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Canada’s military colleges are at a crossroads. What 2 graduates want now

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11 months ago

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The future of Canada’s military colleges is at a crossroads, say two veterans of the school and the military.

Defence Minister Bill Blair named the college’s review board on Wednesday after a Statistics Canada survey found “significant” spikes in sexual assault in the military in 2022 compared to two surveys done before the pandemic.

The finding comes two years after renewed focus on the military’s sexual misconduct crisis, spurred by reporting from Global News, and the resulting report from former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour report calling a significant overhaul at the institution.

The college’s first female cadet, Kate Armstrong, tells The West Block host Mercedes Stephenson that many issues with the college are carried on through a long-running tradition.

“What I wrote about a lot of the historical traditional things happening that were disturbing are still going continuing now,” Armstrong said.

“The cadets start out as recruits to the fourth year and then they go through the system … and so in that way, I think culturally that’s how things end up being carried on.”

Armstrong wrote a book, The Stone Frigate, detailing her time among the first RMC class to allow female officer cadets at the previously all male institution.

In her 403-page report, Arbour writes that the RMC has an outdated leadership structure and there are “legitimate reasons to question the wisdom of maintaining the existence of these military colleges, as they currently exist.”

“There is a real risk that the perpetuation of a discriminatory culture at the colleges will slow the momentum for culture change the CAF has embarked upon. There is enough evidence that military colleges are not delivering on their mandate that I believe alternatives must be explored with an open mind,” Arbour wrote.

Lt.-Col. Mark Popov, former RMC cadet director, told Stephenson that there is a fundamental question that the government needs to answer with the college.

“Is it going to be a degree granting institution, an academic university where the students wear uniforms, or is it going to be an officer-training institution that provides junior officers to lead the sons and daughters that serve in the Canadian Armed Forces?” Popov said.

Additionally, Popov says that there just aren’t enough leaders to properly supervise the officer cadets.

“And that shows. It’s a large, uncontrolled population of young people, many of them away from home for their first time. And they need a little bit more guidance and direction than the current staffing and organization of RMC let happen,” he told Stephenson.

All of this comes on the heels of a Statistics Canada report released last week, which says sexual assaults in the military saw significant increases in 2022. Among those who were assaulted, 64 per cent said they did not report and 41 per cent said their reason was they believed it would not make a difference.

“I believe that people that have been assaulted need to hear: ‘I believe you. I’m sorry that happened to you. How can I help you?’ And to feel that that is an honest response to them coming forward,” Armstrong said.

“The key is to create an environment where, like a culture is just a shared dream. So everybody needs to be on the same page.”

Popov sees this increase as a step toward cultural change in the military actually taking place.

“I don’t see this spike in reporting as a massive increase in rape culture in the forces. I actually think it’s that people are reporting because they’re having more confidence in the system doing what’s good for them,” he said.

While the Arbour report questions the need for RMC, Armstrong maintains that it offers an “astoundingly good” education, but needs a cultural shift.

“I think one of the other problems that we have that doesn’t get spoken about a lot is the toxic nostalgia of the folks that are still keeping their fingers in what’s happening at the college,” she said.

“Retired generals that were commandants of our RMC, they’re carrying forward, for example, some of this problem that we have with the culture. They carry it forward at the level of mentoring for the commandants.”

Popov says he will be watching the RMC review process with great interest but criticized Blair’s Wednesday announcement as vague.

“I would be very interested to see what other Canadians, what the mandate letter is, what are they trying to find out? What deliverables do they have at the end of this year? So that’s one thing that’s really lacking in this announcement is what they’re trying to see,” he said.

 

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Quick Quotes: What Liberal MPs have to say as the caucus debates Trudeau’s future

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4 hours ago

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October 23, 2024

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OTTAWA – Here are some notable quotes from Liberal members of Parliament as they headed into a caucus meeting Wednesday where they are set to debate Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership.

Comments made after the caucus meeting:

“The Liberal party is strong and united.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

———

“Justin Trudeau is reflecting and he’s standing strong and we’re standing strong as a Liberal party.”

“We as a party recognize that the real threat here is Pierre Poilievre and that’s what we’re fighting for.”

“Trudeau has made very clear that he feels he’s the right choice but he appreciates all of what is being said because he’s reflecting on what is being done across Canada. I respect his decision, whatever that may be.”

Charles Sousa, MP for Mississauga—Lakeshore

———

“We had some open and frank discussions. People are relentlessly focused on serving Canadians and win the next election. This was really a rallying call to win the next election.”

