Rot At The Pinnacle

"I was told I could come back into the Canadian Forces as a captain, maybe a major. When I was told that, I felt the contributions I had made were of no value. I was completely disgusted by an organization I once loved."

"He [Chief of the Defence Staff] excoriates the mid-level leadership of the forces for leaving but does nothing to hold general officers to account."

"This says a lot about the current state of affairs."

Lt.Col. Mark Popov, retired Canadian Forces officer

 

"I acknowledge the personal toll events toward the end of his career at RMC [Royal Military College] have likely had on LCol(ret'd) Popov and thank him for his contributions to the Canadian Armed Forces through his many years of service."

"I acknowledge that he was not afforded procedural fairness in all circumstances."

"The CAF took a series of restorative steps to address the issues raised in that grievance [Lt.Col Popov's grievance brought against the military command when he was removed from his command position at the RMC]." 

General Wayne Eyre, Chief of Defence Staff

The official flag for the Royal Military College. The flag looks as disgracefully ragged as the RMC reputation ...  Photo by IAN MACALPINE /Postmedia

For years the scandalous behaviour of top echelon Canadian military elites in all branches of the service has raised an undercurrent of outrage among victims of sexual harassment and assault in the military, both women and men. Official enquiries were launched, resulting reports rife with recommendations, lauded for a formula that would bring the Forces out of the dark ages. And then the top brass simply shelved such reports.

But not without assuring Parliament, Canadian troops and the public at large, that work was underway to change the culture of sexual harassment, and to hold perpetrators fully responsible, meting out justifiable punishment in consequence of their actions. That victims of sexual abuse would be heard and their testimony used to launch related investigations. At the time of the latest revelations, the-then retiring Chief of Defence Staff was himself accused of sexually abusing an officer under his command.

And then his replacement too, before he had adequately warmed the seat of CDC, was also the subject of an accusation, and he stepped away from the position. A series of revelations unfolded, one after another, with high-echelon military officers shrouded in accusations, relieved of duty temporarily as the military investigated itself, and leaving the impression that no one in high office in the Canadian military honoured an equitable, respectful code of conduct.

Before all this unfolded, in 2015, one conscientious officer charged with the directorship of cadets at RMC acted in good faith in an effort to hold military cadets accountable for conduct unbecoming decency. Officer cadets in July of 2015 disgraced themselves by harassing a group of 17-year-old female sea cadets visiting Royal Military College. These future leaders of the Canadian military saw fit to hang out of windows shouting at the girls, threatening rape, sodomy and forcing the minors to perform oral sex.

 

Officers present at the time attempted to intervene only to be told to "f---off". When Lt.Col. Popov got wind of what had occurred he rushed over to the scene ordering the officer cadets to their barracks. Then he addressed them with scathing remarks on their conduct, reading back to them the documented sexual provocations and threats they were responsible for. Adding some of his own curses at them for good measure in an effort to have them acknowledge their behaviour. Not one among the several hundred cadets expressed regret.

 

Some of these future military leaders were the sons of current Generals and they lost no time complaining to their fathers of the humiliating treatment they had been subjected to. As senior officers at National Defence Headquarters damned Lt.Col. Popov, who had served for 27 years, he soon found himself ostracized. Then-RMC commandant Brig.Gen.Sean Friday removed his subordinate from his command, focusing on his use of profanity when addressing the cadets.

"During my time as Commandant of RMC, we did our utmost to ensure that our future CAF leaders could thrive in a healthy and safe learning environment. I worked with my team to disseminate a comprehensive 'RMC Operation Order — OP HONOUR' that contained specific and detailed orders directing all staff, faculty and students to act with Character, Courage and Compassion in responding to and eradicating all forms of sexual harassment and misconduct.” 

“This order contained a newly developed [over the first three months of my time as Commandant], detailed multi-year Action Plan for providing a safe, healthy and harassment-free environment for students, staff and faculty and contributing to CAF efforts to achieve permanent improvement in this regard."

Brig.-Gen. Friday, then-commandant, Royal Military College

By 2018 his position had become untenable; his career track was broken, he had no support among the generals, and he was diagnosed with PTSD, linked to the toxic environment he was exposed to. Three years previously, when he had been removed from his command, he had filed a grievance, but it took four  years for his complaint to be addressed, and that happened a year after Lt.Col. Popov's withdrawal from the military. He was forced by mental stress to retire prematurely, without so much as an apology from the department.

