The commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders, an Ottawa reservist unit, has been temporarily removed from his position following a controversy involving soldiers allegedly posting racist, homophobic, antisemitic comments and sexual images in a private Facebook group called 'Blue Hackle Mafia'. Army commander Lieutenant-General Michael Wright expressed disgust and initiated an investigation, emphasizing the need for the army's culture to reflect Canadian Armed Forces values.
Army removes commanding officer after alleged racist, sexual social-media posts by soldiers
Canada
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️The commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders, an Ottawa reservist unit, has been temporarily removed from his position following a controversy involving soldiers allegedly posting racist, homophobic, antisemitic comments and sexual images in a private Facebook group called 'Blue Hackle Mafia'. Army commander Lieutenant-General Michael Wright expressed disgust and initiated an investigation, emphasizing the need for the army's culture to reflect Canadian Armed Forces values.
Trending- 1 March 2025: Unit Disciplinary Investigation initiated.
- 2 Earlier this month (July 2025): Defence Minister David McGuinty commented on the unacceptable behavior.
- 3 Thursday (July 17, 2025): Army commander Lieutenant-General Michael Wright released a statement announcing the removal of the commanding officer and further investigation.
- The commanding officer was removed, and an interim officer appointed.
- Investigations are ongoing by the army and military police.
- The incident has damaged the reputation of the Canadian Army.
- Members involved may face administrative and/or disciplinary consequences.
What: The commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders, an Ottawa reservist unit, was temporarily removed from his position.
When: Thursday (statement released), March 2025 (Unit Disciplinary Investigation initiated), Earlier this month (Defence Minister's statement).
Where: Ottawa, Canada.
Why: In the aftermath of a controversy involving soldiers alleged to have posted racist, homophobic, antisemitic comments and sexual images in a private Facebook group ('Blue Hackle Mafia').
How: Army commander Lieutenant-General Michael Wright announced steps to address the 'inappropriate behaviour', including appointing an interim commanding officer and initiating an investigation.