Halifax-based Navy member accused of sexual assault against another forces member

A member of the Naval Fleet School (Atlantic) has been charged with sexual assault, after an incident aboard HMCS Athabaskan in November 2015.

The Canadian Forces say the victim of the alleged sexual assault is also a member of the armed forces.

Master Seaman Daniel Cooper has been charged with sexual assault as well as abuse of subordinates.

In a phone interview with Global News, Captain (Navy) Paul Forget, chief of staff with MARLANT said that while the charges are disappointing, they’re a bit of a “success story” of Operation Honour — an education process aimed at protecting forces members against sexual assault and sexual misconduct. 

“People are coming forward when these incidents occur, and they’re resulting in charges being applied against members, so in a sense this is a bit of a success story for Operation Honour,” Forget said. 

“We look for leaders in the Canadian forces, and we look for people with the utmost ethical behaviour as well, and so this falls right into our whole Operation Honour piece here, where we’re trying to hold our members to a higher standard.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: <span style="font-family:Georgia, serif;">"We look for leaders in the Canadian forces, and we look for people with the utmost ethical behaviour as well, and so this falls right into our whole Operation Honour piece here, where we're trying to hold o</span><span style="font-family:Georgia, serif;">u</span><span style="font-family:Georgia, serif;">r members to a higher standard."</span>

Forget also emphasized that the Canadian forces has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault and sexual misconduct. 

READ MORE: Minister contradicts military brass on sexual misconduct

Forget said that after the incident occurred in November, Cooper, who was a naval communicator aboard the Athabaskan, was removed from the unit and placed at the school to “continue serving as a full member of the Canadian forces, just in a different capacity.”

His duties at the school now include administrative duties, assisting the school with the scheduling. 

This is the second sexual assault charged laid against a member of CFB Halifax this week, a member of the military police was charged with sexual assault on Monday.

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