OTTAWA -- The acting chief of the defence staff is proposing a host of measures to modernize and create a safer environment at the Canadian Armed Forces, amid allegations of sexual misconduct that have shaken the institution.
Despite assuming his position just weeks ago, following news that his predecessor Admiral Art McDonald was "voluntarily" stepping aside as a military investigation is ongoing, Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre is laying out his vision for change.
"We have to learn why previous approaches did not work and learn from that and incorporate those into our plan going forward," he said during testimony before the House of Commons Status of Women Committee on Tuesday.
That includes a new "playbook" about how to quickly respond to sexual misconduct allegations against those in senior ranks, which he said is currently being drafted at his request.
He’s also looking at overhauling Operation Honour, the military’s existing sexual misconduct awareness initiative.
"I’ve heard from many that perhaps this operation culminated and we need to harvest what’s worked from there, learn from what hasn’t, and go forward with a deliberate change plan," Eyre said.
Operation Honour was instituted by former chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance in 2015. Vance is now under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct that CTV has not independently verified.
The military’s code of professional conduct will also be updated, according to Eyre.
"Now this goes beyond our current doctrinal manual to add much more detail as to what is expected under each of our values, and then we need to hold ourselves to account," he said.
Above all else, he says, change is about putting the victim of sexual misconduct cases first and going from "duty to report" to "duty to respond," while respecting the victim’s wishes.
The vice chief of the defence staff Lt.-Gen. Frances J. Allen – the first woman to hold the role – added that victims should have the agency to decide how an investigation unfolds, whether through the military police or through the civilian route.
"Part of the process is to always be ready to guide the member should working towards reporting is something they wish to do," she told the committee.
Eyre added that the recruiting pool from which the military draws is shrinking.
"If we cannot attract the talent that is resident in all Canadians into our ranks, this is bigger than a military problem, this becomes a national problem because the threats to our country are not getting any less."
Last week, senior military commander Lt.-Col. Eleanor Taylor wrote a powerful resignation letter to the chain of command, stating she is "sickened" and "disgusted" by the ongoing investigations into sexual misconduct allegations against top officers.
Eyre said his message to anyone nearing the same position as Taylor is to engage in a conversation with another colleague about whether their impact is better felt within or outside the institution.
The federal government has been criticized for their handling of the allegations against Gen. Vance, originally brought forward in March 2018.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan appeared before the committee earlier in the day and faced a round of grilling by members about what he knew and when.
Sajjan maintained that he took the most "appropriate" action upon hearing about the allegation from former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne by directing him to the Privy Council Office.
"We cannot allow politicians to be getting involved in any type of investigation. This is something that I take very seriously, it has to take a proper process," he said during his testimony.
