Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan has requested a briefing after a naval review of a probe into alleged sexual misconduct by senior officiers yielded a finding of a “sexualized culture,” but no conduct worthy of discipline.
In a statement to Global News, ministerial spokesperson Daniel Minden said the minister — who retains his role during the ongoing election — has not yet been briefed on the specifics of the review, the results of which were released Friday afternoon before the long weekend.
“Everyone in the Canadian Armed Forces has the right to a safe work environment, and our government will continue to act to stamp out all forms of misconduct.”
Sajjan ordered a review of the process in March after a navy investigation into alleged sexual comments made during a Zoom call ended without speaking to all those involved, as Global News reported at the time.
He said he had “concerns” and did not rule out ordering a new investigation, but Minden did not say whether that remains an option or whether the minister agreed with the review’s determination that such complaints should be investigated within the military chain of command.
Advocates for cultural change in the military have repeatedly warned the chain of command is incentivized to sweep allegations under the rug, especially when they involve senior members.
The Canadian Forces is currently in the midst of a reckoning and what experts deem an institutional “crisis” due to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct levied against senior leaders over the last eight months.