Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Canadian military's apathetic and lethargic response to External Review on Sexual Misconduct. A call for leadership by the new CDS

May 12, 2015

An Opinion Piece written by the Hon. Fraser Martin, a retired Quebec Superior Court (and a retired Honorary Colonel) published in the Montreal Gazette, notes that retired Supreme Court Justice Marie Deschamps, who wrote the External Review on Sexual Misconduct in the Canadian Military, was "dealt a mandate that had been thoroughly emasculated" preventing her from reviewing its handling of instances of sexual misconduct.

Be that as it may, Mr. Martin goes on to conclude that the Canadian military are most likely not going to take any real and concrete actions to address the various recommendations advanced by Mrs. Deschamps. He posits that it will now be up to the incoming Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), General Jonathan Vance, to take real and substantive action to deal with the epidemy of sexual misconduct in the Canadian military:
It was patently obvious to any observer of the press conference that the military’s response to Deschamps’ conclusions were not unequivocal. She looked thoroughly out of place sitting at the end of the table, disappointment and skepticism written on her face. The demeanour of the person in charge of remedying the situation, Major General Christine Whitecross, appeared lukewarm, indifferent, and uninspiring, to say the least. According to Whitecross, she is now off for yet further consultations abroad. The big boys were off to Iraq.  Sadly, it will now be left to General Jonathan Vance to clean up the mess.

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