Sex scandals rock Canadian armed forces

TORONTO - Two sex scandals in two weeks involving top-ranking officers have shocked Canadians and tarnished the image of the country’s armed forces.

Col Russell Williams, top commander of the country’s largest military base at Trenton not far from here, is behind bars after his arrest for allegedly murdering two women, including one under his command, and raping two others. Canadians were shocked last week when the double life of this top army base officer came to light after his arrest for allegedly raping two women near his residence.

The arrest led to revelations about his alleged role in the killing of two other women, including his fellow officer Corporal Marie-France Comeau. Comeau, 37, who was a flight attendant based at the base, had just returned from India after accompanying Prime Minister Stephen Harper when she was murdered Nov 25.

There was another shock for Canadians Tuesday when a former top chaplain of their armed forces was charged with buggery and sexual assault.

Roger Bazin, a retired chaplain-general of the armed forces, was arrested and charged with one count of buggery, one count of an act of gross indecency, and one count of indecent assault on a male, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service said Tuesday.

According to reports, the alleged victim of the high priest of the armed forces made the allegations last June.

After investigations by the Canadian military police, the former chaplain-general was arrested Tuesday.

“The military police consider this to be a serious matter and will thoroughly investigate any such allegations related to CF [Canadian Forces] members, DND employees or defence establishments,” the Canadian Broadcasting corporation quoted Col. Tim Grubb, Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, as saying in a statement.

The chaplain-general reports directly to the chief of the Canadian armed forces and is responsible for recruiting and training priests or chaplains.