Latest news with #MichaelWright
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Military commander steps down amid probe into Cameron Highlanders social media posts
Images of male soldiers in uniform exposing their genitals, others posing naked with Canadian Forces weapons, posted to Facebook group Col. James McKay, commander of 33 Brigade, has decided to leave the Canadian Armed Forces. Photo by CANADIAN FORCES The commander of the brigade group that oversees units throughout eastern Ontario has resigned in the wake of a social media scandal centred around the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa. 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 Col. James McKay, commander of 33 Canadian Brigade Group, has stepped down, Lt.-Gen. Michael Wright confirmed to the Ottawa Citizen on Monday. ''On 21 July 2025, I accepted the letter of relinquishment of command from the Commander of 33 Canadian Brigade Group Colonel James McKay,' Wright stated. 'Being accountable for both our action and inaction, and the respective consequences of those decisions, is foundational to the Profession of Arms and achieving a ready, resilient, and relevant Canadian Armed Forces.' The resignation comes as the Canadian Army and military police continue their investigations into a controversial private Facebook page. As first reported in the Ottawa Citizen, some soldiers from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa have been operating what they call the Blue Hackle Mafia Facebook group. They have posted images of male soldiers in uniform exposing their genitals, others posing naked with Canadian Forces weapons or simulating sexual acts with each other in uniform. Some of the photos were taken at military installations. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Facebook page also includes hateful comments directed towards women and derogatory sexual comments about former prime minister Justin Trudeau, as well as discussions about raping grandmothers. In other cases, posts disparage both Jews and Muslims. Complaints were made in December to military police about the Blue Hackle Mafia group but the law enforcement organization decided not to investigate at that time. In addition, complaints about the group and the contents being posted by soldiers were made to Lt. Col. Hendy, commander of the Cameron Highlanders, as well as McKay, according to whistleblowers interviewed by the Ottawa Citizen. The Cameron Highlanders is one of the 16 army reserve units under the command of 33 Canadian Brigade Group. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canadian Army commander Lt. Gen. Michael Wright has acknowledged he didn't know about the Blue Hackle Mafia group until the Ottawa Citizen provided him with various screenshots from the Facebook account and asked him for comment. Wright told the Ottawa Citizen he was disgusted by the content of some of the posts. 'The circumstances surrounding the social media group remain extremely disturbing and disappointing, but actions taken to date are important in underlining the Canadian Army's commitment to ensuring our culture meets the expectations of Canadians,' Wright stated in his email Monday. McKay was asked previously for comment by the Ottawa Citizen. Comment was requested again on Monday but he did not respond to either request. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hendy has been temporarily removed from his position. He has not responded to a request for comment. The units controlled by 33 Canadian Brigade Group are located in Ottawa but also in other cities such as Oshawa, Timmins, Cornwall and Sault Ste Marie, according to the Canadian Forces. The 33 Canadian Brigade Group headquarters is located in Ottawa. The Blue Hackle Mafia has operated its Facebook page with around 200 participants since 2007. Wright said in a July 16 message to army personnel that he was taking steps to address the 'inappropriate behaviour' in the Blue Hackle Facebook group. 'As of 16 July 2025, the Commanding Officer of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa has been temporarily removed from his position and all individuals involved will be provided procedural fairness in accordance with the applicable policies,' Wright said in his statement to the army. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Wright noted in his statement that the Canadian Army started a summary investigation to examine the alleged unethical conduct of any currently serving Canadian Army members who were part of the online group. Military police were originally provided with videos and screenshots of the Blue Hackle Mafia material. Instead, military police turned over the investigation to the Cameron Highlanders. A reserve force captain who serves with some of those involved in the Blue Hackle Mafia was assigned to investigate their behaviour. After the Ottawa Citizen provided Wright with the screenshots of some of the Blue Hackle Mafia material on June 24, military police opened a new investigation into the group. The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) serve as the city of Ottawa's official regiment, according to the Canadian Forces. The regiment is tasked, as needed, to provide ceremonial guards of honour for visiting dignitaries and for national ceremonies and events. The reserve unit operates out of the Cartier Square Drill Hall on Queen Elizabeth Driveway. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In his statement sent to army personnel, Wright pointed out that the organization 'will continue to ensure that our culture reflects the values and ethics of the Canadian Armed Forces, and I expect the chain of command across the Canadian Army to deal immediately with any inappropriate behaviour that deviates from those values and ethics.' 'This incident has damaged the reputation of the Canadian Army at a time when we are engaged in important modernization work as part of a ready, resilient, and relevant Canadian Armed Forces,' he added. The Ottawa Citizen reported that the soldiers on the Facebook page knew what they were doing was wrong but their focus was on not getting caught. They warned each other not to take photos of the wild antics that were taking place at the Cartier Square Drill Hall. David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. 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CBC