The-then Chief of Staff had finally responded: "These breaches are certainly regrettable" .. the career-ending actions of superior officers. The decision to remove Lt.Col. Popov from command was deemed "null and void". The disciplinary action placed on record by the-then commandant against Lt.Col. Popov was ordered removed. $25,000 was made available by the military to Lt.Col. Popov to pay for the legal bill he had incurred defending himself.

As for his PTSD, he was offered referrals to website links where he might receive information how to deal with his ailment. He was also given the offer of re-enlisting if he accepted a demotion and as long as  his medical condition improved. In the aftermath of the situation being reported in the news, soldiers anonymously praised Lt.Col. Popov's officer-rank abilities, judging his treatment as yet another example of failed leadership at the elite levels of the Canadian Forces. 

In particular, it was noted that to protect a group of entitled officer cadets, a combat veteran had been sacrificed.

“The lack of action and the fact the senior leadership looked the other way sends a message to the perpetrators that they have a free hand to do what they want."

“I tried to do something about it, but the chain of command didn’t have my back."

"These individuals are now officers in the Canadian Forces. The predators, the creeps, they are the ones who won."

"You have a situation where the leadership talks about being serious in dealing with sexual misconduct and issues statements like that. But their actions never support that talk. It is a failure of leadership." 

Lt.Col. (retired) Mark Popov

A graduating class of officer cadets stand in the square at the Royal Military College of Canada during a graduating ceremony in Kingston, Ont., Friday, May 20, 2016. (Lars Hagberg/Canadian Press)

Boys Will Be Men and Military Cadets Will Become Military Leaders in Canada

"The lack of action and the fact the senior leadership looked the other way sends a message to the perpetrators that they have a free hand to do what they want."

"I tried to do something about it, but the chain of command didn't have my back. These individuals are now officers in the Canadian Forces. The predators, the creeps, they are the ones who won."

"You have a situation where the leadership talks about being serious in dealing with sexual misconduct and issues statements like that. But their actions never support that talk. It is a failure of leadership."

Lt.-Col. Mark Popov, Canadian Armed Forces

RMC Flag  Photo: IAN MACALPINE /Postmedia

"We can confirm that a member was charged with Drunkenness under Section 97 of the National Defence Act in relation to this incident and found guilty."

"The member was sentenced to a fine of $1,000."

"The Royal Military College takes allegations of sexual misconduct seriously, and every complaint is acted upon appropriately and in accordance with applicable Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces policies, including immediate support to any victims."

Dan LeBouthillier, spokesman, Department National Defence

For years it has been acknowledged that the Canadian Armed Forces has a problem with sexual harassment. Years back there was a formal investigation which resulted in corroboration of the seriousness of the endemic sexual misconduct in the forces, and recommendations were made to correct the situation, few of which were considered, fewer yet implemented. Another commission has been appointed to investigate the situation once again. And that has occurred because the situation has become much more serious; the Canadian Armed Forces is rife with sexual intimidation, harassment and violence.

All of which came to the stark notice of the public in the last year when investigations were launched against the-then current head of the Armed Forces, its Chief of Staff who was forced to step down. Even while he was charged with dealing with the problem of sexual misconduct in the military he was himself personally indulging in his own sexual misconduct and had been for many years. A military female under his command brought charges against him, thus the criminal investigation. A new, interim Chief of Defence Staff was put in his place. Then he too was charged with similar offences.

One after another, elite military personnel were revealed to be under investigation on charges of sexual misconduct. Overseeing all of this was the Minister of National Defence. And it was revealed that a military ombudsman had approached the minister with a sexual complaint. The minister was disinclined to take interest, and shied away from being handed evidence. Minister Sajjan publicly assured that he was fully supportive of victims of sexual offences in the military, but repeatedly did nothing to advance an investigation or to take steps to ensure the matter be addressed. 

In a recent cabinet shuffle, Harjit Sajjan was removed from the Cabinet position of Minister of National Defence and instead, is in charge of Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy; irony abounds under the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who repeatedly denied himself having any knowledge of elite military personnel indulging in sexual misconduct although his office which also denies accountability, was notified of these events.

