'I just want to get back to work': Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin addresses sexual assault charge
Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin says he will defend himself “vigorously†after formally being charged with one count of sexual assault following a police investigation.
Appearing outside a Gatineau courthouse on Wednesday, Fortin said he heard from the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) about the arrest warrant on Monday, and will now pursue two avenues of legal recourse.
“The arrest warrant was a total surprise. I am reluctantly, and at my own expense, forced to pursue two forms of legal redress. The first, to vigorously defend myself against the charge laid today in criminal court and second, ask the federal court to consider the lack of due process afforded to me throughout this whole ordeal,†said Fortin.
Fortin has denied any wrongdoing regarding the charge that’s in relation to an allegation that dates back to early 1988 when he was a student at the Royal Military College in Saint-Jean, Que. According to court documents, the incident is said to have occurred between Jan. 1 and April 30 of that year.
Fortin was the face of Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rollout until mid-May, when he was removed from the post as the investigation came to light. Five days later, the CFNIS referred a sexual misconduct investigation to the Quebec prosecution service to determine whether criminal charges should be laid.
Fortin and his legal team have pushed back against his dismissal and the allegation against him. They are pursuing a judicial review of the decision to remove him from his position, citing procedural unfairness and political interference by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Health Minister Patty Hajdu and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan.
“As the acting chief of defence staff told me, confirmed in his personal notes, the decision to remove me was a result of political calculus,†he said. “I just want to get back to work.â€
CTV has not independently verified these claims.
The application for review, in part, asks that Fortin resume his position with the Public Health Agency of Canada – a position now held by Brig.-Gen. Krista Brodie.
Fortin said the last several months have been a “nightmare†for him and his family.
“For the past three months, my family and I have been living this nightmare of not knowing, not knowing the nature of the allegation, not knowing the status of the investigation, not knowing whether or not I’d be charged. My legal team has repeatedly, repeatedly contacted prosecutors seeking information with no success,†he said.
“I’ve been forced to read much about me in the media with no ability, or no outlet to defend my name.â€
The Canadian Armed Forces has been gripped by a flurry of high-profile departures as of late, following allegations of sexual misconduct and subsequent police investigations.
Military police launched an investigation of allegations of misconduct directed at the former chief of the defence staff Gen. Jonathan Vance on Feb. 4, following his retirement.
In mid-July, Vance was charged with obstruction of justice under the Criminal Code for allegedly for attempting to persuade a woman to make false statements about their past relationship.
Vance’s successor, Admiral Art McDonald was also the subject of a misconduct probe but the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal said the investigation did not “reveal evidence to support the laying of charges under either the Code of Service Discipline or the Criminal Code of Canada,†a statement read.
Fortin’s lawyer said he’s due to be arraigned at the Gatineau courthouse on Sept. 20. A publication ban is now in effect to protect the identity of the victim.
On the campaign trail on Wednesday, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said he won’t be commenting on case specifics as it’s before the courts, but underlined the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment within the Armed Forces.
“We need to make sure that anyone who comes forward with allegations or concerns is receiving the proper support, the proper resources but at the same time that we work to transform the culture of our Canadian Armed Forces,†he said, before turning the microphone over to Sajjan who was accompanying his leader at the B.C. event.
Asked how he plans to defend his record on this issue to constituents, Sajjan said it’s been his focus since day one of taking the job and he remains committed to it.
“Anytime that something comes forward we want to make sure that all the survivors are supported and that’s exactly what we’ll be doing as we learn more information,†he said. “It takes time but we have to remain strong and committed.â€
Veteran and Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole also weighed in on Wednesday, more generally pointing blame at the Trudeau government for their handling of sexual misconduct allegations in the military.
“We have to make sure that women can serve their country with respect, and free of harassment. The fact that the office of the prime minister covered up sexual misconduct allegations for three years was a travesty and Canadians deserve better, particularly those who put their country first,†he said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh reflected on the Fortin case, stating that what concerns him most is the message being sent to women.
“Women have raised serious concerns that have been completely ignored by the highest office of this land, by the defence minister, by the prime minister and his office,†he said, speaking to reporters on Wednesday. “Women are being sent this chilling message that they’re not being listened to, that they’re not being heard and their concerns aren’t being taken seriously.â€
He said an NDP government would immediately implement an independent reporting process for victims – something the other parties have said they would prioritize.
With files from CTVNews.ca’s Brooke Taylor.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½
Israel kills top Hezbollah figure in Beirut strike, Reuters sources say
Top Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Aqil was killed on Friday in an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, two security sources told Reuters.
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
The province's public security minister said he was "shocked" Thursday amid reports that a body believed to be that of a 14-year-old boy was found this week near a Hells Angels hideout near Quebec City.
An Ontario man says it is 'unfair' to pay a $1,500 insurance surcharge because his four-year-old SUV is at a higher risk of being stolen.
DEVELOPING Here's what we know about Israel's latest strike in Beirut
Israel’s military has struck the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, in a dramatic escalation in a year-long period of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.
Passenger on a previous Titan sub dive says his mission was aborted due to apparent malfunction
A paid passenger on an expedition to the Titanic with the company that owned the Titan submersible testified before a U.S. Coast Guard investigatory panel Friday that the mission he took part in was aborted due to an apparent mechanical failure.
Cognitive decline reduced by MIND diet, especially for women and Black people, study finds
Following the MIND diet for 10 years produced a small but significant decrease in the risk of developing thinking, concentration and memory problems, a new study found.
The Montreal couple from Mexico and their three children facing deportation have received a temporary residence permit.
Local Spotlight
They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.
A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.
David Krumholtz, known for roles like Bernard the Elf in The Santa Clause and physicist Isidor Rabi in Oppenheimer, has spent the latter part of his summer filming horror flick Altar in Winnipeg. He says Winnipeg is the most movie-savvy town he's ever been in.
Edmontonians can count themselves lucky to ever see one tiger salamander, let alone the thousands one local woman says recently descended on her childhood home.