Defense Minister Bill Blair on Wednesday named the board that will lead the review into Canada’s military academies amid the ongoing sexual misconduct crisis.
The seven-member board will review the benefits, advantages, and disadvantages of the way in which the two military academies — RMC Kingston and RMC Saint-Jean — operate. The board will have one time before a report on its work is due.
“They will assess the different possible models for delivering university-level education and military leadership training to non-military and officer candidates. The review board will be responsible for reviewing the quality of education, socialization, and military training in the realm of the military academies,” he said.
“It’ll also consider and assess the different models for delivering university-level and military leadership training to non-military officer candidates and to determine what changes need to be made to RMC Kingston and RMC Saint-Jean.”
The board will be chaired by Kathy Hogarth, associate vice-chairman of global strategy at Wilfrid Laurier University, Blair said. Hogarth will be responsible for furnishing regular progress updates to high-ranking defense staff, including the minister.
“The education experience that non-military officer candidates receive must reflect the values of the Canadian Armed Forces and the 21st-century Canada in which we live,” Blair said.
“I believe that these military academies can and must evolve to meet today’s requirements.”
Blair’s announcement comes on the heels of a Statistics Canada check that found sexual assault rates within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) saw a “significant increase” in 2022.
That disclosure from the public statistics agency on Tuesday comes despite pledges of reform within the service following years of intense scrutiny.
