned for his old job.

• Retired Lt Gen Christopher Coates, Canada's former top commander at Norad. He was investigated for an alleged extramarital affair that breached military policy.

• Vice-Admiral Haydn Edmundson, the former commander in charge of human resources. This month, he was charged with sexual assault and committing indecent acts. Former military member Stéphanie Viau said the vice-admiral exposed his genitals to her while aboard a navy ship when she was 19. Days later, she said, he raped her. Through a lawyer, the commander has denied the charges.

• Maj-Gen Peter Dawe, commander of Canada's Special Forces. Maj-Gen Dawe gave a positive character reference to a criminal court for Maj Jonathan Hamilton, a soldier found guilty of sexual assault, according to reporting by CBC News. He apologised, but was removed from his position following public outcry.

• Maj-Gen Dany Fortin, former head of vaccine logistics at Canada's public health agency. He stepped down from his post in May amid a sexual misconduct probe. In August, Quebec prosecutors charged him with sexual assault in connection with an alleged incident in 1988, while he was a student at the Royal Military College Saint-Jean. He denies the allegation.

• Commander Danny Croucher, former commander of a Navy Fleet school. He was removed from his post during a probe into allegations of inappropriate comments of a sexual nature, according to Canadian media. After an investigation found wrongdoing, the commander was granted a voluntary release from the Canadian Armed Forces in June. He was hired back later that same month as a civilian.

• Lt-Gen Mike Rouleau, former Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff. In June, Global News reported that the military's second-in-command had played golf with Gen Vance while he was under investigation. The apparent display of support incited intense public backlash and Rouleau resigned.

• Vice-Admiral Craig Baines, commander of the Royal Canadian Navy. He also reportedly played golf with Gen Vance, but after two public apologies was allowed to keep his job.

• Lt-Gen Trevor Cadieu, who had been appointed incoming commander of the army. His appointment was rescinded after the military learned of "historical allegations" of misconduct. He has denied wrongdoing, and said that the allegations "must be investigated thoroughly to expose the truth".

• Lt-Gen Steven Whelan, commander of military personnel. He has been on temporary leave from his role since October in relation to an alleged sexual misconduct investigation.