Information is just beginning to surface about an investigation by military police into a Facebook page that features derogatory comments about LGBT Canadian Forces members.
The Canadian Forces says that two members of the military, both from CFB Petawawa near Ottawa, were arrested in January in connection with the page. They have not been charged.
Katherine Bickford, a former member of the Canadian Forces, says she and her same-sex spouse had been targeted on the Facebook page. Bickford says the page, called 鈥淐PL Bloggins,鈥� is entirely dedicated to posting hateful messages about LGBT members of the military. Bickford鈥檚 partner currently serves at CFB Comox in British Columbia.
Bickford says she thinks she was specifically targeted because she is transgender. She says pictures of her had been posted to the site and she had been referred to as 鈥渕an baby,鈥� and an 鈥渋t.鈥� She says other members of the Canadian Forces have been harassed on the page.
鈥淚t has damaged the careers of people,鈥� Bickford told CTV Victoria. 鈥淭here are people who are already suffering from PTSD. This kind of stuff doesn鈥檛 help.鈥�
Bickford says that whoever controlled the Facebook page also posted both her and her mother鈥檚 address to it.
鈥淎nd then when they posted my partner鈥檚 name, 鈥楬ere is what she does in the military, here is where she works,鈥� it got to the point where this went beyond making us angry. It鈥檚 at the point where we are afraid,鈥� Bickford said.
The page has been taken down by Facebook several times, but has managed to reappear.
The military released a statement saying that it is 鈥渢aking seriously allegations of inappropriate conduct by Canadian Armed Forces personnel.鈥�
The statement went on to say 鈥渢hat in all cases, investigators are conducted to determine the facts, analyze the evidence, and if warranted, lay appropriate charges.鈥�
Bickford says she previously chose to ignore the Facebook page, but when her family鈥檚 information was posted she realized that something needed to be done.
鈥淭he hatred is out there,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 hide from it now.鈥�
The names of the Canadian Forces members who were arrested have not been released.
With files from CTV Victoria
