Latest news with #McGuinty
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Military asked to consider dismissing members after 1st offence of unwanted sexual touching
Defence Minister David McGuinty wants the military to review a trend in civilian court toward judges supporting workplaces firing Canadians for any unwanted sexual touching on the job — even if it happened once. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is launching new advisory panels this fall to discipline military members for sexually inappropriate behaviour. The minister is supportive, his office said, of an external monitor's recent recommendation that if the military wants to modernize its conduct process, it could look at a clear pattern in civilian court over the past decade. "Now, more than ever, any type of non-consensual touching of a sexual nature within the context of one's employment is likely to lead to dismissal, even for a single event and even if there are mitigating factors," external monitor Jocelyne Therrien wrote in her June report. Victims and experts have long raised concerns that the military has moved members involved in cases like groping to other units, given them warnings or other remedial measures. Therrien wrote that gone are the days where that's a "viable solution" and it could expose the victim or other staff to risk. The government hired Therrien to track the military's progress implementing changes to try and reform its handling of sexual misconduct. Retired Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour's landmark 2022 report made sweeping recommendations after a series of senior military leaders were removed from prominent roles amid allegations, causing a damaging and high-profile crisis. Therrien estimates the military is on track to meet "the intent" of Arbour's recommendations by the end of the year. But she flags one of the biggest challenges for military is that files related to misconduct are scattered across different databases which makes it difficult to get a clearer picture of the current state of the issue. WATCH | Can the military change how it handles sexual misconduct?: Therrien's latest report said case law has "rapidly" and "significantly" evolved over the past 10 years. "In reviewing these judgments, I note a clear trend towards supporting dismissal for any sexual touching in the workplace," she wrote. More civilian judges are using the logic that sexual harassment involving unwanted touching is "unequivocally" considered sexual assault which is a criminal offence in Canada, she wrote. Changes to the Canadian Labour Code in 2021 also require federally regulated workplaces to ensure they are harassment-free. Not dismissing people in some cases can lead to liability claims, wrote Therrien. "The fact that similar cases in the past were dealt with through administrative measures other than dismissal no longer carries any weight," Therrien said. The minister's office says McGuinty supports Therrien's recommendation that "the significant evolution in workplace harassment case law should be considered as the CAF continues modernization." McGuinty's office told CBC News the minister will be looking for the upcoming panels "to yield real results." They will include law and sexual misconduct experts, the office said. Therrien's report also said the military is considering launching a "scale of severity" to help determine if members should be kicked out or otherwise reprimanded. People moved around Megan MacKenzie, a professor at Simon Fraser University who specializes in military culture, says the CAF should adopt a one-strike-you're-out policy for unwanted sexual touching. "This is a really significant recommendation," said MacKenzie. "There is just no ambiguity for anyone in any workplace at this point in time that inappropriate touching, touching of a sexual nature, is not OK." In the past, these kinds of cases were often called "low-level harassing behaviours" and the military dealt with it internally including by shuffling people around as a temporary solution, she said. "That doesn't solve the problem," she said. "It moves the problem to a different unit and the alleged victim and the accuser may still have interactions with each other." The CAF has been grappling with sexual misconduct for decades while saying it has a "zero-tolerance policy," she said. MacKenzie said kicking out people for unwanted touching would demonstrate that policy. Supporting victims Retired master corporal Sherry Bordage, who reported being groped by her superior, said it's time for the military to act. "Why allow predators to continue to hide within the ranks? What possible good could that serve?" she said. Bordage reported her platoon commander touched her breast and made inappropriate comments at a mess dinner in 2010 at CFB Borden. In military court, a Canadian Armed Forces judge stayed proceedings for the criminal sexual assault charge against Master Warrant Officer D.J. Prosser, according to the court martial documents. Prosser pleaded guilty to a lesser military service offence for ill treatment of a subordinate, the records show. Military judge Lt.-Col. Louis-Vincent d'Auteuil noted he took into consideration several mitigating factors, including that it was "an isolated incident" and "unusual" for Prosser who had spent 30 years serving in the military at that time, his reason for sentencing said. The military judge gave Prosser a reprimand and a $1,500 fine — and allowed him to continue serving. Bordage said she left the forces in 2014 because she didn't feel safe and faced reprisals from her chain of command for reporting the incident. She says the military should kick out members for unwanted sexual touching to keep others safe. "This decision, had it been implemented during my time, would have been night and day," said Bordage. The CAF has not yet responded to a CBC News request for comment. Therrien's report contained a long list of findings and notes a new probationary period for recruits could help weed out problematic members early on.
