‘PARTY-FLIGHT’ OFFICER ADVISING SEX-ASSAULT TEAM.
Says didn’t know about allegations of harassment
A former top military adviser who was on an infamous Canadian Forces junket that resulted in a sex assault charge being laid against a former NHL player, and complaints about harassment of flight attendants, is now working as a consultant for the military’s sexual misconduct response team.
Former Chief Warrant Officer Kevin West, who retired last year, acknowledged there have been questions about why he didn’t act during what has been dubbed by military personnel as the “party flight.”
But West, who now has a contract advising the Canadian Armed Forces Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct, said he never saw anything untoward on the flight and wasn’t aware a flight attendant complained she had been sexually assaulted.
If he had been aware, he would have acted, West told Postmedia in his first interview about the controversial junket. “I can’t do anything about something I didn’t know (about),” said West, who as the Canadian Forces chief warrant officer had the job to advise the country’s top soldier about the morale and welfare of non-commissioned members. “I wish I had known. I would stopped everything right there. More action would have been taken.”
Former NHL player Dave “Tiger” Williams, a VIP guest of Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jon Vance, was charged in 2018 with assault and sexual assault after a complaint by a military flight attendant.
On May 7 the Ottawa Crown Attorney’s office dropped its sexual assault case against Williams after the former hockey player apologized for his regrettable behaviour during the trip. Williams, 65, filed a brief apology in court as part of a resolution that had the Crown also drop the assault charge. The Canadian Forces flight attendant, who can’t be identified because of a publication ban, filed a statement with the court that she is now suffering from PTSD and her military “dream career” is finished.
The trip, planned by Vance’s office, has been also dubbed as an airborne “Mardi Gras” by some military personnel because of what unfolded on the RCAF Polaris aircraft. The civilian passengers were exempt from security screening because they were VIPS and some — already drunk — walked on to the Canadian Forces aircraft with alcoholic drinks in their hands. One of the VIPS was so drunk he urinated on himself, requiring flight attendants to clean up the mess. Video from the flight showed people with their drinks — including one of Vance’s staff — dancing in the aisles of the aircraft as a rock band played at the back of the plane. Others chewed tobacco, in violation of Canadian Forces rules, spitting the slimy juice into cups, according to a military investigation.
The December 2017 VIP trip to Greece and Latvia cost taxpayers $337,000. The behaviour of some VIPS was so out of control that a February 2018 RCAF investigation concluded the safety of the flight was compromised.
West said he was at the front of the aircraft and spent the flight talking to two hockey players. He didn’t go to the back of the aircraft where most of the partying was taking place. It wasn’t until two days later that he found out what happened on the aircraft, he said.
West said he started his new job in November, working on contract, to provide advice from the perspective of the lower-ranks on implementing a strategic plan to deal with sexual misconduct.
“With 35 years serving in the (Canadian Armed Forces), five of those as CWO, Mr. West has extensive leadership experience and knowledge of the CAF organization, particularly the non-commissioned members, and CAF culture making him well suited for this role,” said defence department spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier.
He noted that Commodore Rebecca Patterson, director general of the strategic response team on sexual misconduct, approved West for the job after conducting a suitability assessment.
The actual contract, which runs until July 12, is with an outside firm, which uses West’s services.
Statistics Canada released a report on May 22 suggesting the Canadian Forces had made minimal progress on its four-year effort to combat sexual misconduct.