 

Revelations continue to emerge to the light of public scrutiny. Now we are informed that Canada's military leadership-in-training being groomed for their futures at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario distinguished themselves by threatening young girls, members of the Sea Cadets who were visiting the College, with threats of rape. No sexual misconduct charges were ever brought against them. But not because someone in charge of the trainees didn't make an effort to convey to them the seriousness of their errant behaviour.

Lt.-Col. Mark Popov in  his position as director of the cadets apologized to the 17-year-old girls who had been subjected to those sexual threats, then confined the RMC officer cadets to barracks and undertook an effort to discover who the leaders of the verbal sexual assaults were. A month earlier a sexual assault prevention educator was abused verbally by those same officer cadets when she was invited to speak on the issue of sexual misconduct. This occurred in the summer of 2015 when the future leaders of the Canadian military demonstrated their contempt for decency.

They shouted at the girls as they hung out of the windows of their barracks, to threaten them with rape, sodomy and other sexual assaults, threatening to force the girls to perform oral sex on the officer cadets. A man and woman, both officers, attempted to intervene and were told to 'f--- off', according to Canadian Forces documents. Which was when Lt.-Col. Popov became aware of the situation, and determining to put an end to this kind of behaviour. Instead, he was informed to cease and desist by RMC Commandant Brig.-Gen.Sean Friday.

 

 Despite which the 200 officer cadets were assembled by Lt.-Col. Popov for the purpose of a dressing down. In high decibel terms he read out word for word phrases of sexual violence hurled at the girls, and in the process used his own foul language, informing the cadets that those among them who just stood by and made no effort to intervene wee as guilty as the perpetrators. Not one of the cadets produced so much as a gesture of regret. 

This was an event that precipitated a dressing down by Lt.-Col. Popov's superior. Brig.-Gen.Friday was disturbed by the foul language used, informing Lt.-Col.Popov that some cadets had complained to their fathers, senior military officers at DND headquarters. These senior military officers were outraged that their sons were addressed in foul language, not that their sons used foul language in threats against under-aged girls in verbal sexual violence. Thereafter military police informed Lt.-Col. Popov that he was expected to cease his actions of discipline and leave it to investigators to examine the situation.

He could face a charge of interference should he continue, according to military documents. In the event, military police failed to interview the girls and no charges of sexual misconduct or disciplinary action with relation to sexual misconduct were laid against the cadets who emerged unscathed, while their director faced discipline for his efforts. When an annual assessment of performance (review) was issued by Brig.-Gen. Friday several months later, the document stated that Lt.90Col. Popov had demonstrated "performance deficiency", citing foul language in the dressing down of the RMC officer cadets specifically.

 

A graduating class of officer cadets stand in the square at the Royal Military College of Canada during a graduating ceremony in Kingston, Ont., Friday, May 20, 2016. (Lars Hagberg/Canadian Press)

 

Medically discharged from the military, suffering post-traumatic stress caused by the toxic environment he was exposed to, he left the military. His commanding officer, Brig.-Gen. Friday retired after being promoted to major general.

"During my time as Commandant of RMC, we did our utmost to ensure that our future CAF leaders could thrive in a healthy and safe learning environment. I worked with my team to disseminate a comprehensive 'RMC Operation Order --OPHONOUR' that contained specific and detailed orders directing all staff, faculty and students to act with character, courage and compassion in responding to and eradicating all forms of sexual harassment and misconduct."

"This order contained a newly developed [over the first three months of my time as commandant], detailed multi-year action plan for providing a safe, healthy and harassment-free environment for students, staff and faculty and contributing to CAF efforts to achieve permanent improvement in this regard."

Royal Military College Commandant Brig.-Gen. Sean Friday

The "Untouchable" Chief of Defence Staff

"I was not to mention certain things about our relationships, our personal lives. The consequences were always the same -- that I had to stay silent."

"Definitely, he gave me very many consequences if I was not following his orders."

"He fathered two children to me."

"I definitely feel like there will not be justice for me, and that’s OK because if my coming forward can change everything for other women to come forward and change our policies, that's OK with me."

"I was first in the infantry when we were allowed to join, and I knew I was taking a hard road."

"Women are often looked down on, or shuffled out of positions quickly if they speak the truth. The guilt women feel also puts them in a prison, where they are made to feel shame, and that's by the very institution that they're committed to serve, and still want to serve."