10-07-2025
- Politics
Defence minister calls extremist plot charges 'disturbing,' insists military culture is changing
Defence Minister David McGuinty called allegations that military members were part of an extremist plot disturbing, but pushed back against accusations the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) isn't doing enough to change its culture. The minister briefly spoke to reporters Thursday on the sidelines of a change-of-command ceremony. They were his first public comments since the RCMP charged four men, including two CAF members and one former member, of amassing a trove of weapons and explosives as part of a scheme to take over land near Quebec City (new window) . It's deeply concerning. We reject completely this kind of behaviour, these beliefs, this system, these activities, he said. This is disturbing, of course, but we're moving forward in rebuilding and rearming and reinvigorating the Canadian Armed Forces. Enlarge image (new window) In a provided photo, the RCMP says this is the 'military-style training in which the accused took part.' Photo: Gendarmerie Royale du Canada Cpl. Marc-Aurèle Chabot, Simon Angers-Audet and Raphaël Lagacé have been charged with the serious offence of facilitating a terrorist activity. The RCMP said they were planning to form an anti-government militia. Angers-Audet's father told La Presse his son formerly served in the army. Lagacé's Facebook account shows he was involved with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. Cpl. Matthew Forbes, who served at CFB Valcartier with Chabot, faces charges including unauthorized possession of firearms and illegally transferring devices. Police characterized the plot as an act of ideologically motivated violent extremism. The allegations have not been tested in court. 'Sophisticated, deep investigation' McGuinty said extremism is not something that is unknown to armed forces around the world. I think what it says is that the question of extremism is something that's throughout Canadian society, said the minister, who before joining cabinet was chair of one of the country's national security watchdogs. He wouldn't provide specifics about the case that's just beginning its journey through the justice system. WATCH | McGuinty comments on charges: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? McGuinty said the charges follow a sophisticated, deep investigation. While the motivation of the four accused is still largely unknown, the armed forces have been under pressure for years to better handle soldiers drawn to hateful views and extremism. A recent report from the military's advisory panel on systemic racism and discrimination found the number of members belonging to extremist groups (new window) was on the rise. The report called out the military for not doing enough to detect white supremacists and other violent extremists and prevent them from infiltrating its ranks, despite a mounting pile of reports and surveys pointing to the problem. It came after a U.S. judge sentenced former Manitoba army reservist Patrik Mathews to nine years in prison for charges related to what the FBI described as a neo-Nazi plot to instigate a race war in the United States. Another report, this one from former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour, called for culture changes in the wake of multiple sexual misconduct accusations. Both made a series of recommendations to clean up the force's culture. Many recommendations have been implemented. Changes have been affected, said McGuinty. There's so much activity going on that's positive. That's where my focus is WATCH | More about the alleged plot: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? Queen's University professor Amarnath Amarasingam, who has researched the overlap between extremism and military service (new window) , said the armed forces' efforts are still in their infancy — conducting studies and working with experts to develop approaches to detect and root out extremist elements. It's still very early, he told CBC's (new window) The Current (new window) . He said getting a handle of the degree of extremism in the CAF is a tough task. It's a little bit more complicated than, say, if you find an ISIS supporter, he said, whose ideology is more clear and the organization is a listed terrorist entity. Ideologically motivated extremism runs the gamut between someone who is looking at incel ideology, to accelerationists, to old-school neo-Nazi skinheads, he said. It just becomes a lot more sticky, you know, where free speech ends and where some of this hate speech begins. The four accused remain in custody and are back in court Monday. Catharine Tunney (new window) · CBC News · Reporter Catharine Tunney is a reporter with CBC's Parliament Hill bureau, where she covers national security and the RCMP. She worked previously for CBC in Nova Scotia. You can reach her at With files from Kate McKenna
National Observer
27-06-2025
- Business
- National Observer
An Ottawa co-production deal with Ukraine for military equipment under "active consideration"
