Navy commander apologizes for golfing with former chief of defence staff under military police investigation
The commander of the Royal Canadian Navy has publicly apologized for golfing with former top soldier, retired general Jonathan Vance, who is┬аunder a military police investigation over allegations of inappropriate behaviour with female subordinates.
Vice-Admiral Craig Baines┬аissued a written statement┬аSunday night addressed to all military members and national defence public servants saying┬аhe was sorry for his conduct.
Baines confirmed he golfed with Vance and military’s second-in-command, Lt.-Gen┬аMike Rouleau, on June 2 in Ottawa.┬а
“I fully accept responsibility and accountability for not understanding how such a public display of support sends the wrong signal as to my commitment to lead in resolving our systemic cultural and misconduct issues,” Baines wrote.┬а
“For this, I sincerely apologize.”
The apology comes a day┬аafter Global News and the Globe and Mail first reported on the meet up between Rouleau, Baines and Vance at Hylands Golf and Country Club in Ottawa, which caters to Canadian Forces personnel and their families.
Baines said he will be taking “a few days of personal leave” and Rear-Admiral Chris Sutherland will be temporarily fulfilling his duties while he’s off.┬а
The public statement is the latest in a series of cases that have seen senior military leaders swept up into the Canadian Armed Forces sexual misconduct crisis.┬а
CBC News requested a comment from Rouleau on Saturday night, but he has yet to respond.┬а
Rouleau and Baine’s decision to go golfing with Vance comes after witness testimony at a parliamentary committee probing sexual misconduct in the military raised concerns about a sexist double-standard. In some cases, senior military leaders are able to carry on with their careers while junior members are ostracized and drummed out, according to testimony.┬а
Sign of support, says former military officer
Leah West,┬аa former armoured officer, Justice department lawyer and now counter-terrorism expert at Carleton University,┬аtestified at a parliamentary committee that she was essentially drummed out of the military after a consensual relationship almost a decade ago with a member of equal rank from the U.S. military┬аwhile┬аin Afghanistan.
West tweeted on Sunday┬аthe senior leaders who went golfing with Vance should have understood what message it sends to the rank and file during an institutional crisis.
“To be clear, the message carefully chosen here is that the VAdm is publicly supporting Vance.”
To be clear, the message carefully chosen here is that the VAdm is publicly supporting Vance. https://t.co/2CZEyLZgTz
As vice-chief of defence staff,┬аRouleau has authority over the military’s provost marshal, which is in charge of the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, which┬аis investigating Vance.┬а
Rouleau┬аhas the power to direct and issue orders to the Canadian Armed Forces top police officer тАФ┬аthe provost marshal.
A landmark review by former Supreme Court justice Morris Fish into the military’s judicial system recently identified this power as a threat┬аto the independence of military police investigations.┬а
Fish recommended sexual assault and misconduct cases should be turned over to civilians in the interim until the military puts in place more protections for victims.┬а
Rouleau┬аis┬аslated┬аto┬аmove into a new position as a strategic advisor to Eyre next month.┬аLt.-Gen. Frances Allen┬аis expected to replace Rouleau┬аand become the first woman to serve as vice-chief of the defence staff.
Vance denies allegations
Vance has previously told Global News he denies the allegations against him.┬а
The woman at the centre of Vance’s┬аsexual misconduct case, Maj. Kellie Brennan,┬аdelivered┬аbombshell testimony to a parliamentary committee┬аin April. In it, she said Vance considered himself “untouchable” and that he fathered but does not support two of her children.┬а
In the second case, Vance allegedly sent a racy email almost nine years ago to another woman, who was a junior non-commissioned officer at the time.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau┬аwas questioned Sunday about what this development┬аmeant for the victims involved and whether they can have confidence that they will get due process concerning their cases.
“I know that the minister of defence is following up with the acting chief of staff on this issue,” Trudeau told reporters at the G7 summit in Cornwall, U.K.┬а
The defence minister’s office said Harjit Sajjan┬а┬аwas not aware the three individuals went golfing until media inquiries came in. His office called the meet up “troubling and unacceptable” and said it’s assessing what the next steps will be.
Several military leaders under investigation
More than half a dozen military leaders have been swept up in the crisis and a number are under military police investigations for claims of their own behaviour.
In another case, Maj.-General Peter Dawe, the┬аcommander of Canada’s special forces apologized and was put on leave with pay after a CBC News report in April revealed┬аhe wrote a letter in support of a soldier convicted of sexual assault.
The acting chief of defence staff,┬аLt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre, apologized for Dawe’s┬аhandling of the case that created division in the ranks.
The government has tasked former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour with leading an external review of sexual harassment and misconduct in the military. The Department of National Defence also created a new position of “chief of conduct and professionalism”, now held by Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan.
