Newly released documents under the Access to Information Act show that the office of then-Defence Minister Anita Anand intervened to prevent the Canadian Forces from publicly releasing critical conclusions about military personnel involved in two Ukraine-focused organizations, Mriya Aid and the Mriya Report.
Canadian Forces’ conclusions censored
The Canadian Forces had prepared a statement for the Ottawa Citizen in April 2023 that read: “We also recognize that the unfortunate actions of some contributors to these charitable endeavours might have been misguided, or in some cases, wrong.” However, staff in Anand’s office ordered those sentences removed before the response could be released.
Anand, now Canada’s foreign affairs minister, did not respond to requests for comment. The documents do not specify a reason for the censorship.
Allegations of mismanagement and wrongdoing
In early 2023, the Ottawa Citizen reported on allegations of mismanagement and wrongdoing at Mriya Aid, an Ottawa-based non-profit, based on concerns raised by Ukrainians and former volunteers. The New York Times also covered the situation in a broader article on volunteer efforts for Ukraine.
Separately, the Ottawa Citizen reported on mismanagement of funds at the Mriya Report charity, created and operated by Canadian Forces Capt. Joseph Friedberg, who was also involved with Mriya Aid. According to reports, 24 volunteers eventually resigned, alleging donations meant for Ukraine were spent on pizzas, Home Depot purchases, unauthorized payments to volunteers, and payments to a convicted felon linked to Donald Trump.
Military personnel violations
The Canadian Forces confirmed that some officers conducted Mriya Aid activities using military emails and offices, contrary to government rules. Additionally, military officers in uniform met with U.S. politicians and political staffers without approval to discuss Ukraine-related activities.
Seventeen Canadian Forces personnel were involved in Mriya Aid and its predecessor Trident Aid from 2022 until spring 2023, when the Ottawa Citizen’s articles prompted the end of military involvement.
Capt. Friedberg’s response
When the Ottawa Citizen sought comment from Capt. Friedberg via his military and personal emails and through the Defence department’s media liaison office, he filed a complaint with the South Simcoe Police Service. Police investigated and concluded the complaint was unfounded, determining the newspaper’s request for comment was not a criminal act.
Col. Melanie Lake, former chairperson of Mriya Aid, declined to comment.
