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 Col. Bernard Ouellette. (Corporal Shilo Adamson/DND/HO) |
OTTAWA — Canada’s most senior-ranking military officer in Haiti has been relieved of his command following several allegations, including a suggestion he had an inappropriate romantic relationship.
Col. Bernard Ouellette, who was serving as chief of staff of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti and the superior of a ten-member team of Canadians, was relieved of his duties on June 26.
The decision to remove him of his command was made by Lt.-Gen. Marc Lessard, commander of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM), because Ouellette had been unable to address “the negative environment of the past several months,” a spokesman for Defence Minister Peter MacKay said.
“This is a chain-of-command decision that was taken because of a loss of confidence in the military leader in Haiti,” Jay Paxton said. “The allegations are under investigation.”
Ouellette is alleged to have engaged in an inappropriate relationship with an international civilian member of the UN team, said Lt.-Col. Chris Lemay, spokesman for CEFCOM.
He said the allegations were levied by other Canadian soldiers but were all second-hand.
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Both Ouellette and the female in question deny an inappropriate relationship took place, Lemay said.
Lemay would not qualify the allegations because, he said, they were all “unconfirmed.”
“The image of Col. Ouellette has to be protected until we find exactly what was happening,” he said.
Lemay said the atmosphere within the Canadian team in Haiti had become negative to the point that it was affecting the daily cohesion and the proper efficiency of the group.
Ouellette had been in Haiti for nearly a year and was admired by the Brazillian commander of the UN mission who did not want to see him removed, Lemay added.
Last month, Brig.-Gen. Daniel Menard, Canada’s top soldier in Afghanistan, was stripped of his command and returned to Canada after allegations he had an inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate.
Lemay said in that case the allegation was made known because the Canadian Forces had “proof.”
The investigation into the allegations Menard faces is still underway.
althia.raj@sunmedia.ca