Sexual misconduct allegations against top commanders rock Canada’s military

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and National Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan listen as Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance addresses the media during a news conference in January 2020. (Dave Chan/AFP/Getty Images)

TORONTO — Separate allegations of sexual misconduct by Gen. Jonathan Vance, Canada’s recently retired former chief of the defense staff, Adm. Art McDonald, his successor, and other top military officials are rocking the country’s armed forces.

The allegations against Canada’s most senior military officers — the equivalent of the U.S. chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — are being investigated by a parliamentary committee and the military police. They’re also renewing criticism about the military’s efforts to eliminate a long-standing problem and putting pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s commitment to rooting out sexual harassment in federal institutions.

The crisis deepened this week after the Department of Defense said that Vice Adm. Haydn Edmundson, the military officer in charge of human resources, had been placed on indefinite leave while the military police investigate allegations of sexual misconduct by him several decades ago.

The allegations have left service members reeling. Lt. Col. Eleanor Taylor, the first woman to lead a Canadian infantry company in combat, resigned this month, writing in a letter to senior military officials that she was “disgusted” it has taken so long to investigate top leaders.

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