Defence Minister Anita Anand speaks with reporters before attending Question Period, in Ottawa, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
OTTAWA – The Canadian Armed Forces says military police had to investigate dozens of alleged sexual crimes over the last year after civilian authorities refused to accept 40 out of 97 cases.
Defence Minister Anita Anand says in a new report to Parliament that she has directed the Armed Forces to begin removing the investigation of such allegations from the military’s jurisdiction.
Former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour first recommended such a move last fall, while preparing her scathing report into sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces.
The new figures on how many cases military police have had to investigate despite the direction from Anand underscores the potential challenge to implementing the recommendation.
Some provinces and municipal police forces have pushed back against such a move, saying they need more resources from the federal government to absorb any extra cases.
Anand says she has also directed the military to act on Arbour’s other recommendations, including a review of Canada’s military colleges and a system of targets for the promotion of women to increase their representation at the top levels of the Armed Forces.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2022.
