The National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman Holds Press Conference about the Ongoing Misconduct Scandal in the Canadian Armed Forces, Releases Position Paper to Strengthen Mandate Français
OTTAWA, ON, June 22, 2021 /CNW/ - The National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman, Gregory A. Lick, today held a press conference about the ongoing misconduct scandal in the Department and the military and published a position paper on the need to strengthen the mandate of his office and report to Parliament.
Having the National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman's Office report directly to the Minister responsible for the Department it oversees makes no sense. Regardless of the party that forms government, the Minister responsible for the Defence portfolio will want to control the narrative around the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. This becomes particularly problematic when leaders turn a blind eye to the office's recommendations and concerns in order to advance political interests and ensure their own self-preservation. When this happens, it is the members of the Defence community who suffer the consequences.
The position paper released today provides a detailed way forward for the Ombudsman's Office. It contains proposed draft legislation that gives the office full structural and administrative independence from the Department so that it can carry out its functions unimpeded. The draft legislation contains provisions requiring the Department and the Canadian Armed Forces to provide meaningful responses to our office's recommendations. When responses are inadequate, the legislation allows the office to escalate matters to the Minister, the Prime Minister, and ultimately Parliament, if needed. This means no more "agreements in principle" followed by inaction.
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"Since February, the response to the misconduct scandal by the Minister of National Defence, senior government, and military officials has defied common sense and reason. We have seen zero accountability on behalf of political leadership when complaints have been brought forward.
The internal mechanisms that were meant to support those who have suffered misconduct have failed to ensure fair outcomes. They are not just broken - they have collapsed entirely under their own weight.
The proposed legislation contained in this position paper represents the best way forward for the constituents we represent, and the country that they serve to protect."
- Gregory A. Lick, CD – National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman
To view the report, please click here.
SOURCE National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman
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