Former head of military personnel charged after sexual assault investigation

Vice-Adm. Haydn Edmundson has been charged following a military police investigation into a sexual assault allegation against him.

Military police laid one count of sexual assault and one count of indecent acts against Edmundson on Tuesday. The case will be handled through the civilian court system.

Edmundson, who had served as the military’s head of personnel, was placed on indefinite leave in the spring as the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) looked into the allegation.

He was later replaced by Lt.-Gen. Steven Whelan, who stepped aside in October after the launch of a sexual misconduct investigation into him.

READ MORE: Head of military personnel on indefinite leave amid sexual assault investigation

The investigation was opened after CBC News first reported that Edmundson was being accused of raping a subordinate woman officer in 1991.

That investigation followed exclusive reporting by Global News in February into allegations of sexual misconduct into other senior leaders in the Canadian Forces, which prompted parliamentary committee investigations and an independent, external review into the scope of the problem.

Military experts have deemed the sexual misconduct crisis as an existential issue for the Canadian Forces.

READ MORE: Senior CAF officer steps aside months into sexual misconduct investigation against him

Former Supreme Court of Canada justice Louise Arbour is leading a review into the problem, and in October issued her first interim recommendation for all sexual misconduct cases to be handed over to civilian authorities for investigation unless “near completion.”

Defence Minister Anita Anand announced she was implementing that recommendation last month.

TIMELINE: The Canadian Forces sexual misconduct crisis

The Department of National Defence said in a statement on Tuesday that the Edmundson investigation had been kept with military police because it met that bar.

“In this particular case, the investigation was near completion, said the department. “As the matter is now proceeding through the civilian justice system no further information can be released at this time.”

10:52 Civilian sexual assault trials bring assurance of fairness to military complaints: Anand

Edmundson denies any allegations of criminal misconduct, his lawyer Brian Greenspan said in an email to Global News.

“Vice-Admiral Edmundson continues to deny any suggestion of criminal misconduct and looks forward to the opportunity to restore his distinguished reputation for service to our country,” the email read.

The charges against Edmundson come after several other senior military officers have also faced criminal charges in recent months for allegations related to sexual misconduct.

Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the former head of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, was charged with sexual assault in August –– he denies the allegation.

Gen. Jonathan Vance, the former chief of the defence staff, was charged with obstruction of justice in July in relation to alleged conduct during the course of a military police investigation into allegations first reported on by Global News. He has denied the allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

More to come.