Military watchdog independence efforts 'scuttled by military and departmental leadership': report
The Canadian Armed Forces ombudsman says the duties of his office are often impeded by operational interference from top military and defence department officials.
In a position paper on the misconduct crisis in the Canadian Armed Forces released Tuesday titled Independent civilian oversight: The defence community deserves no less, ombudsman Gregory Lick is now proposing legislative steps to guarantee structural and administrative independence for his office.
“Despite apparent agreement in principle, all attempts at negotiating independence for this office have been scuttled by military and departmental leadership who have no interest in having an external organization authorized to review their behaviour,” he wrote.
"The draft legislation seeks to achieve permanence for our office, full administrative independence from the institutions we oversee, a reporting structure allowing us to flag sensitive matters to Parliament, and additional measures to reinforce our effectiveness and efficiency."
He said the government must take action immediately to end the cycle of scandals and misconduct, including allegations against the former defence chief and his successor.
Lick, in his report, highlights the many previous studies issued about the need for an independent oversight body, including the recommendations laid out in a 2015 study undertaken by former Supreme Court Justice Marie Deschamps.
“Seven years after the report’s publication, and faced with a new wave of public outrage, military and departmental leaders are offering their mea culpas and promises to do better this time,” he said.
In a press conference Tuesday, he told reporters “enough is enough.”
“Why do we need another review to review a review? I can see the frustration not only in myself but in all Canadians, all military members, all veterans,” he said.
In late April, the Liberal government announced yet another independent review, to be led by former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour, to recommend what an external reporting system would look like, and to examine the existing policies, procedures, and practices to make the system more responsive for victims.
At the time, when he was asked why another report was needed if the solution was already known, Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said the Deschamps findings were a “good start.”
The move came in response to criticism of the government's handling of an allegation levied against Gen. Jonathan Vance brought to the attention of Sajjan in 2018 by the former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne.
In scathing testimony to the House of Commons defence committee studying the issue, Walbourne said he tried to present evidence of the allegation but was abruptly dismissed. He too advocated for an independent reporting structure so that victims of misconduct could safely share their experiences and feel confident they would be taken seriously.
Military police launched an investigation into the allegation against Vance in February, which CTV News has not independently verified.
Lick on Tuesday said over the past several months the defence minister and senior government officials have shown “erratic behaviour” and that the concept of ministerial accountability has been “absent.”
"When leaders turn a blind eye to our recommendations and concerns in order to advance political interests and their own self-preservation or career advancement, it is the members of the defence community that suffer the consequences," he said speaking to reporters.
Asked about the report later in the day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau touted his government’s efforts to combat sexual misconduct in the Forces while acknowledging more must be done.
“We have taken concrete actions over this past year to make sure that anyone who comes forward with stories of misconduct or allegations of sexual assault are heard, are supported, and that there are consequences through a rigorous process. We also need to make sure we are changing the culture,” he said.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole said change within the ranks won’t occur so long as Trudeau remains in power.
“The decision to fire Justin Trudeau and Minister Sajjan will ultimately be made by voters, but it is clear from today’s comments by the defence ombudsman that the corruption in Ottawa needs to end,” he said in a press release.
The legislation Lick is proposing would ensure permanence of the office, regardless of ministerial directive. It would also give the office the ability to carry out its functions unimpeded, as the body currently faces the risk of “having its authorities modified or removed in retaliation for performing oversight functions,” the report reads.
It also suggests the office report directly to Parliament, as opposed to the defence minister.
“Regardless of the party that forms government, the minister responsible for the defence portfolio will want to control the narrative around the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. While it is generally easy to keep the reporting relationship with the ministers of national defence arms-length and apolitical, vested political interests may become apparent just prior to an election period or in times of crisis,” he writes.
Beyond this, he said the proposed change to the reporting structure would also help accelerate the publication of reports.
“We have also seen inaction on sensitive information that could be unflattering to the Canadian Armed Forces and [the] department. This cannot persist.”
In a subsequent statement to CTV News, Sajjan said he is “committed” to creating an independent and external reporting mechanism that meets the needs of survivors and that there has been no political interference with Lick’s office.
“Further, I expect he would have alerted me if he felt there was a problem with the relations between our offices. That has never happened,” said Sajjan.
IN DEPTH
Trudeau, key election players to testify at foreign interference hearings. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions are picking back up this week. Here's what you need to know.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
opinion Don Martin: Pierre Poilievre's road to apparent victory will soon start to get rougher
Pierre Poilievre and his Conservatives appear to be on cruise control to a rendezvous with the leader's prime ministerial ambition, but in his latest column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin questions whether the Conservative leader may be peaking too soon.
opinion Don Martin: The Trudeau lessons from Brian Mulroney's legacy start with walking away
Justin Trudeau should pay very close attention to the legacy treatment afforded former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who died on Thursday at age 84, writes columnist Don Martin.
opinion Don Martin: ArriveCan debacle may be even worse than we know from auditor's report
It's been 22 years since a former auditor general blasted the Chretien government after it 'broke just about every rule in the book' in handing out private sector contracts in the sponsorship scandal. In his column for CTVNews.ca, Don Martin says the book has been broken anew with everything that went on behind the scenes of the 'dreaded' ArriveCan app.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Local Spotlight
Conservation officers seize 9-foot python from Chilliwack home
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Ontario auto-insurance changes could leave some vulnerable, says expert
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A tiny critter who could: Elusive Newfoundland Marten makes improbable comeback
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
Ontario man loses $12K to deepfake scam involving Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Record-setting pop tab collection for Ontario boy
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
'I was just like, holy cow!': Saskatoon dumpster divers reclaim wasted valuables
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario to balance budget ahead of 2026 election, citing delay due to 'economic uncertainty'
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.