Vaccine rollout unlikely to miss a beat after military officer's exit, expert says
DARTMOUTH — The sudden departure of the senior military officer in charge of Canada's vaccine rollout is unlikely to slow down the high-profile operation, an expert in military affairs said Saturday.
Christian Leuprecht, a professor at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., said the unexpected reassignment Friday of Maj-Gen. Dany Fortin won't affect vaccine distribution because the military always has a second in command ready to get the job done.
“The mission has to go on,” Leuprecht said Saturday. “If you're fighting a war and your general gets taken out, you need someone who is able to step into the fray right away and keep running the operation. The entire machine is set up to keep on rolling.”
Fortin's replacement was not revealed Friday and the Defence Department declined to comment on the case Saturday. The Public Health Agency of Canada did not respond to a request for comment.
The Department of National Defence has confirmed Fortin left his post with the Public Health Agency of Canada pending the results of a military investigation, though the nature of that probe has not been revealed.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan issued a brief statement saying he was committed to building a culture of inclusion for the Canadian Armed Forces, and he also said he wants to make sure the military sheds “toxic and outdated values, practices and policies.”
But the minister's statement did not provide any clarity regarding the reasons for Fortin's departure.
The Canadian military has faced increased scrutiny since February when allegations of sexual misconduct were levelled against the former chief of defence staff, retired general Jonathan Vance.
Military police are investigating allegations that Vance had a sexual relationship with an officer under his command and that he sent an off-colour email to a junior officer in 2012.
Vance stepped down as chief of the defence staff in January and has since retired from the military.
Meanwhile, Vance's replacement as chief of the defence staff, Admiral Art McDonald, stepped aside due to an unspecified allegation of misconduct. He, too, is facing a military police investigation.
Vice-Admiral Haydn Edmundson is also being investigated by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service following an allegation of sexual assault.
Brian Greenspan, a lawyer for Edmundson, said Friday his client denies the allegations.
Leuprecht said the military is suspending people “to maintain the integrity and the legitimacy of both the institution and the chain of command.”