Looking back at a year of investigations into alleged military sexual misconduct

OTTAWA —
The Canadian military has spent the last year grappling with sexual misconduct investigations of its highest ranking members, deepening the call for a complete internal culture shift.

The revolving door of senior officers stepping down or stepping aside has stirred up criticism not only of the leadership of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) but also of the federal government for not taking action to protect victims.

In light of concerns of a tarnished reporting system, a second external review is currently underway to put forward “concrete recommendations” to establish a more independent structure. It’s not unlike the mandate of the review led by Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps in 2015.

CTVNews.ca put together a timeline of investigations of top officials launched by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) dating back to February, 2021.

So far, none of the allegations in any case have been tested or proven in court and all identified military personnel or their legal representatives, except Lt.-Gen. Steven Whelan who media haven’t been able to reach, have denied any wrongdoing.