NATIONAL NEWS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY / SOMMAIRE DES NOUVELLES NATIONALES
ADM(PA) / SMA(AP)
October 14 2012 / le 14 octobre 2012
MINISTER / LE MINISTRE
The SLt Jeffrey Delisle Spying Incident: Comment
Peter Worthington’s column about SLt Delisle, which mentions Defence Minister MacKay, was reprinted
(CSun 43).
ASSOCIATE MINISTER / MINISTRE ASSOCIÉ
No related coverage. / Aucune couverture pertinente.
CDS / CEM
No related coverage. / Aucune couverture pertinente.
CANADA IN AFGHANISTAN / LE CANADA EN AFGHANISTAN
No related coverage. / Aucune couverture pertinente.
PROCUREMENT / APPROVISIONNEMENT
No related coverage. / Aucune couverture pertinente.
OTHERS / AUTRES
Military Looking Into Comments Made By Reservist About Suicide Victim Amanda Todd
An outpouring of grief from around the world continued on social media websites Saturday for Amanda
Todd, the 15-year-old Port Coquitlam girl who ended her life Wednesday after years of bullying. On
Friday, Mike Mace, whose Facebook page says he is a member of the Canadian military, faced a
backlash after he posted a lewd comment about Amanda's death on a site meant to remember her life. In
the comment, he suggests it is not the bully's fault that she showed her breasts and gave out her private
information on the Internet. Maj Dan Thomas, a Canadian Forces spokesperson, said the military was
aware the individual who posted the comments matched a junior member of the reserves and added that
the military will investigate to see whether discipline is required (No byline: WFP A6).
Retired Colonel Michel Drapeau’s Impact On Military Justice: Comment
Peter Worthington: In a curious way, DND is responsible for retired Col Michel Drapeau writing two
massive books on the military justice system that stand as the most significant works of their kind ever
printed in this country. Co-authored by Justice Gilles Letourneau of the Federal Court and Court Martial
Appeal Board, their first book, Canada's Military Law Annotated, is 1,787 pages long, and their new one,
Military Justice in Action, is 1,760 pages long, with an index of about 100 additional pages. Col Drapeau
is an unusual man, dedicated to the military but not uncritical of it. He transferred to Corporate
Management Services (CMS), responsible for all the DND property and administration, which was in bad
shape and needed cleaning up. In 1992, Denys Henrie, director-general of CMS, committed suicide,
leaving his briefcase to Col Drapeau and a recommendation that he take over the job. Mr. Henrie's
suicide note named people he felt had driven him to suicide. He cited conflict of interest and corruption in
the department. Col Drapeau was asked to clean out incompetence and mismanagement. In doing so,
Col Drapeau discovered all sorts of abuses and was quickly told to slow down. However, Col Drapeau
kept digging and turning up evidence of theft, conflict of interest, irregular contracts, etc. He stepped on
toes and was fired. Col Drapeau could not be bought off, so elements in DND sought to discredit him. He
sued DND to clear his name. As for Mr. Henrie, his suicide was blamed on stress of the job. His suicide
note naming others vanished into the confines of DND, or simply disappeared (OSun 15, TSun 19).
Section: News
Lead: Undoubtedly, all parties are relieved that in a Halifax court Sub-Lt. Jeffrey Delisle pleaded guilty of
spying for Russia, thereby avoiding a trial at which details might emerge that would embarrass everyone,
not to mention compromise security.
Headline: Betrayal kept under wraps Turncoat's guilty verdict good for government
Page: 43
Byline: PETER WORTHINGTON
Outlet: The CalgarySun
Illustrations:
the Russians
for $3,000 a month.
Date: Sunday 14 October 2012
Undoubtedly, all parties are relieved that in a Halifax court Sub-Lt. Jeffrey Delisle pleaded guilty of spying
for Russia, thereby avoiding a trial at which details might emerge that would embarrass everyone, not to
mention compromise security.
Delisle, 41, hopes the gesture will avoid a life sentence on two counts of "passing information to a foreign
entity" -- and maybe soften the breach-of-trust maximum sentence of five years. Sentencing will start Jan.