Ottawa is considering whether to follow in the footsteps of several European nations by forging a new defence co-production deal with Ukraine for military equipment, Defence Minister David McGuinty said Thursday. McGuinty said the idea is under "active consideration" by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces and the government is looking at Denmark and France as potential models. Ukraine has become a world leader in combat drone technology over the course of its war with Russia, and countries such as the United Kingdom and Denmark have announced plans for co-operative equipment production projects with Kyiv. "The Ukrainians have made huge strides and advances in drone technology, something that we're actively looking at," McGuinty said. "There may very well be some interesting industrial benefits which would directly accrue to Canadian companies. That's exactly what we're looking at, to see what the best mechanism is." McGuinty said federal bureaucrats are considering either financing domestic Ukrainian weapons construction or building equipment either here or in Ukraine. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a new agreement this week to share military technology. The agreement is meant to boost Ukrainian drone production and pipe technical data into the U.K.'s defence sector. French carmaker Renault said earlier this month France's defence ministry approached it about manufacturing drones in Ukraine. McGuinty made the comments while speaking to Canadian reporters on a call from the embassy in Riga, Latvia, capping off his trip to Europe this week. This is McGuinty's first visit as minister to Latvia, where some 1,900 Canadian Armed Forces members are currently deployed on a NATO deterrence mission. His comments come on the heels of a massive defence spending announcement by Prime Minister Mark Carney at the NATO summit in The Hague this week. McGuinty said he met with about ten industrial leaders in The Hague to talk about Canada's defence industrial strategy, which has not yet been finalized. On Monday in Brussels, Carney announced that Canada and the European Union will negotiate a new security and defence procurement partnership. McGuinty said Canada needs to be able to leverage European loans through that partnership. He said Canada will first need to ratify more bilateral arrangements but will eventually be able to join up with other EU nations on bulk purchases. "For example, if we're procuring equipment for Canada, we'll able to join with other states and use economies of scale to make sure that we pass on the savings for anything we purchase to the Canadian taxpayer," he said. He said Canada will be able to access loans in partnership with other European states, with a funding pool of roughly 150 billion euros (C$240 billion) backed by the EU budget.
Toronto Star
26-06-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Ottawa eyeing Ukrainian partnership, EU loans for defence equipment, minister says
OTTAWA - Ottawa is weighing whether to follow in the footsteps of several European nations by forging a new defence co-production deal with Ukraine for military equipment, Defence Minister David McGuinty said Thursday. McGuinty said the idea is under 'active consideration' by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces and the government is looking at Denmark and France as potential models.
Toronto Sun
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Ottawa eyeing Ukrainian partnership, EU loans for defence equipment, minister says
Published Jun 26, 2025 • Last updated 13 minutes ago • 1 minute read Minister of National Defence David McGuinty takes part in a signing ceremony at the Canada-EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium on Monday, June 23, 2025. Photo by Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press OTTAWA — Defence Minister David McGuinty says the federal government is weighing whether to follow in the footsteps of several European nations by forging a new defence co-production deal with Ukraine for military equipment. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account McGuinty says the idea is under 'active consideration' by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. Ukraine has become a world leader in combat drone technology over the course of its war with Russia, and countries such as the U.K. and Denmark have announced plans for co-operative equipment production projects with Kyiv. McGuinty made the comments while speaking to Canadian reporters on a call from the embassy in Riga, Latvia, capping off his trip to Europe this week. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a massive new defence spending commitment at the NATO summit in The Hague this week and said in Brussels that Canada and the European Union will negotiate a new security and defence procurement partnership. McGuinty says Canada needs to be able to leverage European loans through that partnership and that his government intends to join up with European nations on bulk purchasing — something he says will save money on defence procurement. Toronto Raptors CFL Canada Celebrity Sunshine Girls
