Close X
Thursday, November 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

Ex-ombud says he told Sajjan about Vance in 2018

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 03 Mar, 2021 08:20 PM
  • Ex-ombud says he told Sajjan about Vance in 2018

Former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne says he specifically told Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan about allegations of misconduct against Gen. Jonathan Vance during a "hostile" closed-door meeting three years ago.

Walbourne is testifying to a parliamentary committee this afternoon, nearly two weeks after Sajjan told the same committee that he was as surprised as anyone when Global News first reported Vance’s alleged misconduct in early February.

Sajjan at that time repeatedly refused to say what he and Walbourne discussed during their meeting on March 1, 2018, citing confidentiality.

But the former ombudsman, whose testimony is protected by parliamentary privilege, says he asked Sajjan to get back to him with advice on how to handle the allegations, but was instead cut off from any further contact with the minister and that his financial and staffing authorities were frozen.

The former ombudsman, who initially declined an invitation to speak to the committee before members formally summoned him to testify, added that the Privy Council Office later called asking for information about the specific allegations despite his request to Sajjan to keep the matter confidential.

Vance has been accused of having an ongoing relationship with a service member he significantly outranked and of sending an inappropriate message to a second, much more junior, member before he became defence chief.

Vance has denied any wrongdoing.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Canadian funding for homegrown vaccines lacking

Canadian funding for homegrown vaccines lacking
John Lewis, the CEO of Entos Pharmaceuticals in Alberta, says his company is one of six that received about $5 million to move their COVID-19 vaccine along.

Canadian funding for homegrown vaccines lacking

ATV rider found dead in Fraser Valley

ATV rider found dead in Fraser Valley
Kent Harrison Search and Rescue says in a social media post that its members responded late Saturday to reports about the missing 21-year-old.

ATV rider found dead in Fraser Valley

COVID-19 outbreak in unit at Vancouver hospital

COVID-19 outbreak in unit at Vancouver hospital
Visits to the unit, on the tenth floor of the hospital's highrise tower, have been suspended except for end-of-life compassionate visits.

COVID-19 outbreak in unit at Vancouver hospital

6 COVID19 deaths for Friday

6 COVID19 deaths for Friday
There are 217 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 61 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

6 COVID19 deaths for Friday

Interpreter shortage cutting short committees

Interpreter shortage cutting short committees
Conservative whip Blake Richards points to a meeting of the health committee last Friday, which was abruptly cut short by Liberal chair Ron McKinnon announcing that the committee would not have any Commons staff resources, including interpreters, after 4:30 p.m.

Interpreter shortage cutting short committees

B.C. care home director quits after COVID outbreak

B.C. care home director quits after COVID outbreak
Vancouver Coastal Health says in a statement that Little Mountain Place recently notified the health authority that its administrator had submitted her resignation.

B.C. care home director quits after COVID outbreak