Canada must better defend its defenders
It’s striking that so many people in an organization that exists to protect Canada need protection themselves. And from people they work with.
But that’s how it is for women in the Canadian Armed Forces who are too often subjected to sexism and sexual misconduct coming from men in the same service. No matter how hard and how often the federal government and military have searched for a fix, conduct that is unbecoming and on some occasions criminal persists.
For fresh evidence that at least some female military personnel believe this serious problem lingers, consider what’s just happened to two of the Armed Forces’ big brass. Last week, defence chief Admiral Art McDonald stepped aside from Canada’s top military job just hours after sending a message to all military personnel saying he was committed to taking bold action against sexual misconduct.
The reason for his departure? News had broken that military police are investigating him in connection with allegations of sexual misconduct related to an incident in 2010 involving a woman in the service.
This isn’t the only bombshell to explode around the military in recent days. Admiral McDonald’s immediate predecessor, retired general Jonathan Vance, is also under military police investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct. In Vance’s case, the allegations are linked to his time as top commander and also involve a woman in the military.
Before going any further, it’s worth stating that what we’re dealing with at this point are allegations. We can’t predict what the investigators will uncover and what consequences, if any, McDonald and Vance might face. What we can say is that women have been complaining about the toxic culture in the Canadian military for decades. If it’s not systemic — and critics insist it is — the system has failed to stop it.
In 2018, 1.6 per cent of Regular Forces members reported that in the prior 12 months they were victims of sexual assault in the military workplace or outside the workplace, but involving other members of the military. That meant approximately 900 individuals — most of them women — indicated they had suffered sexual attacks, unwanted sexual touching or sexual activity where they could not give consent. In just one year. What a stain on the uniform of Canada’s Armed Forces.
No one should have to accept such abuse as part of their working environment. There is no way Canada can operate an efficient and inclusive military with this undisciplined, no rogue, behaviour going on. Think how corrosive it must be to military morale when Armed Forces personnel know two of the most powerful men in the services face sexual misconduct allegations.
And think of how much this is costing taxpayers. In November 2019, the Federal Court approved a $900million agreement to settle multiple class-action lawsuits by survivors of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military.
As disturbing as the allegations against McDonald and Vance undoubtedly are, there is, ironically, something encouraging about the situation. The military is rigorously investigating complaints made by female personnel. And rank offers no refuge. The military will respond even to allegations levelled against their most senior commanders. For this, we salute it.
So, despite the alarming headlines about McDonald and Vance, the Armed Forces are on the right track, as steep as the path before them is. The federal government and military have launched a campaign against sexism and sexual misconduct. But the battle must be fought with a greater sense of urgency than ever. This must be their highest priority. And the only acceptable result is victory.