It is hard to imagine that the Supreme Court will overturn the ruling by the Court Martial Appeal Court, and the more likely outcome will require the Canadian military to undergo the same type of institutional change that has occurred in the United Kingdom. This will not be easy, and the justice aspects of this change will likely be both painful and costly; it could well open all prior cases that resulted in convictions to a massive class-action suit, going as far back as the signing of Canadian Charter of Rights on Apr. 17, 1982. But change must, and will, continue to come to the Canadian military. It is far better that the Canadian Armed Forces try to be in front of this change—respecting Charter rights and freedoms, without exception—rather than be dragged, kicking and screaming, behind it.
From
this Maclean's op-ed by retired Commander
Ken Hansen.
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