Military considering limiting access to alcohol to curb sexual misconduct

The commander in charge of reforming the Canadian Armed Forces' culture says military leaders are considering limiting alcohol consumption at holiday events.

Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan said Thursday the force is now tracking the link between drinking and misconduct and identified a "spike" in sexual misconduct cases in "the December time frame."

Carignan said that information has "prompted military leaders" to consider "preventative measures" during holiday periods when "we have more events where people come together."

"For example, there will be a time at which alcohol can be served. People would be asked to reduce, to have one drink," said Carignan.

"So leaders are taking this into consideration as they are designing their events and social events."

Carignan, the chief of professionalism and conduct in the military, is in the midst of a five-year campaign to combat sexual misconduct by overhauling the Canadian Forces' culture.

Her campaign started two years ago during a sexual misconduct crisis that saw an unprecedented number of senior leaders swept up in scandal at the same time.

Since 2021, more than a dozen current and former senior Canadian military officers have been sidelined, investigated or forced into retirement from some of the most powerful and prestigious posts in the defence establishment.

Most misconduct happens off-base: Carignan

CBC News asked Carignan if the military has a problem with alcohol. She said the Canadian Armed Forces is in the process of "assessing" the data.

"We know there is a correlation" between alcohol use and misconduct but there are "many other factors" at play, she added.

She said the data so far shows that most incidents of military sexual misconduct happen off-base when those involved are not taking part in military operations.

"We are learning that in some periods of the year there are spikes, which now prompts our leaders to take the necessary action to prevent," said Carignan.

When asked if the military is considering limiting access to alcohol or banning it altogether at military events, Carignan said "we do have those conversations, of course, regularly."

She didn't commit to implementing a ban of any kind but said the decision would be up to regional military leaders, based on factors such as the ranks and ages of affected members.

"A one-size fits all is not the approach we want to take," said Carignan.

In 2014, then-vice admiral Mark Norman announced a ban on alcohol consumption onboard navy ships following three incidents of misconduct — except during special occasions or when ships are docked.

Norman told CBC News Thursday that when he imposed the limited ban in 2014, alcohol was considered a factor in roughly 90 per cent of misconduct incidents of all types in the navy.

He said the move to restrict alcohol consumption sent a "clear message" and set a standard of behaviour in the navy. He said that while he has no empirical data showing "to what extent it actually translated into a reduction in alcohol related issues," he heard positive feedback.

"The chain of command at all levels were highly supportive of the decision and that it did send a clear message," he said.

But not everyone was happy with the change.

"There certainly was blowback both inside the rank-and-file and a number of veterans," he said. "It was primarily based on arguments of tradition."

Is it time for the military to dry out?

Retired colonel Michael Drapeau said drinking is deeply embedded in military culture through longstanding traditions such as mess dinners, celebrations at the end of training courses, retirements and promotions.

He said he wants the military to stop serving alcohol to its members.

"It probably would be unpopular," he said. "But guess what? Leadership is about doing necessary but unpopular things."

Drapeau said his law firm has worked with more than 50 victims of sexual misconduct since opening its doors in 2002. Alcohol was involved in the vast majority of those cases, he added.

His most well-known client, Stéphanie Raymond, was sexually assaulted in a military mess in 2011 after a celebration with her superiors. Her perpetrator was sentenced to six months in jail in 2021.

"The fact is I do not recall having acted for a victim of sexual misconduct where alcohol was not present," he said.

Drapeau cited U.S. research that shows at least 50 per cent of sexual assault allegations against American women involve alcohol consumption by the perpetrator, by the victim, or by both.

After the federal government tasked retired Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour with reviewing the military's sexual misconduct crisis and recommending changes, Drapeau sent her a letter asking her to recommend putting a stop to drinking on duty.

'No other profession would tolerate [this]'

"There is no good reason for the CAF as an institution to permit, to continue to finance, schedule and arrange for social activities involving the consumption of alcohol while members are deployed on duty and serving in uniform on a defence establishment," says his 2021 letter.

"No other profession would tolerate having members consume alcohol while on duty, or on the premises of their professional place of work."

Arbour did not move forward with that recommendation.

Norman said banning alcohol consumption throughout the military would be "an overly simplistic approach," while the more nuanced approach being taken by Carignan is practical.

He said the military should have conversations about limiting drinking and encouraging responsible drinking, while giving individual units some flexibility on access to alcohol.

New changes announced to address military culture

The military's Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC) also announced changes on Thursday to address Arbour's recommendations on victims' rights. The centre said it has launched a new independent legal organization for military and civilian defence employees who have experience sexual misconduct by a CAF member. Those who paid their own legal expenses in sexual misconduct cases on or after April 1, 2019 will also be eligible for reimbursement.

The centre also said it's expanding its services to family members of those in the defence community, junior Canadian Rangers, and cadets.

"This will help to ensure that more and more people have access to the support services of the SMSRC and this includes a 24/7 hotline," said defence minister Anita Anand.

Anand said that since she became defence minister, it's been her "top priority" to ensure those serving "can do so with the protections and respect that they deserve." She said she's committed to carrying out all of Arbour's 48 recommendations.

She provided an update on that progress on Thursday and said a federal-provincial-territorial committee has been consulting with regions to end the military's exclusive jurisdiction over a number of criminal sexual offences. The Canadian Forces Provost Marshall is working with the OPP on a system to transfer cases to the civilian justice system, Anand said.

Anand said about half of all allegations of sexual offences in the military have been transferred to civilian police to investigate since November 2022.