logo
Canadian officer reprimanded, fined $3,000 for 'crude' comment about British general

Canadian officer reprimanded, fined $3,000 for 'crude' comment about British general

National Post10-05-2025
A highly decorated Canadian officer and Afghan war veteran was fined $3,000 and given a severe reprimand for a derogatory comment he made about a British brigadier general.
Article content
Article content
A Canadian military court martial held Thursday in Gatineau heard that Col. Rob Kearney was in his tent with two other officers on a military exercise when he referred to the female brigadier general as a 'f—ing c–t.'
Article content
Article content
Brig. Gen. Irena Dzisiewska was not present when the comment was made during a NATO command post exercise in Romania in October 2023. But a British officer who was in the tent with Kearney filed a complaint with the Canadian military.
Article content
Article content
Military Judge Col. Nancy Isenor said the comment was 'gender-based, crude and offensive' and brought disrepute to the Canadian Forces. Kearney, who has since retired from the Canadian military, was assistant chief of staff at the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Innsworth, United Kingdom at the time of the incident.
Article content
He submitted a guilty plea to one count of conduct prejudice to the good order and discipline.
Article content
Kearney, a reservist at the time of the incident, was originally charged with five counts. The allegation at the time was that Kearney had 'made derogatory and disloyal comments about Senior CAF and NATO members,' according to a Canadian Forces April 2024 news release.
Article content
Article content
Isenor accepted the joint submission from the defence lawyer and prosecution that Kearney's punishment should be a $3,000 fine and a severe reprimand. No explanation was provided during the court martial about why the proceedings were for only one charge of conduct prejudice to the good order and discipline.
Article content
Article content
The court heard that Kearney had a stellar career, having served in the Canadian Forces for 31 years. During that time he earned 15 military decorations, including two commendations from the Chief of the Defence Staff, one army commendation, and a U.S. Meritorious Service Medal.
Article content
Kearney, an Afghan war veteran, was in the regular force until May 2012. He left the military for the private sector and returned to the reserve force in August 2015. He had received a Canadian Meritorious Service Medal for his service in Afghanistan.
Article content
The court heard that Kearney was in charge of briefing two generals during the command post exercise in Romania. Dzisiewska, who was not an active member of the group being briefed, voiced criticism of Kearney and his team during the discussion. Kearney responded that if Dzisiewska had any concerns she should take those up with the major general who was in overall command.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Conservation around hockey culture, consent continues as high-profile trial closes
Conservation around hockey culture, consent continues as high-profile trial closes

CTV News

time27 minutes ago

  • CTV News

Conservation around hockey culture, consent continues as high-profile trial closes

The high-profile trial involving five former junior hockey players sparks a conversation about hockey culture. A high-profile court case has closed but the national conversation around hockey culture and consent is far from over. The five former Hockey Canada World Junior players accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a London, Ont., hotel room in 2018 were acquitted of all charges on Thursday. The trial, which began eight weeks ago, closed with the Ontario Supreme Court judge finding the complainant's testimony was 'not reliable or credible.' All five players had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Legal expert and Dalhousie emeritus professor of law Wayne MacKay says the not guilty verdict doesn't mean the players' behaviour wasn't harmful or offensive. 'They (the judge) say not guilty of sexual assault for a reason but it certainly doesn't say they are innocent of bad conduct,' said MacKay. 'In fact, I think most people would say they did engage in bad conduct.' Regardless of the verdict, the high-profile case has once again turned the spotlight on elite hockey culture and the institutions that oversee and shape them. 'I think there is a reconciliation, a justice, a healing and accountability that needs to happen,' said Miia Suokonautio, CEO of the Halifax YWCA and a hockey parent. 'And that's separate from a judicial process and we put a lot of eggs into the basket.' Suokonautio says while elite level sports are hyper focused on player performance, more focus needs to be put on character development and behavior off the ice. And the trial is helping spark that conversation. 'To start talking about what's actually happening,' said Suokonautio. 'And not just having a session with players but every coach and every parent has a responsibility.' Though cleared in court, the players remain under suspension by both Hockey Canada and the NHL. While the complainant E.M. and her supporters may have lost the legal battle, MacKay says the trial's impacts are far from over. 'I'm sure it doesn't feel like that to E.M. or her supporters but in one sense they did win,' said MacKay. 'Because they raised the profile of the problem in a real way and it's really an extension of the MeToo movement.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store