Military commander steps down as probe into brigade group's social media posts continues
Wright said in a July 16 message to army personnel that he was taking steps to address the 'inappropriate behaviour' in the Blue Hackle Facebook group. 'As of 16 July 2025, the Commanding Officer of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa has been temporarily removed from his position and all individuals involved will be provided procedural fairness in accordance with the applicable policies,' Wright said in his statement to the army.
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Wright noted in his statement that the Canadian Army started a summary investigation to examine the alleged unethical conduct of any currently serving Canadian Army members who were part of the online group.
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Military police were originally provided with videos and screenshots of the Blue Hackle Mafia material. Instead, military police turned over the investigation to the Cameron Highlanders. A reserve force captain who serves with some of those involved in the Blue Hackle Mafia was assigned to investigate their behaviour.
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After the Ottawa Citizen provided Wright with the screenshots of some of the Blue Hackle Mafia material on June 24, military police opened a new investigation into the group.
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The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) serve as the city of Ottawa's official regiment, according to the Canadian Forces. The regiment is tasked, as needed, to provide ceremonial guards of honour for visiting dignitaries and for national ceremonies and events. The reserve unit operates out of the Cartier Square Drill Hall on Queen Elizabeth Driveway.
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In his statement sent to army personnel, Wright pointed out that the organization 'will continue to ensure that our culture reflects the values and ethics of the Canadian Armed Forces, and I expect the chain of command across the Canadian Army to deal immediately with any inappropriate behaviour that deviates from those values and ethics.'
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'This incident has damaged the reputation of the Canadian Army at a time when we are engaged in important modernization work as part of a ready, resilient, and relevant Canadian Armed Forces,' he added.
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The Ottawa Citizen reported that the soldiers on the Facebook page knew what they were doing was wrong but their focus was on not getting caught. They warned each other not to take photos of the wild antics that were taking place at the Cartier Square Drill Hall.
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