Latest news with #CameronHighlanders
National Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
Ottawa soldiers warned after explicit photos sent to commanding officer
Soldiers who posted antisemitic, misogynistic and racist comments on social media warned each other not to take photos of their wild antics because of previous complaints in which images of their genitals were sent to their commanding officer. Article content The posts by the soldiers from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa indicated they knew what they were doing was wrong but their focus was on not getting caught. Article content Article content Article content 'No f–king pictures in the mess,' wrote one soldier. 'There should be 0 photographic evidence of anything we get up to in that room. We don't need anymore pictures of penises going to the CO (commanding officer).' Article content The soldiers operated what they call the Blue Hackle Mafia Facebook group. They have posted images of male soldiers in uniform exposing their genitals, others posing naked with Canadian Forces weapons or simulating sexual acts with each other in uniform. Some of the photos were taken at military installations. Article content The images of posts obtained by the Ottawa Citizen show the group has been operating longer than previously believed — some of the posts date back to 2007 and indicate there have already been previous investigations into the group. Article content Article content Still a decade later the soldiers were continuing, although concerned that incriminating evidence of their activities could surface. 'Basically anything bad to happen to any military unit in the last 25 years is because some asshole didn't put his camera away,' one soldier commented in October 2017. Article content In another comment from July 2015, a soldier provides an official Canadian Forces government email to where military personnel can send 'dic (sic) pics.' Article content Complaints were made in December 2024 to military police about the Blue Hackle Mafia group, Department of National Defence spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin confirmed in an email.
National Post
08-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Army commander was kept in the dark about Ottawa soldiers' 'abhorrent' Facebook group
Canada's army commander was kept in the dark about antisemitic, misogynistic and racist comments on a site operated by his soldiers despite complaints previously being made to military police, top officers and military legal officials. Article content Some soldiers from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa have been operating what they call the Blue Hackle Mafia Facebook group. They have posted images of male soldiers in uniform exposing their genitals, others posing naked with Canadian Forces weapons or simulating sexual acts with each other in uniform. Some of the photos were taken at military installations. Article content Article content Article content Complaints were made in December to military police about the Blue Hackle Mafia group, the Canadian Forces has confirmed. In addition, complaints about the private Facebook site and the contents being posted by soldiers were made to Lt. Col. Ryan Hendy, who commands the Cameron Highlanders, as well as 33 Brigade Commander Col. James McKay, according to whistleblowers. The inappropriate contents of the Facebook account and its existence was also reported to officials in the Judge Advocate General's office. Article content But army commander Lt.-Gen. Michael Wright knew nothing about the controversy surrounding the high profile reserve unit until he was briefed about the situation on June 25, the day after the Ottawa Citizen sent images from the Facebook group to DND and asked him for comment. Article content 'On 25 June 2025, I was made aware of allegations regarding the 'Blue Hackle Mafia' private social media group involving members of the Canadian Army that featured abhorrent racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and antisemitic comments and images,' Wright noted in an email sent to media outlets. 'I can share that I am disgusted by the content of some of the posts published on this group.' Article content Article content Defence insiders say it is highly unusual that the army commander would have been kept in the dark about such a high profile issue. Article content Over the last decade, the Canadian Forces has been mired in allegations of sexual assault, harassment, racism and homophobia. The resulting scandals prompted reports and inquiries by former Supreme Court justices Marie Deschamps and Louise Arbour, along with pledges by the military leadership to bring about change. In addition, a number of senior officers have faced charges or court proceedings for alleged sexual misconduct or assault.
Ottawa Citizen
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Army commander was kept in the dark about Ottawa soldiers' 'abhorrent' Facebook group
Canada's army commander was kept in the dark about antisemitic, misogynistic and racist comments on a site operated by his soldiers despite complaints previously being made to military police, top officers and military legal officials. Article content Some soldiers from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa have been operating what they call the Blue Hackle Mafia Facebook group. They have posted images of male soldiers in uniform exposing their genitals, others posing naked with Canadian Forces weapons or simulating sexual acts with each other in uniform. Some of the photos were taken at military installations. Article content Article content Article content The Facebook page also includes hateful comments directed towards women, derogatory sexual comments about former prime minister Justin Trudeau, as well as discussions about raping grandmothers. In other cases, posts disparage both Jews and Muslims. Article content Complaints were made in December to military police about the Blue Hackle Mafia group, the Canadian Forces has confirmed. In addition, complaints about the private Facebook site and the contents being posted by soldiers were made to Lt. Col. Ryan Hendy, who commands the Cameron Highlanders, as well as 33 Brigade Commander Col. James McKay, according to whistleblowers. The inappropriate contents of the Facebook account and its existence was also reported to officials in the Judge Advocate General's office. Article content But army commander Lt.-Gen. Michael Wright knew nothing about the controversy surrounding the high profile reserve unit until he was briefed about the situation on June 25, the day after the Ottawa Citizen sent images from the Facebook group to DND and asked him for comment. Article content Article content 'On 25 June 2025, I was made aware of allegations regarding the 'Blue Hackle Mafia' private social media group involving members of the Canadian Army that featured abhorrent racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and antisemitic comments and images,' Wright noted in an email sent to media outlets. 'I can share that I am disgusted by the content of some of the posts published on this group.' Article content Article content Asked why the various military officials did not inform Wright about the Blue Hackle Mafia controversy, Department of National Defence spokeswoman Andrée-Anne Poulin stated in an email that the army is now 'looking at how information related to this matter flowed through the chain of command.' Article content Defence insiders say it is highly unusual that the army commander would have been kept in the dark about such a high profile issue. Article content Over the last decade, the Canadian Forces has been mired in allegations of sexual assault, harassment, racism and homophobia. The resulting scandals prompted reports and inquiries by former Supreme Court justices Marie Deschamps and Louise Arbour, along with pledges by the military leadership to bring about change. In addition, a number of senior officers have faced charges or court proceedings for alleged sexual misconduct or assault.