Major Kellie Brennan, Canadian Armed Forces

Maj. Kellie Brennan told the House of Commons status of women committee on Thursday that she was subject to unfair power imbalances throughout her years with the Canadian Armed Forces.

For years there have been allegations that the Canadian military is rife with sexual harassment. Pledges were made on the part of Ministers of National Defense, of the heads of the military, that the situation would be investigated and if charges were found to be accurate, committees would be set up to examine the situation further and make recommendations that would have the effect of purging the military from situations and enlisted female members of the Armed Forces would no longer suffer gender discrimination and unwanted sexual harassment.

 

When General Jon Vance, former Chief of the Defence Staff stepped down at the end of his mandate in that position, he was replaced by another general, who, like Vance, pledged he intended to fully involve himself in ensuring that the service would be freed of sexual harassment against its female members. Soon after General Vance stepped down, it became public knowledge that  he was being investigated for his own behaviour of sexual impropriety.

 

And soon after that Vice-Admiral Art McDonald, who had succeeded General Vance as Chief of the Defence Staff, was also being investigated for the very same reasons. It didn't stop just there; other high-ranking and prominent officers in the military were also revealed to have had inappropriate sexual contact with women under their command, and Vice-Admiral McDonald too stepped down from the position he had so recently been installed in.

 

Ironically, one of the major complainants, Major Kellie Brennan, who had been coerced by General Vance into a two-decade-long sexual alliance, stated that the night before Vance had been sworn in as Chief of the Defence Staff in July of 2015, he wanted to have her opinion on the text of a speech he was prepared to deliver the following day where he planned to condem inappropriate sexual behaviour, warning it would not be tolerated under his command.

 

Then-Chief of Defence Staff Jonathan Vance responds to a question during a news conference Friday, June 26, 2020 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

 A House of Commons committee set up to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct in the military has been interviewing witnesses, and Major Kellie Brennan was one of those witnesses, one of many although her case would appear to be quite unique since it involves a twenty-year liaison with her commanding officer. Hugely inappropriate, if not illegal under military rules, engagement between a superior officer and someone under his command. Major Brennan testified hearing General Vance boast of being untouchable, that he 'owned' the military police in the process of investigating charges of sexual misconduct against him.

The Commons Status of Women Committee heard from Major Brennan that the former Chief of the Defence Staff ordered her to lie when being interviewed by military police investigating her allegations of impropriety against the general. Throughout their 20-year intimate relationship, she stated she felt she had little choice other than to continue, as a result of his senior rank, revealing that Vance fathered two of her children, testifying as well that he had not provided any financial support for those children.

A military police unit, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, is in the process of investigating General Vance on the basis of those and other allegations, just as they are investigating his successor in the position of Chief of the Defence Staff, and other high-ranking officers, all accused of sexual misconduct. Major Brennan explained that after she had been interviewed by the CFNIS she asked whether they would investigate Vance properly in view of his elevated position, but no answer was forthcoming.

"As [Vance] told me, he was untouchable. He owned the CFNIS. I feel there will not be justice for me". She had turned audio recordings, texts and emails over to the CFNIS to aid in their investigation, but she had little-to-no confidence that the investigation would be carried out in a neutral and professional manner. The Status of Women Committee and the Commons Defence Committee both have been holding hearings into sexual misconduct in the Canadian Forces allegations. 

In a February 21 interview on Global News, Major Brennan provided details of her 20-year relationship with Vance. She emphasized that it was common knowledge among senior military leaders that they had such an inappropriate relationship; she had herself informed some of those senior military leaders. The committee also heard from Major Brennan that she had worked with Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan in Toronto at a time when he was in the military -- both of them under General Vance -- before Sajjan's appointment as Minister of National Defence.

Harjit Sajjan, an elected Liberal Member of Parliament whom Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named in 2015 to the Cabinet position of Minister of National Defence, was "under control", General Vance had informed Major Brennan. 

 

As Chief of the Defence Staff, Vance had notoriously thrown his then-second-in-command, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman 'under the bus' as a sop to a furious Justin Trudeau who accused the Vice-Admiral of having divulged Cabinet information to the press over a badly-needed supply vessel for the Canadian Navy that the Liberal government was planning to cancel.