Canada Strips Military of Powers to Investigate Sexual Misconduct

OTTAWA—Canada on Thursday said all allegations of sexual misconduct within just the country’s armed forces would now be investigated and prosecuted by civilian authorities, citing skepticism among the soldiers and the public about the military’s capability to police by itself.

Coverage analysts say this marks a exceptional transfer among the main Western democracies to strip certain responsibilities away from their own military’s justice method. The conclusion is also the 1st major reaction from the country’s Liberal authorities to a series of sexual-misconduct allegations in the armed forces that sparked a public outcry and a probe by parliamentarians. The uproar also threatened to undermine Key Minister Justin Trudeau and his significant-profile pledge to protect women’s legal rights and fight harassment in the place of work.