Orders to the military police to stop receiving complaints of sexual crimes within the Canadian forces

Ottawa —
Directives have been issued to the Canadian military police to stop receiving new sexual crime complaints, in a move that represents a significant shift in how sexual assault cases are handled within the armed forces.

Under the new directives, the military police will not open new files related to sexual crimes, but victims or complaints will be referred to the relevant civilian police agencies.

This decision comes as part of a broader reform path aimed at transferring sexual violence cases from the military justice system to the civilian system, after years of criticism regarding how the military institution handles these files.

The government and military leadership seek through this shift to enhance the independence of investigations, build greater trust among victims, and ensure that cases are handled according to more transparent civilian mechanisms.

The decision does not necessarily mean the immediate closure of old files, as the handling of existing cases may vary depending on the stage of investigation or ongoing procedures.

This step is part of redrawing the jurisdiction boundaries of the military police, focusing their responsibility on files and military discipline, while sexual crimes are referred to the relevant civilian authorities from the outset.

The decision reflects continued pressure on the Canadian armed forces to reform their internal culture and accountability mechanisms, especially in cases related to sexual misconduct and victim protection.