The commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders, an Ottawa reserve unit, has been temporarily relieved of their duties. This action follows a controversy surrounding soldiers accused of posting racist comments and sexually explicit images within a private Facebook group.
Army commander Lieutenant-General Michael Wright announced in a media statement that steps were being taken to address the "inappropriate behaviour" of Canadian Army members involved in the "Blue Hackle Mafia" Facebook group. An interim commanding officer has been appointed to lead the unit.
Allegations include soldiers posting racist, homophobic, and antisemitic comments and images within the Facebook group. General Wright previously expressed his disgust at some of the content. The statement did not identify the original commanding officer or the interim replacement.
The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa is a well-regarded reserve unit that plays a significant role in ceremonial events in the nation's capital. Reports indicate that some images depict male soldiers posing nude with military weapons, some taken at military installations. Derogatory comments about former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and disparaging posts targeting Jewish and Muslim individuals were also allegedly present.
General Wright's statement confirmed the army is launching an investigation to examine the alleged unethical conduct of any current Canadian Army members involved in the online group. This is in addition to an ongoing Unit Disciplinary Investigation initiated in March 2025 and a Military Police Investigation.
General Wright emphasized the Canadian Army's commitment to upholding the values and ethics of the Canadian Armed Forces. He expects the chain of command to address any inappropriate behavior immediately. He also noted that the incident has harmed the Canadian Army's reputation, particularly during ongoing modernization efforts.
Earlier, Defence Minister David McGuinty stated that the soldiers' behavior is unacceptable and that any involved member should anticipate administrative and disciplinary consequences.
5 Comments
Michelangelo
This isn't just words; these actions create a hostile environment for others.
Raphael
The army is always under scrutiny. This is probably just a few bad apples blown out of proportion.
Donatello
Cancel culture strikes again. They're just joking around in a private group, lighten up!
Raphael
Good, this kind of behavior is appalling and has no place in the military.
Michelangelo
This is a witch hunt! Blame goes to the individuals, not the whole unit!