Senior officer faced with sexual misconduct allegations retiring from Canadian Forces

The Canadian Armed Forces’ former head of human sources is retiring earlier than his sexual assault case goes to trial subsequent yr. 

A newly launched message from the Power’s senior management to members confirms that Vice-Admiral Haydn Edmundson, one of many senior navy leaders dealing with sexual misconduct claims, is retiring. Edmundson denies the misconduct allegations. 

Edmundson was charged with sexual assault and indecent acts final yr and has been on indefinite paid depart for greater than a yr following reporting by CBC Information. His lawyer, Brian Greenspan, has mentioned he appears ahead to restoring his consumer’s “distinguished popularity for service to our nation.”

The Tuesday message from the vice-chief of the defence workers, Lt.-Gen. Frances Allen, lists greater than 50 promotions this yr and virtually 30 retirements. Two former senior leaders criticized for participating in a controversial golf sport will retire. A third nonetheless below investigation for alleged sexual misconduct has already left.

The Forces is within the midst of a serious shakeup of its senior ranks with its military, air power and navy all getting new commanders. 

The record of staffing modifications is signed Could 22, however was made public days later after former Supreme Courtroom justice Louise Arbour’s report into the Forces’ sexual misconduct disaster. The extremely anticipated report addressed how the navy ought to finest reply to the disaster, which has pummeled the Forces’ public picture for greater than a yr.

The Forces has already began implementing modifications to its promotion and choice processes, together with a brand new character-assessment course of, as a part of its response to the report, in keeping with the brand new message. The brand new vetting course of has brought about delays to releasing the record of promotions, in keeping with the message.

“The Canadian Armed Forces continues so as to add new rigour and science to its promotion-selection course of, starting first with common officers and flag officers,” the message to workers navy members mentioned. “This developed course of is taking longer than has historically been the case, and thus the delay in promotion bulletins.”

The navy has confronted criticism for its screening as navy members in senior positions face misconduct allegations. Edmundson was investigated many years in the past by the Forces over different allegations of inappropriate behaviour and wasn’t charged, in keeping with a number of sources.

3 different retirements

The navy management’s new message additionally names the previous senior navy chief who had been poised to take over command of the military as a kind of who just lately retired. 

Retired lieutenant-general Trevor Cadieu remains to be below a navy police investigation into sexual misconduct claims that he denies. 

Cadieu instructed CBC Information in April he continues to co-operate with the investigation,however slightly than “gather a wage for an indeterminate time frame” whereas the navy could not make use of him, he opted to retire and is “exploring different alternatives to contribute to a better good.”

The previous commander of the navy, Vice-Admiral Craig Baines, and the navy’s former second-in-command, Lt.-Gen. Mike Rouleau, additionally plan to retire this summer season, in keeping with the message.

The pair confronted intense public criticism after a controversial golf sport final yr amid the peak of the Forces’ unrelenting sexual misconduct disaster. 

Baines and Rouleau teed off with former prime soldier, retired common Jonathan Vance, who was below a navy police investigation on the time. Vance has since acknowledged he was in a sexual relationship with a subordinate, Maj. Kellie Brennan, whereas he was the chief of defence workers, after having denied the allegations. 

In April, Vance pleaded responsible to obstruction of justice for repeatedly contacting Brennan and trying to influence her to make false statements to investigators about their relationship, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.

Head of navy police to remain on for two extra years

Together with the retirements, the navy appointed Brig.-Gen. Simon Trudeau to remain on for one more two years because the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal. In that position, Simon is the commander of the navy police and adviser to the highest soldier on policing issues. 

The message mentioned Trudeau will keep within the position whereas suggestions from a third-party evaluate authority are being carried out.

The announcement comes on the identical day the Forces made public that Trudeau just lately apologized to 2 Royal Navy School officer cadets for the dealing with of their case. A evaluate by a navy police watchdog discovered a number of issues with how navy police investigated a case at Canada’s officer academy. 

Final month, Trudeau additionally rescinded the appointment of one other high-ranking police officer after the officer confronted sanctions three years in the past for making sexual feedback. Chief Warrant Officer Jonathan Lacoste was appointed as chief warrant officer of the Navy Police Department by way of a “just lately established inner navy police course of” that the Forces instructed The Fifth Property it could now evaluate.

Earlier this week, Arbour introduced she really useful that the navy be stripped of its authority granted in 1998 to analyze and prosecute sexual offences. 

“The dealing with of sexual offences by navy courts over the previous 20 years has performed little or no to enhance effectivity, self-discipline and morale. If something, it has served to erode it,” Arbour mentioned Monday as she introduced her report.

“Due to this fact, I see no foundation for the Canadian Armed Forces to retain any jurisdiction over sexual offences and that jurisdiction needs to be vested solely with civilian authorities.”