Vance boasted that he was `untouchable': witness
FEMALE OFFICER TELLS COMMITTEE TOP SOLDIER TOLD HER TO LIE TO MILITARY INVESTIGATORS
Canada's former top soldier boasted that he was untouchable and that he “owned” the military police who are investigating allegations of sexual misconduct made against him, a House of Commons committee heard Thursday night.
Maj. Kellie Brennan testified at the Commons status of women committee that Gen. Jon Vance, the former chief of the defence staff, told her to lie when she was being interviewed by military police looking into her allegations against the general.
Brennan has said she was in a 20-year relationship with the general, but felt she had little choice but to continue that relationship because of his senior rank. She also revealed that Vance was the father of two of her eight children, but testified the general had not provided financial support for those children.
The allegations against Vance are being investigated by a military police unit called the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS).
Brennan said that, after she was interviewed by the CFNIS, she asked the police officers whether they could properly investigate Vance because he had been the chief of the defence staff. But they refused to answer, she said.
“As (Vance) told me, he was untouchable,” Brennan testified. “He owned the CFNIS.
“I feel there will not be justice for me.”
Brennan said she turned over to the CFNIS audio recordings of Vance plus texts and emails he sent her.
Brennan's claims cannot be independently verified. Vance has not responded to repeated requests for comment from this newspaper, but he has told Global News he has done nothing wrong.
Both the status of women committee and the Commons defence committee have been holding hearings into allegations of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Forces.
The CFNIS investigation started shortly after Vance left the defence chief position to retire in January and was prompted by Brennan's allegations, which were first aired on Global News.
Brennan had provided details in the Feb. 21 Global interview about what she said was her 20-year relationship with Vance.
That relationship started when Vance was her boss and continued as he advanced in his career, she alleged. They had sex in his office, at his house and in cars, Brennan said.
Brennan also claimed senior military leaders knew about her relationship with Vance because she told them.
Brennan alleged in her interview with Global News that she and Vance had sex the night before he was sworn in as chief of the defence staff in July 2015. At the time, she added, Vance wanted to get her views on his speech the next day.
In that speech, Vance condemned inappropriate sexual behaviour and warned that it would not be tolerated under his command. “Any form of harmful sexual behaviour has been and always will be absolutely contrary to good order and discipline,” Vance said in his address. “It is a threat to morale. It is a threat to operational readiness and a threat to this institution.”
The CFNIS also has ongoing investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct against other senior leaders. Vance's successor, Chief of the Defence Staff Adm. Art Mcdonald, temporarily stepped aside Feb. 24 after being put under military police investigation.
Military police are also looking into allegations of sexual assault against Viceadm. Haydn Edmundson.
Mcdonald has not commented. Edmundson denied previous allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
The Commons defence
ANY FORM OF HARMFUL SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR HAS BEEN ... ABSOLUTELY CONTRARY TO GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE.
committee has also heard that, in March 2018, Canadian Forces Ombudsman Gary Walbourne brought Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan details about allegations of sexual misconduct involving Vance. Sajjan declined to accept the evidence.
The Prime Minister's Office and Privy Council Office were also informed there were allegations.
That incident involved an inappropriate message allegedly sent to a younger female soldier by Vance.
Vance has told Global he did not remember sending the message, but, if he had, it could have been as a joke.
The defence committee heard previously that Sajjan was Vance's friend, something the minister denied.
Brennan told the status of women committee Thursday that she previously worked with Sajjan in Toronto when he was in the military. At the time, Vance was the boss of Sajjan and Brennan. Brennan said Vance told her he had Sajjan “under control.”
In addition, the defence committee has heard testimony that the government of prime minister Stephen Harper also examined allegations against Vance. Harper met with the general in 2015 and received assurances from senior defence officials and bureaucrats that the allegations were unfounded.