10.
The government is pleased there'll be no trial, since they won't have to invoke a ban on evidence for
security reasons.
The only ones who'll be left in the dark are the people of Canada, who have only a vague idea of what
this guy did to subvert his country.
The CBC had the most interesting account -- how this guy walked into the Russian Embassy in Ottawa in
2007 (before he got his commission) and offered to supply the GRU (military intelligence) a steady flow of
information from HMCS Trinity intelligence facility that shares information with the U.S., Britain, Australia
and New Zealand.
For this, he was paid $3,000 a month.
He apparently copied piles of stuff from the Trinity computer to a thumb drive that he delivered to the
Russians over a four-year span.
While it's tempting to blame the Russians for recruiting this guy -- mindful of what went on when the
Soviet Union existed -- it wouldn't be fair.
Delisle apparently was not coerced or seduced into treason -- he sold himself.
He was an offer too good to refuse.
Delisle's lawyer, Mike Taylor, tried to put a positive face of his client's treason by saying no Canadian
lives were jeopardized by the information turned over to the Russians.
That observation is almost as irrelevant as Defence Minister Peter MacKay's view that the breach caused
by Delisle's betrayal didn't damage Canada's relationship with allies "who have full confidence in
Canada."
This last observation surely would have more merit if it was said by one of our allies and not by the
representative of the betrayed country.
It's ironic, yet appropriate, the Russians themselves may largely be responsible for Delisle being caught.
He was summoned to meet his GRU handler in Brazil, where he agreed to be the contact point for other
Russian operatives.
He was given $50,000 in the form of $10,000 cash and the rest in debit cards.
On return to Canada, customs officials were curious at such a short trip to Brazil and returning with so
much cash -- and notified the military that something odd was going on.
The RCMP investigated, which culminated in a raid on his home last year. And Delisle's goose was
cooked.
The pity is that, without a trial, we know little about his spying.
Clifford Olson pleaded guilty in 1982 to 11 murders, so there was no trial.
The public had no idea how he managed to coerce kids into trusting him.
James Earl Ray, assassin of Rev. Martin Luther King in '68, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced
without a trial, so no evidence was forthcoming about others who may have been involved in a
conspiracy.
Ever afterward, Ray sought to reopen his testimony, but was denied.
Although Delisle reportedly had marital and money troubles, it's pretty hard to feel sympathy or
compassion for his actions.
He sold himself to a potential enemy and betrayed his family, friends and country.
Any sentence he gets will be more generous than he deserves.
© 2012 Sun Media Corporation
Back to Top
Section: none
Outlet: WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Headline: Facebook tributes -- and more abuse Page: A6
Date: Sunday 14 October 2012
AN outpouring of grief from around the world continued on social media websites Saturday for Amanda
Todd, the 15-year-old Port Coquitlam girl who ended her life Wednesday after years of bullying. By the
afternoon, a memorial page for Todd had more than 500,000 "likes," her name was still trending on
Twitter and dozens of videos had been posted on YouTube.
In one video, Megan Landry, a 16-year-old singer-songwriter from Ontario, sings a touching anti-bullying
and empowerment song.
"I hope this will help those who are starting to feel torn down to rise up," she said in an email to the
Vancouver Sun.
Landry said she's worried that because of all the attention Amanda is getting, other teens will copy her
suicide. Having experienced bullying, she wanted to offer some advice to other young people about how
to deal with it.
"Reality? If it shows that it bothers you, they'll just do it more," she said. "Don't let anyone make you a
victim. They aren't worth it."
Most of the sentiment posted was kind and supportive of her friends and family, but many were outraged
that the bullying continued online.
Cruel photos and comments littered her memorial pages, including one photo of a young woman hanging
herself with a rope and another of a bottle of bleach and the caption "it's to die for."
The vitriol spurred hundreds of people to question how anyone could be so callous following the death of
a girl so young.
Some faced public online shaming for posting negative thoughts on a memorial site.
