Canada apologizes for sexual misconduct in armed forces

Ottawa: Canada’s military leadership, including defense minister Anita Anand, rendered an official apology to those impacted by the institutional sexual misconduct crisis that has hit Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) this year.

The live-streamed apology was issued by Anand, who was appointed to the post in October replacing Harjit Sajjan.

“I apologize on behalf of the Government of Canada, and on behalf of those elected officials who throughout the history of the Canadian Armed Forces had the responsibility to protect you and who failed to do so,” she said.

Sajjan faced severe criticism on this issue and had even been censured in the House of Commons before mounting pressure led to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau moving him to a different portfolio when the new Cabinet was announced in October, following the mid-term elections in September.

“We must acknowledge the pain and trauma that so many have endured because the very institution charged with protecting and defending our country has not always protected and defended its own members,” Anita Anand said, as she delivered the apology.

Trudeau was asked during the course of a press conference why he had not delivered the apology himself. He reacted, “We profoundly regret what has happened and we apologize to all the survivors in the Canadian Armed Forces who should have never experienced the things that they did when these people offered their services to our country.”

The crisis came to light in February this year, as the outlet Global News reported that General Jonathan Vance, who had been replaced as CDS just a month prior, was facing charges of sexual misconduct.

Image courtesy of Photo: connectgujarat.com

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