The commanding officer of HMCS Regina has been relieved of his duties following an incident involving “inappropriate conduct,” the Royal Canadian Navy announced Thursday.
The Navy said in a statement that it had lost confidence in the decision of Lt.-Cmdr. David Dahlin, who commanded the Pacific Fleet warship.
The alleged incident occurred on another vessel during a naval exercise, the navy said.
“The RCN expects all its members to exercise institutionally appropriate judgment at all times, particularly when in clear leadership or command roles,” the navy said in a statement.
Read more: HMCS Halifax captain suspended while under investigation
In an interview with Global News, Cmdr. David Mazur, commander of the Pacific Fleet, said he would not classify the incident as a sex crime.
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“This was a case of inappropriate behavior by a superior in a position of authority toward a student,” he said.
“It’s nowhere near an assault … there were two parties involved and it wasn’t against the will of either.”
The incident is under investigation, the Navy said. Mazur said witnesses who participated in the drill, which took place at the Port of Seattle, reported the behavior to management the next day.
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The Navy said Cmdr. Megan Coates has now taken command of HMCS Regina, a Halifax-class frigate based at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt, BC
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Dahlin will serve in other roles with Marine Forces Pacific at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt until the investigation is completed.
Mazur said the loss of confidence in Dahlin was limited to his ability to hold a leadership position, which is why Dahlin was not suspended pending the results of the investigation.
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It is the second time this month that a ship’s commanding officer has been removed from his duties.
The captain of HMCS Halifax, identified as Cmdr. Dale St. Croix, was suspended amid an investigation into what the Navy said were multiple incidents aboard the ship during a port visit to Swinoujscie, Poland.
However, the Canadian Forces’ June 9 announcement clarified that these incidents did not involve sexual misconduct.
“I would say our culture is constantly evolving,” Mazur said when asked about the recent removals.
“There are suspicions of a cover-up and people who have not been dealt with appropriately, so we are now very proactive. … We’re overcommunicating to make sure people know we’re aware of things and we’re dealing with them.”
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Mazur added that Dillon met with the ship’s company and the people involved in the exercise to apologize and show that he recognized his behavior before he was removed from command.
Read more: 2nd retired military officer charged in connection with RMC sexual abuse
The Canadian Forces is in the midst of a reckoning over sexual misconduct and abuse of power within its ranks, including at the highest levels.
The latest removals come after a blistering report revealed senior Canadian Forces officials were “incapable” of recognizing the “deficient” parts of a culture that keeps sexual misconduct entrenched.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbor’s report, released May 30, comes more than a year after Global News first reported cases of sexual misconduct among military leaders, including former Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance.
This month, two retired military personnel were charged with sexual assault in connection with alleged incidents at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario.
One of those officers was recently retired Lt.-Gen. Trevor Cadiu, who was appointed to lead the army last year before the military police began investigating him.
— with files from Global’s Amanda Connelly, Irelyn Lavery and The Canadian Press
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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