Details of NATO sexual assault on Canadian woman shared without permission, records show

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A Canadian general relayed confidential details of what a sexual assault survivor told police back to the same defence organization she had accused of trying to cover up the incident, newly released records show.

Kristen Adams, a civilian working for Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS), was sexually assaulted by a NATO soldier during her shift at a canteen operated by Canada for troops in Latvia, military police records show.

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Adams had gone to military police to complain about how the investigation into the December 2022 assault was handled. She alleged the military and CFMWS were trying to sweep the incident under the rug so as not to cause any embarrassment for the high-profile mission in Latvia.

What Adams said she didn’t realize was that details of what she believed to be confidential discussions with military police were being relayed back to CFMWS officials.

She only recently discovered that behind-the-scenes Canadian Army Brig. Gen. Scott McKenzie had been providing details of her discussions with police to Bruce Ploughman, a senior vice-president at CFMWS in Ottawa.

“My discussions with police should have been confidential,” Adams said in an interview with the Ottawa Citizen. “Yet here is my private information being discussed with (CFMWS) without my approval or knowledge.”

The records, obtained by Adams using Canada’s privacy law, showed McKenzie wrote to Ploughman to give him a “heads-up” about what their former civilian employee was telling police.

“I just wanted to drop you a quick note, more as info and/or a heads up, that Ms. Adams recently engaged the MP Det (Military Police Detachment) in Wainwright to express that in her view no proper investigation into her assault ever took place and to demand that a new investigation be launched,” McKenzie wrote on July 12, 2023. “MPs are completely tracking and from their perspective an investigation has been completed. Not sure where this will go at the moment.”

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“There is no expectation of any action on the part of CFMWS, just wanted to let you know what we are hearing,” McKenzie added.

McKenzie also warned Ploughman that Adams might go to the news media with details about the sexual assault.

Neither McKenzie nor Ploughman responded to a request for comment.

The Department of National Defence (DND) did not provide comment.

The CFMWS, based in Ottawa, provides various programs and services for the military and works on behalf of the chief of the defence staff. It operates under the authority of Defence Minister Bill Blair.

Canadian military police reports and documents noted Adams was sexually assaulted when an Albanian soldier grabbed her breast on Dec. 3, 2022.

Adams said she had been trying, with little success, to get help from the CFMWS for counselling and other support. Instead, after she filed a formal complaint about the assault, she was told in writing by a vice-president at CFMWS that she should have realized she would face such dangers when accepting a job supporting Canada’s military mission in Latvia.

Shortly after the assault, Adams’ contract was ended two months early by CFMWS. That decision was made “in order to ensure there is no further risk to your health,” according to a Feb. 3 2023, letter sent to Adams by the organization. CFMWS gave her $11,833, which paid her out for the early termination of her contract.

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Details of the assault and how poorly Adams was treated by CFMWS management were first reported in the Ottawa Citizen in October 2023, prompting staff at the agency to angrily raise concerns about the organization’s failure to help a fellow worker.

That criticism, in turn, forced Chief Executive Officer Ian Poulter to issue an apology to all CFMWS staff for the way the incident was handled, although he excluded Adams.

The records released under the privacy request showed the apology to Adams, even though it was written up, was never sent because CFMWS officials were concerned the mea culpa would be reported by the Ottawa Citizen.

Poulter did not respond to requests for comment.

Adams originally wrote on Feb. 27, 2023, to Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre and other senior leaders, including Brig. Gen. McKenzie, asking for help.

McKenzie, director general support for Canadian Joint Operations Command, later wrote in a March 1, 2023, email to Ploughman that “CFMWS has been engaged from the beginning and has remained in contact with the member (Adams) offering additional financial support and access to existing support programs to a degree beyond contractual norms.”

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But McKenzie’s claim was undercut by other military documents. One document from Feb. 28, 2023, warned that Adams “seems to be having difficulty obtaining support now that she is back home.”

The records Adams obtained show the Canadian Armed Forces was extremely concerned about any news coverage of the sex assault.

Eyre’s chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Brendan Cook, told Poulter in an Oct. 25, 2023, email that a top official from the Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre or SMSRC wanted to set up a meeting about the Adams issue. The SMSRC is supposed to provide support for military personnel and civilian employees and was supposed to be helping Adams. It operates independently from the military chain of command and reports directly to the deputy minister at DND.

“Given Ms. Adams is likely to be coming back with more media coverage she (the SMSRC official) is likely wanting to help you get ahead of the next one,” Cook told Poulter.

But Poulter responded by complaining the last time SMSRC had contacted him they were looking for a financial favour. “If it is indeed urgent I can make time, but quite frankly the last time they reached out to me they wanted us to use/invest in some software to make it more affordable for them,” Poulter wrote.

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Adams described SMSRC’s offer to help Poulter and the CFMWS as disappointing.

“I thought they were supposed to be independent and help those dealing with sexual assault but obviously this email shows what really goes on,” Adams said. “After this I wouldn’t trust them (the SMSRC) ever again.”

Canadian military police told Adams that, under NATO rules, they had no jurisdiction to investigate even though the incident took place at a Canadian facility.

The documents also showed some CFMWS managers belittled Adams and claimed the attack never happened.

But multiple DND and military records did confirm the sexual assault occurred.

David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: ottawacitizen.com/subscribe

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