Senior Canadian Armed Forces officers reacted with fury to a newspaper's reporting on the sexual assault of a civilian worker, dismissing the coverage as "rubbish" and "pathological" in newly released internal emails.
Emails Reveal Dismissive Attitude Towards Assault Reporting
The explosive internal correspondence, obtained through the Access to Information Act, shows the depth of anger within the military's public affairs apparatus over the Ottawa Citizen's series of articles concerning Kristen Adams. Adams was a civilian employee with Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) when she was sexually assaulted by a NATO soldier in 2022 during her shift at a Canadian-operated canteen in Latvia.
Military police records confirm the assault. The Citizen's initial reporting in October 2023 detailed not only the attack but also the poor treatment Adams received from CFMWS management afterward, which prompted outrage among the agency's own staff.
Senior General's Comments Sparked Public Outcry
The internal fury specifically targeted one article in the series. It reported Adams's criticism of Lt.-Gen. Lise Bourgon, the head of military personnel and a designated "Defence Co-champion for Women." Bourgon had referred to the sexual assault as "alleged" and labeled Adams an "alleged victim," despite the existence of military police statements confirming the incident.
Following the article's publication, Bourgon's public affairs officer, Lt.-Col. Nicole Meszaros, sent a supportive email to the lieutenant general on November 1, 2023. In it, Meszaros wrote that she had spoken with the public affairs officer for then Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre.
"He was clear that the office knew the article was rubbish and pathological (as in diseased)," Meszaros stated in the email, referring to comments attributed to Lt.-Col. Yves Desbiens.
Victim Says Focus is on Silencing Reports, Not Helping
When shown the email, Adams said she was disgusted but not surprised. She interpreted the officers' comments as evidence that the military's priority is controlling the narrative rather than supporting victims.
"They're pissed because they want the Ottawa Citizen to go away and stop reporting on this," Adams said. "They also want me to go away. Well, I'm not going anywhere."
Adams had personally appealed for help from Gen. Wayne Eyre but received no response. The released records indicate Bourgon initially questioned why the newspaper sought her comment but later seemed to acknowledge that her characterization of the assault as "alleged" had "annoyed" Adams.
Neither Meszaros nor Desbiens responded to requests for comment from the Ottawa Citizen. The incident raises serious questions about the Canadian military's internal culture and its commitment to addressing sexual misconduct within its ranks and among associated civilian personnel.
