Last November, I was informed that some members of 14 Wing Greenwood, Nova Scotia, had produced a questionable and potentially offensive video for presentation at an internal social event held in 2010.
As a result, I promptly requested that an independent investigation be conducted by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) into the circumstances surrounding that video, and to determine if any possible administrative, disciplinary or corrective actions were warranted.
The CFNIS has now completed its investigation, and determined that there is no evidence of any military discipline or criminal offences associated with the content of this video or those individuals involved in making it.
That investigation also concluded that appropriate actions were taken by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) chain of command once it became aware of this issue. This included the ban on any further showing of the video, the destruction of all known copies at 14 Wing Greenwood, and the communication of apologies to those who may have been offended.
Regardless, I must reiterate that the creation of this video showed poor judgement and a lack of sensitivity clearly contrary to the standards I and all Canadians expect of our military members. The Canadian Armed Forces and the RCAF are absolutely dedicated to promoting and maintaining a work environment and military ethos that is respectful of all cultures, religions, and ethnicities, and the values we all share as Canadians.
Canadians expect, and deserve always, a high degree of professionalism from the Canadian Armed Forces, including all members of the Royal Canadian Air Force. We have learned from this unfortunate issue, and we will work to serve in a manner that ensures Canadians continue to have trust and pride in their military, and their air force.
