Friday, February 05, 2021

Power Imbalance in Sexual Harassment Between Superior and Subordinate

"To us [Canadian Armed Forces/Department of National Defence], the strong and accomplished CAF/DND team, the allegations in recent media reports regarding my predecessor are quite troubling -- indeed, distressing and hurtful for all of us to contemplate." 
"Like you, I worry first and foremost, for the well-being of those who have come forward so courageously -- committing to ensure that they are supported and protected."
"Like you, I pray that our collective and enduring efforts in support of survivors will soon help end the fear of speaking up that plagues those feeling violated or hurt and in such need of the compassion and help of teammates -- we have work to do together here and, like you, I hear the call to do more."
"And frankly, I fear that situations like these erode the trust  you have in leadership."
Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Art McDonald
Former defence chief Jonathan Vance in May, 2020. In a joint statement, Vance's successor Admiral Art McDonald and Defence Department deputy minister Jody Thomas say they take the allegations seriously, without suggesting they had substantiated them. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)
 
Admiral McDonald's predecessor in the role of Chief of the Defence Staff was not, by any measure that could be seen by the general public, an admirable man. He abandoned his second-in-command, Admiral Mark Norman, who was Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, at a time when Admiral Norman was being persecuted unjustly by the office of the Prime Minister on a spurious charge of releasing confidential cabinet documents to the news media relating to a badly-needed supply ship for the Canadian Navy.

Admiral Norman suffered through years of disgrace brought on by a concentrated attempt by a Prime Minister intent on overturning all the initiatives undertaken by the previous Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and Admiral Norman happened to have contradicted -- through his professional view as an experienced naval officer -- what the Liberal government was attempting to do in short-changing the dire naval requirements of the Canadian fleet operationally. Admiral Norman's superior officer abandoned him. In the event, however, the government was forced to admit its error.

Former Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jonathan Vance distinguished himself in other ways as a poor judgement of appropriate behaviour when he conspired with the prime minister, JustinTrudeau, to interfere in a matter completely out of his sphere of experience by harassing then-solicitor-general Jody Wilson-Raybould, to interfere in the matter of the office of the independent prosecutor's decision to permit court action against Quebec-based SNC Lavalin for corruption.

Ironically, given the fact that General Vance -- now retired from the post of Chief of the Defence Staff -- was the driving force behind Operation Honor, the determination of the military to come to terms with sexual misconduct in the Canadian Forces, is himself now being investigated for allegations of sexual misconduct against lower ranking female service members under his command matters have gone badly awry. General Vance has denied any inappropriate conduct on his part, and in so doing offered explanations that have been identified as misleading.

The sad thing about this entire sordid affair, where when a junior associate member of the Force asked for his advice and assistance, he responded by suggesting they arrange a vacation together at a clothing-optional resort, another instance where his behaviour was an obvious assault on the honour principle between a superior and a subordinate. A longstanding affair with another, more senior member of the Armed Forces was well known by senior ranking members of the Service.

Gossip evidently was rife of his misconduct among the top echelon of the Service Command and their wives. Despite which no one intervened because, they explained, no one had lodged a formal complaint. Which women are highly unlikely to do in such circumstances, a well enough-known social phenomenon where women are faced with the likelihood of their word against that of a high-placed superior. Even if relations were consensual, they would have gone against the code of conduct expected in such interactions.

Although other generals were aware of the misconduct allegations against General Vance no one spoke up when he was named chief of the defence staff in 2015. Staff at National Defence headquarters among themselves took to discussing the situation but formal complaints lacking, nothing was done to alert the political authorities in the-then office of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. One woman had raised concerns relating to the general's behaviour, with the Canadian Forces ombudsman strictly for the purpose of alerting him to the behaviour, refusing to file a formal complaint.

Labels: , , ,

posted by Pieface @ Friday, February 05, 2021

Follow @rheytah Tweet