On Friday, Mike Mace, whose Facebook page says he is a member of the Canadian military, faced a
flurry of backlash after he posted a lewd comment about Amanda's death on a site meant to remember
her life.
In the comment, he suggests it's not the bully's fault that she showed her breasts and gave out her private
information on the Internet.
"You should be ashamed of yourself," wrote Amber Garofano in response to Mace's comments. Ashley
Soucy posted "have a heart."
Major Dan Thomas, a spokesman with the Canadian Forces, said he was not aware of any formal
complaints against Mace.
However, he said the military was aware the individual who posted the comments matched a junior
member of the reserves.
The military will investigate to see whether discipline is required, he said.
The military has strict guidelines for members' behaviour when on duty, Thomas said, but he noted
members don't have to adhere to them when they are not at work. However, members are expected to
have a high standard of social behaviour, particularly when they have photos of themselves representing
the military on social media.
In September, Amanda posted a video on YouTube entitled My Story: Struggling, bullying, suicide and
self harm.
In it Amanda does not speak, but instead holds up pieces of paper on which she has printed her story,
one phrase at a time. She documents a painful tale of being harassed through Facebook and shunned at
school, leaving her feeling alone and suicidal.
-- Vancouver Sun
Back to Top
Section: News
Lead: In a curious way, Canada's Defence Department is responsible for retired Col. Michel Drapeau
writing two massive books on the military justice system that stand as the most significant works of their
kind ever printed in this country.
Headline: HAS JUSTICE IN HIS SIGHTS Peter worthington
Page: 15
Outlet: The Ottawa Sun
Illustrations:
-page book,
Military Justice in Action, which he co-authored with Justice Gilles Letourneau.
Date: Sunday 14 October 2012
In a curious way, Canada's Defence Department is responsible for retired Col. Michel Drapeau writing two
massive books on the military justice system that stand as the most significant works of their kind ever
printed in this country.
Co-authored by Justice Gilles Letourneau of the Federal Court and Court Martial Appeal Board, their first
book, Canada's Military Law Annotated, is 1,787 pages long, and their new one, Military Justice in Action,
is 1,760 pages long, with an index of about 100 additional pages.
These are massive books, complete with the author's comments, that tell you more about the military
justice system than most people want (or need) to know.
Drapeau is an unusual man, dedicated to the military but not uncritical of it.
He's ever aware that military justice can be improved -- and has ideas on how to do it, sometimes to the
chagrin of the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) department.
Ever outspoken, Drapeau has noted that the realms of the JAG and Public Affairs are the main two
growth industries in our military -- some 150 bodies in each.
It's perhaps significant that no JAG personnel attended the launching of his recent book, which, ironically,
will be an immense help to JAG lawyers.
In an article in Ottawa's Hill Times, Drapeau had observations that seem not only reasonable but
important to implement.
Back to that in a moment.
First, some background on this unusual soldier.
Drapeau had been director of DND's executive secretariat, responsible for daily meetings and briefings of
top military brass -- the inner workings of DND.
He transferred to Corporate Management Services (CMS), responsible for all the DND property and
administration, which was in bad shape and needed cleaning up.
In 1992, Denys Henrie, director-general of CMS, committed suicide, leaving his briefcase to Drapeau and
a recommendation that he take over the job.
Henrie's suicide note named people he felt had driven him to suicide.
He cited conflict of interest and corruption in the department.
Drapeau was asked to clean out incompetence and mismanagement.
In doing so, Drapeau discovered all sorts of abuses -- and was quickly told to slow down. To cool it.
Drapeau didn't.
He kept digging and turning up evidence of theft, conflict of interest, irregular contracts, etc.
He stepped on toes.
In short, Drapeau was fired.
Accusations were fabricated against him.
He couldn't be bought off, so elements in DND sought to discredit him.
He sued DND to clear his name.
As for Henrie, his suicide was blamed on stress of the job.
His suicide note naming others vanished into the confines of DND, or simply disappeared.
Drapeau retired from the army -- and went to law school.
