`Party flight' did not have enough oversight
The organization responsible for a drunken VIP junket, that resulted in the sexual assault of a Canadian Forces flight attendant, had been operating for years without proper oversight, according to a Defence Department audit.
Department of National Defence auditors pointed to a lack of formal controls on some of the activities of the PR Operations Program, which operates out of the military's Ottawa headquarters.
“Without formal administrative controls and guidelines, events may not be planned and executed in accordance with mandatory requirements, including obtaining appropriate expenditure authorities,” the newly released audit noted.
“Given the significance of these events, as well as the increased public scrutiny they attract, the governance mechanisms and business practices supporting this program need strengthening to ensure program objectives are met, and events are conducted in compliance with all applicable departmental and Government of Canada requirements.”
The audit was launched in the wake of that 2017 Team Canada trip dubbed by some military officers as the “party flight” because of what unfolded on the RCAF passenger aircraft. Some of the VIPs on the taxpayer-funded Canadian Forces morale tour were drunk and abusive to the military flight crew, an earlier DND investigation determined.
At least one VIP was so drunk he urinated on himself. Video from the flight showed people with their drinks — including one of the PR Operations Program staff — dancing in the aisles of the aircraft as a rock band played at the back. Others chewed tobacco, in violation of Canadian Forces rules, spitting the slimy juice into cups.
The trip to Greece and Latvia, which cost taxpayers $337,000, also resulted in a sex assault charge against former NHL player Dave (Tiger) Williams, one of the VIPs.
The charge was later dropped after Williams apologized for his actions.
The military flight crew trying to deal with the unruly VIPs felt they had no choice but endure the behaviour as the individuals were guests of then-Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance, according to the earlier DND investigation.
The separate audit examined the period when the team reported to Vance's office from 2016 to May, 2019. “No formal structure is in place for the monitoring and reporting of program risk” to the defence chief and the deputy minister, the audit pointed out. Without such reporting “possible issues or concerns could go unreported or undetected,” it added.
In some cases there were processes in place to govern activities of the PR Operations Program but they were informal.
The program has four full-time employees and an annual budget of $400,000. It organizes VIP tours and other morale-boosting initiatives, such as appreciation events at hockey and baseball games for Canadian Forces personnel.
The audit didn't examine specific events, the costs of those events, or whether value was received for the tax dollars spent.
After the VIP trip made headlines, Vance staunchly defended the tour, pointing out visits of such celebrities to overseas missions boost morale for the troops. “The band playing in the back of the plane, that's some team-building for people who have never met soldiers before and are going to go into maybe a dangerous place,” he said at the time. “So, it's not a Mardi Gras. It's not a party. It's a mission.”
Privately, military officers challenged Vance's claims. They noted the tour's destinations — Greece and Riga, Latvia — were not dangerous places. In addition, they also pointed out most of those on the VIP tour have been on previous visits to meet soldiers.
Vance blamed the military aircrew for not reining in the VIPs. They had the authority to get the VIPs under control but the crew lacked the training and confidence to do so, he noted.
Vance had said he had never heard of any issues with previous morale tours.
But after the general made that claim, military sources contacted this newspaper to point out that heavy drinking and partying was a feature on some of the previous tours. Photos were also provided from a 2010 military morale tour to Afghanistan showing similar behaviour, including one image featuring Williams with beads stuck up one of his nostrils. Other photos show individuals in the aisles of the aircraft with beer and a cooler set up on one of the seats.