18-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Ottawa officer suspended after army learned of antisemitic, homophobic 'Blue Hackle Mafia' group
The head of the Canadian Army has temporarily suspended the commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders in Ottawa after discovering a Facebook group with "abhorrent" content. As CBC News reported earlier this month, the Canadian Armed Forces has been investigating what was called the "Blue Hackle Mafia" group, which the army said was littered with "racist, misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic comments and images." Army commander Lt.-Gen. Michael Wright said in a July 16 message to members that he was taking steps to address the "inappropriate behaviour" in a Facebook group. Those steps include temporarily removing the head of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, a reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Army, as an investigation into the group continues, he said. An interim head officer has been appointed to oversee the unit. The statement does not include names, but the regiment's website lists Lt.-Col. Ryan Hendy as the commanding officer. "This incident has damaged the reputation of the Canadian Army at a time when we are engaged in important modernization work as part of a ready, resilient, and relevant Canadian Armed Forces," Wright wrote in the statement. He previously described the Facebook group's content as "abhorrent" and said he was "disgusted" by some of the posts. According to screenshots of the Blue Hackle Mafia group shared with the Ottawa Citizen, the group posted hateful comments directed toward women and derogatory sexual comments about former prime minister Justin Trudeau. In one posting described by the newspaper, members talked about getting together for drinks at an Ottawa bar. "All welcome (except the Jews of course)," responded a member. CBC News has not verified the screenshots. Wright's statement goes on to say the army is investigating the alleged unethical conduct of any serving Canadian Army members who were part of the group. The group is also being investigated by the military police. The Blue Hackle Mafia is one of two high-profile stories about conduct in the Armed Forces this month.
Toronto Star
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Ottawa army unit head removed as part of social media misconduct probe
OTTAWA - The head of an Ottawa-based Canadian Army regiment has been temporarily removed as part of an investigation into alleged online behaviour that the commander of the army says disgraced the military. The commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa has been removed from his post in connection with a probe into the 'Blue Hackle Mafia' social media group, Lt-Gen Michael Wright said in a statement to army ranks Wednesday and shared with The Canadian Press Thursday.
Winnipeg Free Press
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ottawa army unit head removed as part of social media misconduct probe
OTTAWA – The head of an Ottawa-based Canadian Army regiment has been temporarily removed as part of an investigation into alleged online behaviour that the commander of the army says disgraced the military. Lt.-Gen. Michael Wright says the commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa has been removed from his post in connection with a probe into the 'Blue Hackle Mafia' social media group. Wright said previously that the Facebook group's posts included 'racist, misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic comments and images' and the allegations involved 'members of the Canadian Army.' In an internal statement shared with The Canadian Press, Wright says the incident has damaged the Canadian Army's reputation. He says the military is still investigating any alleged unethical conduct from serving members of the army who were part of the group. That probe will include a review of the army's social media usage policies. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. — with files from David Baxter This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2025.
Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Lottery player pounds desk after scratching California ticket. ‘I lost my mind'
While an interruption to a 'daily rhythm' can often be an inconvenience, it turned into a 'life-changing moment' for a California lottery player. During a 'routine morning stop' at a Vacaville gas station across the street from his work, Michael Wright bought a $10 Triple Red 777 scratch-off ticket, California Lottery officials said in a July 15 news release. Soon after, Wright said he 'got to scratching' in his methodical way. 'I start from the bottom right corner and work my way up,' Wright told lottery officials. Wright found multiple zeros — six to be exact. 'Am I seeing things? Is this a dream? Oh my gosh,' Wright said of his reaction realizing he had won $1 million. 'I lost my mind in the store. I started pounding the little lottery desk.' Prior to his win, Wright had been looking for an exit from his day job of more than three years. And his 'win just accelerated a plan in motion,' lottery officials said. 'I told my son, 'We're going to transition. I'll find something else for us. We are going to exit gracefully,'' he said. Wright told lottery officials he already has plans for his winnings, including starting a family business with his wife and buying a new home. Wright said his win 'came at the right time.' 'If you don't believe in a higher power when this type of stuff happens, you've got to,' he said. Vacaville is about a 30-mile drive southwest from Sacramento.
