OTTAWA - Cases involving the accidental firing of weapons have risen up to 40 per cent in two years and now comprise a quarter of all military trials in Canada, says the Canadian Forces' top judge.
In the judge advocate general's annual report to Parliament, Brig.-Gen. Kenneth Watkin says the total number of courts martial rose 16 per cent to 78 in 2007-08, while summary trials were up 17.6 per cent to 2,035.
Watkin reports that 510 summary trials -- proceedings held before a senior officer as opposed to courts martial before a JAG -- were held for negligent discharge of weapons offences in 2007-08. That's an increase of 115, or 29 per cent, over the previous year.
He notes the increases accompany a shift in training emphasis and a broader focus on weapons handling in the Canadian Forces -- as well as expanded recruiting. Just 69 cases were heard in theatres of operation, most commonly Afghanistan.
"Negligent discharge offences occurred in greatest numbers at training units or in training circumstances," Watkin reports, adding that 96 per cent of offences occurred at five training facilities and 64 per cent of defendants were entry-level privates or officer cadets.
"The majority of negligent discharge offences are committed by CF members who are at early stages in their careers," the report says.
The rising number of young recruits is not the only reason behind the increase. After consulting with the chain of command, Watkin notes that military training has changed markedly in concert with Canada's fighting role in southern Afghanistan.
"Training in support of current operations is robust and increasingly tailored to the nature of the missions," he reported.
"Pre-deployment training for CF members being sent abroad may last the better part of a year and it is designed to emulate conditions and circumstances in Afghanistan.
"CF members undergo weapons training more frequently and have more ammunition available for training purposes than in the past."
The vast majority of summary trials -- 53 per cent -- were for "conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline," a broad range of charges that includes some weapons-related offences and those related to drugs, drunkenness and sex offences.
Another 30 per cent of summary trials were for absence without leave.
In the most high-profile case involving an accidental discharge, Cpl. Matthew Wilcox of Glace Bay, N.S., faces court martial for manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death and negligent performance of duty. The charges were laid last fall after Cpl. Ronald Kevin Megeney was shot in his tent at Kandahar on March 6, 2007. Both soldiers were reservists.
Senior military commanders expressed confidence in their troops' weapons handling abilities, despite the rising number of misfires, Watkin said.
"It is suggested that one interpretation of the statistics may be that the opportunity for the negligent discharge of a weapon is significantly higher when a member spends more time training with weapons."
While the military justice system provides "an important means by which to address the serious matter of the inappropriate handling of weapons," the JAG maintains the key to reversing the tide lies in leadership and training.