He now runs his own law office in Ottawa and is the country's foremost expert on military law.
He's well-connected, enormously respected, and in his way continues to serve the army.
Above all, he's a Jiminy Cricket trying to correct things.
In the Hill Times, he's critical of aspects of Bill C-15, known as Strengthening Military Justice in the
Defence of Canada Act.
Drapeau takes issue with a recommendation that a deputy chief military judge be appointed to assist the
chief military judge and three others.
Drapeau thinks this is an unnecessary waste, and notes there is no such deputy chief judge on the ninemember Supreme Court, nor on the 12-judge Federal Appeal Court, nor the 55-judge Court Martial
Appeal Court, nor the 34-judge Federal Court.
"It is beyond my comprehension," he says, "as to why the military court with only four judges would
require both a chief and deputy chief ... as there are only 60 courts martial a year."
The proposal reeks of empire-building.
Drapeau notes that military judges can submit grievances, which the Chief of Defence Staff deals with.
He says this "flies in the face of the code of ethics for judges, which requires that a judge to uphold the
integrity and independence of the judiciary."
Where is the "independence from the chain of command" if a judge's grievance is adjudicated by the
CDS?
The proposal to create a Reserve Force Military Judge Panel for militia or reservists is unnecessary, since
"our four existing military judges have one of the lowest case loads for any court in Canada."
Drapeau also thinks judges should be "civilianized," and military judges blended into the Federal Court
system where a "military division" could be established.
That, too, would trim bureaucracy and save money.
A proposal to permit the CDS to delegate authority to subordinates to adjudicate grievances is a step
backward.
It will inevitably hurt morale and further isolate the commanding general.
It's a case of the system protecting itself.
Drapeau rightly thinks "the CDS should become more engaged and not more dissociated with the plight
of grievers, so that he may provide inspired and informed leadership to the people he directs to be in
harm's way."
By listening to grievances, any commander (or boss) gets a better idea of what's going on under his
jurisdiction.
Drapeau, the soldier-cum-lawyer, believes the Canadian Forces are "among the world's best," and as
such our citizen-soldiers "deserve a world-class military justice system that is fair ... yet responsive to the
military need for discipline."
To achieve this, the National Defence Act is still deficient in many ways and "requires more than tweaks
and tinkering to bring it into the 21st century."
© 2012 Sun Media Corporation
Back to Top
MEDIA SOURCES AND ABBREVIATIONS
LES SOURCES MÉDIATIQUES ET ABRÉVIATIONS
AN (L’Acadie Nouvelle)
CG (Charlottetown Guardian)
CH (Calgary Herald)
CSun (Calgary Sun)
Ctz (Ottawa Citizen)
Dr (Le Droit)
Dv (Le Devoir)
EJ (Edmonton Journal)
ESun (Edmonton Sun)
FDG (Fredericton Daily Gleaner)
G&M (Globe and Mail)
Gaz (Montreal Gazette)
HCH (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)
HS (Hamilton Spectator)
JM (Le Journal de Montréal)
JQ (Le Journal de Québec)
KWS (Kingston Whig-Standard)
LFP (London Free Press)
LN (Le Nouvelliste - Trois Rivières)
MT&T (Moncton Times and Transcript)
NBTJ (New Brunswick Telegraph Journal)
NP (National Post)
OSun (Ottawa Sun)
Pr (La Presse)
RLP (Regina Leader-Post)
SJT (St. John’s Telegram)
Sol (Le Soleil)
SSP (Saskatoon Star-Phoenix)
TM (Télémédia)
TStar (Toronto Star)
TSun (Toronto Sun)
VSun (Vancouver Sun)
VE (Le Voix de L’Est, Granby)
VProv (Vancouver Province)
VSun (Vancouver Sun)
VTC (Victories Times-Colonist)
WFP (Winnipeg Free Press)
WStar (Windsor Star)
WSun (Winnipeg Sun)
Published by / Publié par
P&L Communications Inc.
95 Glebe Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 2C2
Phone: 613-231-5597 / Web Site: http://www.plcom.on.ca/