Liberals continue to fail to stand up for service women

NDP MPs Randall Garrison and Lindsay Mathyssen made the following statement:

“Today Canadians are hearing yet another troubling story about the judgment of senior Canadian Armed Forces officials. This time, Maj-Gen. Peter Dawe, who is tasked with reviewing recommendations from justice Arbour’s report on how to address sexual assault in the military, is reported to have provided character references for a convicted sex offender.

Maj-Gen Dawe was appointed by General Wayne Eyre, the same person who defended his vice-admiral’s choice to go golfing with General Vance while he was under investigation for sexual misconduct.

These are not the actions of men who are taking sexual misconduct and harassment seriously.

But earlier this summer, Minister Sajjan defended General Eyre claiming he had the ‘utmost confidence in him.’

Minister Sajjan and the Prime Minister have consistently failed service women by appointing and protecting men who are not equipped or not interested in changing the status quo. Their continued mismanagement of the situation is absolutely unacceptable.

How can we expect women in the Canadian Armed Forces to have any faith in the processes put in place by these officials who don’t seem to understand the seriousness of the problem they have been tasked with rooting out?

Minister Sajjan has failed to ensure that Canadian soldiers won't be victims of sexual violence and that the perpetrators of this culture won't be rewarded.

New Democrats are urging the Prime Minister to ensure Minister Sajjan is not returned to his role as Defence Minister and to take concrete action to change the culture of sexual misconduct in the military.

The Prime Minister owes women serving in the Canadian armed forces an explanation for continuing to support powerful men despite irrefutable proof they lack the judgment and ability to change the culture of sexual misconduct in the military. There is a systemic problem here that cannot be solved until the Prime Minister and Minister show true leadership to deal with it."