Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Alex Ruff has released a statement about recent allegations of sexual misconduct in the upper echelons of the Canadian military.
Ruff is a Colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces who retired in 2019 after a 25 year career in the military, serving in Quebec during the Ice Storm, twice in Bosnia, twice in Afghanistan and most recently in Iraq. He is Gender Based Analysis+ trained and was involved in the initial stand-up of Gender Advisors for the Canadian Armed Forces.
Ruff’s statement comes after two of Canada’s top military commanders, former Chief of Defence General Jonathan Vance and Admiral Art McDonald who replaced Vance as Chief of Defence after his retirement, are being investigated for sexual misconduct.
Earlier this month, senior female commander in the military, Lieutenant Colonel Eleanor Taylor, resigned saying she was “sickened by ongoing investigations of sexual misconduct among our key leaders,” in a Facebook post. (Taylor was deputy commander of the 36th Brigade Group)
Ruff’s statement below first appeared as an op-ed in the Toronto Sun on March 19th:
“The shocking allegations brought forward by women in the Canadian Armed Forces have made it evident that there are still members — and more disturbing — also senior leaders who somehow think improperly exercising their position of authority over women is acceptable.
It’s not.
I’m writing this to express my disappointment and as a call to action to my former Canadian Armed Forces colleagues to help fix this situation going forward.
Canada’s Charter makes it clear: “every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.”
Our country and all Canadians need an effective and well-led military to face ever-evolving and complex global conflicts. We cannot be strong at home when leaders fail the women and men under their command, nor can we be engaged in the world without leveraging every competent, willing, and capable Canadian who enrols into the military.
When we have phenomenal leaders such as Lieutenant-Colonel (LCol) Eleanor Taylor retiring in “disgust” not much more needs to be said. This needs to be fixed now and into the future.
The Canadian Armed Forces needs more Eleanor Taylors — not fewer.
I spent more than 25 years serving in the Canadian Armed Forces until my retirement in early 2019. I was honoured to serve, be led by, or count as friends, inspiring female leaders such as, LCol Taylor, Brigadier-Generals Lise Bourgon, Carla Harding and Corinna Heilman (soon to be promoted), as well as Lieutenant-General Francis Allen, to name just a few of the incredibly talented women in uniform.
Every woman who serves as a sailor, soldier, or aviator should have the same opportunity to succeed in their careers as the men they serve with, without fear of sexual exploitation by their peers or superiors. Further, when they have experienced sexual misconduct, they must feel safe coming forward without fear of any reprisal. For any of the talented, gifted, hard-working women I’ve had fortune of leading or serving with during my career:
If you have experienced any sexual harassment, misconduct or worse, I regret not doing more to eradicate this unethical, immoral behaviour while I served. I will use my voice as a parliamentarian to ensure we make this right.
I am a proud member of The Royal Canadian Regiment (The RCR). Our regimental slogan is ‘Never Pass a Fault.’
I encourage all serving military members, and more importantly, the former Chiefs of Defence Staff and the Minister of National Defence to aspire to this. It will help ensure no military member is subject to sexual misconduct in the future.”
Ruff appeared on the Open Line show on Bayshore Broadcasting’s 560 CFOS Monday. His comments on the issue during the program can be heard below.