Sexual assault is a crime. It is an abhorrent and corrosive act that goes against the entirety of our military ethos.

I do not accept from any quarter that this is merely a part of military culture; it is not. Sexual misconduct of any kind is not and will not be tolerated within the CAF, and this is a message that I reinforce throughout the chain of command. We will pursue any and all allegations of sexual misconduct and we will protect complainants from reprisals.

As military leaders it is our duty to set a standard of respect in the workplace, to nurture that culture with education and training, and to ensure mutual respect through the clear and unambiguous enforcement of the policies and rules that guard the workplace.

In view of recent surveys which have indicated positive trends in workplace culture, the article published today is disturbing. I havedirected an immediate internal review of our workplace programmes and policies, and leadership engagement. Further to this, I will consider options for external review.