Military has new top gun
Commander promises decisive action to stamp out sexual misconduct
The Canadian military has a new top commander.
Gen. Jonathan Vance, a combat veteran of Afghanistan and the country’s former operations commander, has been sworn in as the chief of defence staff, replacing Gen. Tom Lawson, who is retiring after almost three years in the high-profile post.
The military has been seized with the findings of a special investigation into harassment and sexual assault within the ranks and Vance used his inaugural speech to underline that inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated under his command.
Former Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps, in a searing report released in April, said sexual misconduct is “endemic” in the Canadian military and that the leadership has tolerated abuse.
Vance says his first priority will be to take care of the troops, and the issue of harassment is at the top of the list.
“I do not like the idea that anybody — even a single person — would have to come to work anywhere in the Armed Forces, or even working with us, (with) that sick feeling in their stomach that they’re going to be attacked, degraded, or have their dignity stripped from them,” Vance said in an interview.
“I’m going to address that hard because I think it affects our morale. It is something I will lead very personally and very quickly.”
There is a lingering perception — both publicly and within the rank and file — that the military isn’t serious about the kind of reform that would stamp out what Deschamps described as a highly-sexualized, macho culture. While Vance wasn’t specific about how he would deal with it, he committed himself to living up to the report.
“I honestly value the Deschamps recommendations and I will put a great deal of energy into meeting or exceeding the letter and the spirit of those recommendations,” he said.