Military reassigns Maj. Gen. Dawe from sexual misconduct review files after backlash – National

Maj. Gen. Peter Dawe, who wrote a optimistic reference letter for a intercourse offender, will now not be accountable for reviewing exterior evaluations wanting into sexual misconduct inside the Canadian Armed Forces.

In an announcement late on Tuesday, Lt.-Gen Frances Allen, vice-chief of the defence employees, mentioned following a dialogue with members of the survivor group, Dawe “might be endeavor the vital process of participating with that group to raised perceive how he can contribute to significant tradition change”.

In early Could, Dawe was directed to go away his publish “instantly”, following studies he wrote a personality reference for one more service member who had been convicted of six legal counts, together with sexual assault.

A supply confirmed the information first reported by the Ottawa Citizen that Dawe was again at work — and instantly working with the fabric from a number of sexual misconduct evaluations.

Allen apologized for not being clear about Dawe’s return, recognizing “the hurt this has prompted”.

“Many, together with Canadian Armed Forces members, victims, survivors, and stakeholders had been knowledgeable of Main-Normal Dawe’s return to the office by way of the media,” she mentioned within the assertion.

“This isn’t in line with our dedication to transparency. The discharge of this information ought to have been dealt with by us with better care and consideration.”

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Unique: Gen. Jonathan Vance received’t face any army service costs

The evaluations in query embrace a June report from former Supreme Court docket justice Morris Fish, which discovered that sexual misconduct stays as “rampant” and “harmful” in 2021 because it was in 2015, and one other from former Supreme Court docket Justice Louise Arbour.

The Canadian army is within the grips of an institutional disaster over its dealing with of sexual misconduct and, particularly, the conduct of its senior leaders — a few of whom now face allegations of misconduct.

On Feb. 2, the difficulty burst into the highlight after International Information reported on allegations in opposition to now-retired Gen. Jonathan Vance, the previous chief of the defence employees. Vance has denied the allegations.

Within the weeks that adopted, army police have opened investigations into Vance in addition to Adm. Artwork McDonald, Vance’s successor as chief of defence employees. Vance was subsequently charged with one rely of obstruction of justice on July 15.

A number of ladies have additionally spoken out publicly, sharing allegations of high-level sexual misconduct within the Canadian Forces.

The allegations additionally led to the launch of two research by parliamentary committees.

— with recordsdata from International Information’ Mercedes Stephenson, Rachel Gilmore