GATINEAU, QUE. -- Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin faced cross-examination Monday in the sexual assault trial against him, with both sides expected to deliver closing arguments in the case in the afternoon.
Final questions for the former head of Canada's COVID-19 vaccine rollout focused largely on his public profile in the lead-up to his May 2021 dismissal and on his memories of military college he attended in St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Que.
He was also asked to explain details of the college campus at the time, including the floor plan of the barracks where students slept.
It's in one of the college dorm rooms that the complainant in the case said she was assaulted in 1988. Her name is under a publication ban.
The woman told a Gatineau, Que. courtroom last month that she was "horrified" to wake up one night and find that a man was masturbating himself with one of her hands, while his other hand was on her breast.
She testified that after she made it known that she was awake and whispered for the attacker to "get off" her, a short struggle ensued and the intruder backed off
She said she recognized the attacker as Fortin "without a doubt."
Fortin has denied any guilt in the case, saying he never had physical contact with the woman or entered her room, and that they were not part of the same group of friends at college.
In court Monday he reiterated that he wasn't close with the complainant.
Defence lawyer Isabel Schurman has said she will vigorously contest the complainant's identification of her client.
During direct examination by Schurman in French Monday, Fortin described the details of photos from the era, including one in which he identified another student with the same surname and the same nickname: "Fort."
Later, under questioning by Crown prosecutor Diane Legault, Fortin listed off the sports, excursions and other social activities commonly enjoyed by the recruits. He was also asked about his drinking habits at parties to which he said he would have two or three beers on a big night.
Testimony from both Fortin and the complainant during the first two days of the trial in September indicated that students' doors remained unlocked and that the outside doors of the barracks were generally unguarded.
The complainant's former roommate from the college told the court last month that she had no memory of an incident involving the complainant and Fortin, but said she "blocked a lot of those memories out" because of her own trauma from the era.
The complainant's then-boyfriend, called to the stand by the defence, contradicted her earlier testimony that she had told him about the event right after it occurred.
Fortin was removed from the vaccine campaign in May 2021 after an investigation into the allegation was launched, and he is challenging the removal separately in Federal Court.
Military police referred the investigation to the civilian system later that month and he was charged with one count of sexual assault in August last year.
The case is being heard by judge Richard Meredith.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2022.
