The Forces’ sorry mess

Re: Admiral back to top job, he says, despite status question, Aug. 12

Now that it has been announced Admiral Art Mcdonald will not be facing any charges in relation to allegations of misconduct made earlier this year, his desire to immediately return to his former duties as Chief of the Defence Staff probably is not surprising. Whether he would have the credibility and the moral authority to lead in the manner that the office demands is an entirely separate question.

Regardless of the fact that the Canadian Forces ultimately declined to lay any formal charges, the allegations of misconduct that were levelled against Mcdonald are not going to conveniently disappear. In the event he is reinstated as Canada’s top military officer, he may well find himself labouring under a cloud of lingering doubts about his character and his conduct. That’s a situation in which no officer, especially one in the most senior ranks of the Forces, can lead effectively.

What is abundantly clear about the whole sorry mess is the need for meaningful change in the Canadian Forces has become urgent. I can only imagine that the events of the past several months have been hugely demoralizing for the thousands of men and women who wear our country’s uniform. I salute them for their service, and my heart goes to them for the emotional anguish they have suffered.

The time for excuses, obfuscation and avoidance of responsibility is over; the time for real leadership is now. I hope Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan get the message, and take the action that is needed without delay. They can rest assured veterans like myself will be watching, and will judge them by their actions when Canadians go to the polls.

Mike Kennedy, Toronto