WATCH: “Operation Honour” is aimed at ending the decades-long problem plaguing the military, including sexual harassment and misconduct within the ranks. Vassy Kapelos reports.
OTTAWA – In a pointed memo to the military, Canada’s new top soldier vows to implement all ten recommendations stemming from a scathing external report on sexual misconduct but it’s unclear when that will happen.
General Jonathan Vance writes in the memo that the recommendations – which include establishing an independent centre to deal with allegations of sex assault and harassment – will be implemented as rapidly and effectively as possible.
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“You will see changes and announcements in the near future that will herald a significant improvement in how the CAF deals with persons affected by sexual misconduct,” Vance said.
But what does “near future” mean?
Global News asked Lt.-Gen Christine Whitecross, the head of the Canadian Forces’ strategic team on sexual misconduct.
“Things take time as you can appreciate, culture change takes time, putting new organizations together – that all takes time,” Whitecross said.
“I can’t actually give you the specifics, but what I can say is that we’re going to be providing General Vance…we’re going to be providing to him in the next week or so the options of how we’re going to take this forward.”
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Whitecross has spent the last six months in different Canadian cities and abroad gathering information on best practices to deal with sexual misconduct.
“It’s actually pulling all that together, that’s where we’re at now,” she said.
Whitecross says she hopes to provide Gen. Vance with a synthesis of the information she’s gathered by the end of the summer.
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But critics want more details.
Michel Drapeau, a lawyer who represents victims of sexual assault in the military, is concerned years of inaction by the military could lead to more of the same.
“We are a long ways away from correcting the issue, from correcting the culture and changing what is systemic,” Drapeau said.
Still, Drapeau thinks Gen. Vance’s memo is a step in the right direction.
“At least we know where the top boss sits.”
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