Defence Minister David McGuinty called allegations that military members were part of an extremist plot “disturbing,” but pushed back against accusations the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) isn’t doing enough to change its culture.
The minister briefly spoke to reporters Thursday on the sidelines of a change-of-command ceremony. They were his first public comments since the RCMP charged four men, including two CAF members and one former member, of amassing a trove of weapons and explosives as part of a scheme to take over land near Quebec City.
“It’s deeply concerning. We reject completely this kind of behaviour, these beliefs, this system, these activities,” he said.
Who’s the extremist?
Canada: First trans military chaplain suspended for sexual misconduct
Beatrice Gale, the first transgender chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and a member of the Royal Military College, has been suspended from service for sexual misconduct. Gale was born as a male but identifies as female. The information was confirmed by True North, who spoke with sources from the Department of National Defense.
According to the information, Gale allegedly made an inappropriate comment to another individual. According to a source familiar with the matter who spoke with True North, Gale asked to grope a lieutenant’s buttocks.