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, MP for Saint Maurice—Champlain

———

“I don’t know how many people spoke, well over 50 I’m sure. They came at this from all angles and now (we’ve) got to go back and process this.

“We’re on a good path.

“It was very respectful. You know, caucus has always had the ability to get into some tough conversations. We did it again today and it went extremely well. Where we land? Who knows? You know we have to go and really process this stuff. But one thing that is absolutely, you know, fundamental is that we are united in the fact that we cannot let that creature from the Conservative party run the country. He would ruin things that people greatly value.”

Ken Hardie, MP for Fleetwood—Port Kells

———

Comments from before the caucus meeting:

“There’s a — what would you call it? Some palace drama going on right now. And that takes us away from the number 1 job, which is focusing on Canadians and focusing on the important policies but also on showing the really clear contrast between our government, our party and Pierre Poilievre.”

Randy Boissonnault, Employment Minister, MP for Edmonton Centre

———

“We’re going to go in there and we’re going to have an excellent discussion and we are going to emerge united.”

Treasury Board President and Transport Minister Anita Anand, MP for Oakville

———

“I think caucus is nervous because of the polling that has been constantly going down in favour of Liberals, and there’s a lot of people who do want to run again. I’m not running again, although I already told the prime minister that. But there are people there that want to run again and they’re nervous because of what polls are saying.”

“He has to start listening.”

Ken McDonald, MP for Avalon

———

“We’re going to have a good caucus meeting. MPs should be free to air their perspectives, I’m sure they will, and we’ll come out of it united.”

Peter Fragiskatos, MP for London North Centre

———

“I have to read the room. There’s all sorts of wheels within wheels turning right now. I’m just going to go in there, I’m going to make my mind a blank and just soak it all in.”

“I’m not going to say anything about (the prime minister) until I have my say in there.”

Ken Hardie, MP for Fleetwood—Port Kells

———

“I wish there was a mechanism for it, yes,” he said, responding to whether he wanted a secret ballot vote in caucus to determine Trudeau’s leadership.

Sean Casey, MP for Charlottetown

———

“The prime minister will always be on my posters and he is welcome in Winnipeg North any time.”

Kevin Lamoureux, MP for Winnipeg North

———

“Absolutely I support the prime minister.”

Yvonne Jones, MP for Labrador

———

“When you look divided, you look weak.”

Judy Sgro, MP for Humber River—Black Creek

———

“I think Pierre Poilievre is absolutely beatable, he’s ripe for the picking with the right vision, the right leadership and the right direction for our party. The Liberal party is an institution in this country. It’s bigger than one person, one leader, and it’s incumbent on us as elected officials to make sure we put the best foot forward.”

Wayne Long, MP for Saint John—Rothesay

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.



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With Liberal election win, First Nations in N.B. look forward to improved relations

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4 hours ago

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October 23, 2024

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FREDERICTON – Chief Allan Polchies says he is excited about New Brunswick’s new Liberal provincial government.

Polchies, of St. Mary’s First Nation, says he looks forward to meaningful dialogue with premier-designate Susan Holt after years of tense relations with the outgoing Progressive Conservatives under Blaine Higgs.

He is one of six Wolastoqey Nation chiefs who have filed a land claim for a significant part of the province, arguing treaty rights have not been respected by corporations and governments, both of which have exploited the land for hundreds of years.

The December 2021 court challenge has been a sore point between Indigenous Peoples and the Higgs’s government.

Eight Mi’kmaw communities are also asserting Aboriginal title to land in the province, and they say they hope to work with Holt and her team on “advancing issues that are important to our communities.”

Holt’s campaign didn’t give details on the Liberal government’s position on the Indigenous claims, but she has said she wants to rebuild trust between the province and First Nations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Abdelrazik tells of despair when Ottawa denied him passport to return home from Sudan

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October 23, 2024

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OTTAWA – Abousfian Abdelrazik told a court today about the roller-coaster of emotions he experienced during the tense days of early 2009 when he awaited the green light to return to Canada from Sudan.

The Sudanese-born Abdelrazik settled in Montreal as a refugee and became a Canadian citizen in 1995.

During a 2003 visit to his native country to see his ailing mother, he was arrested, imprisoned and questioned about suspected terrorist connections.

Abdelrazik says he was tortured during two periods of detention by the Sudanese intelligence agency.

He is suing the federal government, claiming officials arranged for his arbitrary imprisonment, encouraged his detention by Sudanese authorities and actively obstructed his repatriation to Canada for several years.

In March 2009, he made arrangements to fly home to Canada and asked Ottawa to issue him an emergency passport, but his hopes were dashed — at least temporarily — when the request was turned down.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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