Time to clean house in the military
Re: A slap in the face to women in the military, Kathryn Marshall, March 2; and Vance accuser says her claims went unheard, Feb. 23
It is unthinkable that in the 21st century we tolerate disgusting sexual misconduct at the highest levels in our military. While Kathryn Marshall questions Justin Trudeau’s poor judgment in his choice of military (and other) leaders, the minister responsible, Harjit Sajjan, is obviously equally complicit. Their hollow platitudes about the worthiness of a safe work environment are merely the usual politician-speak, which is wearing thin on all Canadians.
Nothing short of a housecleaning, beginning with the defence minister, and the implementation of the key recommendations of the Deschamps report on sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces, will suffice in rebuilding the public’s confidence in our military. Susan Silverman, Toronto
Now a second chief of the military is being investigated for alleged misconduct. There is obviously a serious problem with Canada’s military. What ever happened to our traditionally proud and efficient forces, especially its leaders?
The forces are seriously lacking a vital element of any military, and that is leadership. All senior officers should go back to basics and relearn what military ethos is all about. It comprises values, beliefs and expectations that reflect core Canadian values, the imperatives of military professionalism, and the requirements of operations.
Senior officers today want to be seen as buddies to their troops, and that is not leadership. A leader is someone who rallies people toward a common vision. Leaders must be empathetic, impartial, and respectful. Above all they must be ethical and walk the talk; that is, their behaviour and day-to-day actions must match the aspirations they have for their subordinates. Leadership is leading by example.
Roger Cyr, OMM, CD, Retired navy commander, Victoria