UNACCEPTABLE behaviour. But old news. What’s the situation now? Why is this a news story today? “…the posts … were published by serving soldiers in the Cameron Highlanders in the midst of the military’s leadership efforts between 2015 and 2021 to crack down on such behaviour.” https://t.co/8U7QDmTawN
Military police investigating Facebook page filled with racism, misogyny https://t.co/M2FR0f7JEX
Ottawa soldiers under investigation for Facebook group filled with hate speech and nude photos in uniform https://t.co/LgT2dw7kf5
The Canadian Armed Forces have reopened a military-police investigation into a private Facebook group run by soldiers of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, a reserve infantry regiment. The page, known as the Blue Hackle Mafia and reportedly followed by roughly 200 current and former members over 14 years, contains images of soldiers exposing themselves while in uniform as well as racist, misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic posts. Army commander Lieut.-Gen. Michael Wright said he was “disgusted” by the content and on 25 June ordered any serving personnel to withdraw from the group immediately. According to the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal, complaints were first examined by military police in Ottawa, transferred to unit-level disciplinary authorities, and then formally reopened on 27 June to determine whether service offences were committed. The probe comes amid continuing scrutiny of misconduct within Canada’s military ranks following a series of sexual-assault and hate-speech scandals. Wright warned that members found responsible for posting or endorsing the material should expect administrative or disciplinary action.