Chief of Defence Staff announces action plan to address inappropriate sexual behaviour

News Release

April 30, 2015 - Ottawa, ON

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Tom Lawson, today released an action plan to address inappropriate sexual behaviour in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) following several recent incidents. He also publicly released the independent external review authority’s report into sexual misconduct and sexual harassment.

He was accompanied at a news conference today by Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer Kevin West, Madame Marie Deschamps, former Supreme Court of Canada Justice and the External Review Authority, and Major-General Chris Whitecross, who is leading the CAF Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct.

Quick Facts

In April 2014, the CDS ordered an independent external review to look into sexual misconduct and sexual harassment cases involving CAF members following a number of media reports on the subject and a subsequent Internal Review. Madame Marie Deschamps, a former Supreme Court of Canada Justice, began this review in June 2014 and completed it in March 2015.
The CDS directed the creation of the Canadian Armed Forces Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct in February 2015. The initial mandate of the Strategic Response Team was to conduct a detailed review of the final report produced by the External Review Authority, and develop an action plan to address the report’s recommendations.
The strategy released today allows the CAF to deliver a decisive response, while allowing the organization to further understand and solve the more complex aspects of the problem and develop more comprehensive solutions.
Highlights of the action plan include:
- Engaging leadership at all levels to support and engage in the changes required;
- Examining what structure is required to centralize the responsibility for prevention, training, victim support, research, and reporting of inappropriate sexual behaviour;
- Assessing existing inappropriate sexual behaviour reporting processes with the aim of encouraging increased reporting by making the process easier to navigate for victims;
- A comprehensive review of all language and definitions associated with inappropriate sexual behaviour;
- Conducting a comprehensive review of all relevant policies associated with inappropriate sexual behaviour, with the objective of integrating them more coherently;
- Developing options to better inform victims of the complaint processes that are currently in place;
- Examining the delivery of support to members who come forward with allegations; and
- Updating the education and training curriculum both in terms of content and delivery.
Support and referrals for any member dealing with sexual misconduct or sexual assault are provided as required from the Military Police’s Victims Assistance Program, the Canadian Forces Health Services, Canadian Forces Member Assistance Program, military chaplains, military family resource centres, and civilian social services.

Quotes

“For an institution such as the Canadian Armed Forces, one built on the camaraderie and trust, inappropriate sexual behaviour is utterly corrosive. I’d like to personally thank Madame Deschamps for her considered perspective on the dimensions of this complex problem, and for her vision for how our institution can effect change going forward. Exemplary conduct is part of Canadian Armed Forces members’ obligation to serve. We cannot accept anything less, and I will not accept anything less.”
General Tom Lawson
Chief of Defence Staff

“Inappropriate sexual behaviour is a complex problem, and quick band-aid fixes are unlikely to solve the many dimensions of the problem. We need well-considered innovative change to arrive at a long-term and sustainable solution. The CAF action plan is a key step of the solution.”
Major-General Chris Whitecross
Commander, CAF Strategic Response Team on Sexual Misconduct

Related Products

Chief of Defence Staff video Statement

Associated Links

Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour in the CAF

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Chief of Defence Staff announces action plan to address inappropriate sexual behaviour

News Release

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