A senior member of the Canadian Armed Forces has been criticized for posting amid a social media campaign garnering support for Canada’s Royal Military Colleges less than a week after a scathing independent review raised serious concerns for institutions.
Major General last weekend. Simon Bernard, a senior military officer in charge of personnel, was among a number of alumni of RMC Kingston and RMC Saint-Jean who changed their LinkedIn profile photos with their RMC graduation photos.
A number of graduates explicitly stated that their reason for publishing these photos was to support military colleges and their alumni following the strong condemnation of culture in those colleges in a report by Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbor published last week.
As part of his comprehensive review of sexual misconduct and harassment in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), Arbor highlighted RMC Kingston and RMC Saint-Jean as “different-era” institutions with a problematic leadership model in desperate need of systemic change.
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Arbor went so far as to say that the “discriminatory culture” and outdated way of thinking in these institutions is so persistent that she questioned whether they should even continue to exist in their current form and warned that the lack of major reform could prevent the CAF from really embracing the necessary culture of change.
Since then, college alumni have posted messages of support on LinkedIn for RMC and the positive impact these institutions have had on their lives, including some who oppose Arbor’s findings.
Global News has identified at least 21 different individual LinkedIn accounts that have participated in this activity.
On June 4, Bernard changed his profile picture to his RMC graduate portrait and commented on TDV in a LinkedIn post written by another alumni. TDV is an acronym for the motto of RMC: truth, duty, valor.
But this external demonstration of support did not stay online long.
Read more: Reforming military colleges in Canada will be a “Herculean task”, experts say
After several women who said they had been attacked and injured in schools challenged him to this public demonstration of support for colleges, Bernard deleted his comment and removed his graduation photo.
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In a statement to Global News, Bernard said he immediately removed the publications after “realizing the possible impact of this publication on others.”
“Although there were no malicious intentions in my post, I accept responsibility for the fact that, looking back, I do not take into account the impact on others and sincerely apologize to anyone who has been affected.”
A day after his comments on LinkedIn, Bernard posted a long statement supporting Arbor’s recommendations as “a positive thing for the department and the CAF.”
The day after the publication of RMC support on LinkedIn, Major General. Simon Bernard published this statement, expressing support for Arbor’s recommendations as “a positive thing for the department and the CAF.” LinkedIn profile photo
In a statement to Global News, a spokesman for the defense department said that Bernard “immediately informed his command chain about the LinkedIn publication, and as soon as he realized that the publication could potentially harm others, he removed it.”
“He took responsibility for his actions and acknowledged that his post may have affected survivors,” said Derek Abma, a senior communications adviser at DND.
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He also noted that Defense Minister Anita Anand has accepted the recommendations of the Arbor report, which calls for a review of military colleges.
The defenses are “disappointing”, “childish”, experts say
However, some experts say Bernard’s actions and those who turn to social media to defend the RMC are an example of a “fortress mentality” that demonstrates the established attitudes against change that Arbor and advocates point to as a major barrier to improvement.
“I thought it was stupid,” said the retired lieutenant colonel. Mark Popov, who was responsible for the training of cadet officers in 2014 and 2015 in colleges.
“I thought it was the actions of those who did not actually read the Arbor report in detail and who, in a reactionary way, simply sought to contradict the recommendations.
Although not everyone will agree with all of Arbor’s calls for change, Popov says he really believes a full study of colleges is needed to address deep-seated concerns about their operations and the proliferation of sexual harassment and violence. from too many students.
Retired lieutenant colonel. Mark Popov, who was responsible for training cadet officers in 2014 and 2015 at RMC Kingston, said alumni who turn to social media to protect colleges from the RMC findings in the Arbor report are an example of ” serf mentality ”, which demonstrates the established attitudes against change. Photo sent.
“The reactionary view I see on social media is disappointing for many people I know personally because Justice Arbor is not attacking them, but points out some shortcomings that exist and identifies the need for some changes that will only do good for all Canadians. armed forces. “
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Julie Lalande, a women’s rights activist and public educator, says she believes social media’s response to Arbor’s findings stems from a denial of the systemic problems that exist in the institutions.
Too many military members view criticism of the military as personal attacks, she said.
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“It’s deeply immature to be an adult and see a Supreme Court report that says this campus has a problem, and then fit in and change your profile picture because you want to be proud of RMC – that’s it. childish, ”she said.
“They should be embarrassed that you have been awarded a military prize, and that is your reaction to what happened.
Businessman defends RMC as “great institution”
Among those who have published in support of the RMC is Brian Brulot, a businessman and ex-military man who also briefly tried to stand up to the leadership of the Federal Conservative Party in 2020.
Brulotte says he felt “forced” to publish his RMC graduation photo and express support for Canadian military colleges because he believes the Arbor report and its response so far give the impression that everything in college is wrong. “.
“This is not so. “I think there are a lot of good things going on there and there’s a lot of progress,” he told Global News.
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Businessman and ex-military man Brian Brulot says he felt “forced” to post his RMC graduation photo and express support for Canadian military colleges because he believes the Arbor report “gives the impression that everything is wrong in college.” “. LinkedIn profile photo
In her report, Arbor said she was told that almost every cadet had experienced one or more incidents of sexual misconduct “or worse,” including ongoing discriminatory comments and attitudes.
Arbor also cites a 2020 Statistics Canada report that found that 68% of students at RMC Kingston and RMC Saint-Jean saw or were victims of unwanted sexual behavior during their time in school.
But Brulotte believes Arbor has exaggerated the prevalence of sexual abuse in military colleges compared to the percentage of reports of these incidents at civilian universities.
He also disputed her criticism of the cadet leadership structure in the college, which she said was similar to “children leading children”.
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Brulotte said he considered the Arbor report positive, as it gave a voice to many who believe it needs to be heard, and said he supported measures that adequately address sexual assault, racism or bullying in schools. which may be required on a case-by-case basis.
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But he also said he believed Arbor’s trial was “wrong” and suffered from “inherent bias.”
That’s why he went on social media to protect the RMC and the many prominent Canadians who have graduated from these colleges, he said, listing many of them. “I’m publishing because I’m defending what I believe is a great institution that has produced fantastic Canadians.”
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