OTTAWA- The country's top military commander is trying to scrub away some of the tarnish created by an unfolding spy scandal involving a junior naval intelligence officer.
In his first public comment on the case, Gen. Walt Natynczyk says the military takes the security of sensitive information very seriously and is always mindful of the effects of leaks.
In a written statement, the chief of the defence staff says everyone handling secrets is required to not only observe stringent procedures, but expected to conduct themselves ethically and in a manner consistent with military values.
Natynczyk, who is in Brussels at a NATO defence chiefs meeting, wouldn't comment directly on the case of Sub-Lt. Jeffrey Paul Delisle, who was charged this week with communicating information to a foreign entity without authorization.
The charges are the first ever laid under revised national security legislation passed in the wake of 9/11.
It's been suggested that Delisle was spying for Russia -- something Defence Minister Peter MacKay refuses to confirm or deny.