National Post
04-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Ottawa soldiers under investigation for Facebook group filled with hate speech and nude photos in uniform
For years, soldiers with an Ottawa military unit have operated a private Facebook account where they post photos of themselves in uniform exposing their genitals, as well as antisemitic, misogynistic, homophobic and racist comments. Article content The Canadian Army confirmed to the Ottawa Citizen that it had started an investigation in December into the group that is known as the Blue Hackle Mafia. The group is made up of soldiers from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, a reserve unit that operates out of the Cartier Square Drill Hall on Queen Elizabeth Driveway. Article content Article content Article content The Blue Hackle Mafia has operated its Facebook page with around 200 participants for at least 14 years. Article content Article content Some of the images posted show male soldiers in uniform exposing their genitals, others posing naked with Canadian Forces weapons or simulating sexual acts with each other in uniform. Some of the photos were taken at military installations. There are also derogatory sexual comments posted about former prime minister Justin Trudeau as well as discussions about raping grandmothers. Article content In one posting the military personnel talk about getting together for drinks at an Ottawa bar. 'All welcome (except the Jews of course),' the post noted. Article content The Ottawa Citizen provided screenshots of some of the postings to Canadian Army commander Lt.-Gen. Michael Wright on June 24, after which he confirmed that an investigation had already been started into the social media group. Article content 'I can share that I am disgusted by the content of some of the posts published on this group,' Wright stated in an email to the Ottawa Citizen. 'Posting such content runs counter to our values and ethics. I have reinforced with the chain of command the importance of our military disciplinary and administrative processes in addressing reported misconducts.' Article content Article content Wright characterized the Blue Hackle Mafia Facebook group as featuring 'abhorrent racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and antisemitic comments and images.' Article content Article content Wright said that he expects all members of the Canadian Army to hold themselves to the highest standards. 'I have ordered that any serving Canadian Army members currently on this social media group immediately cease their participation,' he added. 'Further, I have issued direction to the Canadian Army chain of command to reinforce that this type of behaviour is unacceptable, and any member who engages in inappropriate behaviour should expect to face administrative and/or disciplinary consequences.' Article content Article content 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.
Ottawa Citizen
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa soldiers under investigation for Facebook group filled with hate speech and nude photos in uniform
Article content Wright said he could not discuss the investigation into the Blue Hackle Mafia social media page as it was still ongoing. Article content Some of those depicted in the images are officers in the unit. Article content Article content 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. Article content During the Second World War, the King of England first allowed the Cameron Highlanders to wear the blue hackle on their headdress as a mark of their honour and fighting pride. Article content Over the last decade, the Canadian Forces has been mired in allegations of sexual assault, harassment, racism and homophobia. The resulting scandals prompted reports and inquiries by former Supreme Court justices Marie Deschamps and Louise Arbour, along with pledges by the military leadership to bring about change. In addition, a number of senior officers have faced charges or court proceedings for alleged sexual misconduct or assault. Article content Article content But defence insiders say there is a sense in some areas of the Canadian Forces that the sexual misconduct scandals are now largely in the past, as news media reporting has decreased and a number of high-profile legal cases have either collapsed or ended in senior officers being found not guilty. Article content Article content In 2022, the Ottawa Citizen reported that Arbour was told by Canadian Forces members that the military sees sexual and other misconduct cases as public relations problems that need to be managed to avoid negative media coverage rather than serious issues to be dealt with. Article content Many of the posts that Wright described as abhorrent 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. Article content The links between the regiment and the City of Ottawa are more than 100 years old. Permission was granted in January 1882 for the regiment to adopt the motto of the City of Ottawa: 'Advance.' This remains the motto of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa and is worn on their badges.
