Statement from the Office of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal

July 20, 2022 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

On July 20, 2022, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) laid the following charges against Lieutenant-General Steven Whelan:

• Two (2) counts of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline contrary to Section 129 of the National Defence Act.

The matter relates to an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.

The CFNIS investigation did not reveal any evidence to support the laying of charges under the Criminal Code of Canada.

These charges relate to offences that are specific to the military context and are not found in the Criminal Code of Canada. They would not have been investigated by civilian police and cannot be tried in a civilian court. In this case, the current policy of transferring or referring sexual assault and other criminal offences of a sexual nature under the Criminal Code to civilian police did not apply.

This matter will now proceed through the military justice system and no further information can be released at this time.