Adrian Wyld
The disgraced former commander of Canada's troops in Afghanistan has been given a staff position at National Defence headquarters.
Brig.-Gen. Daniel Menard, under investigation for an inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate, was appointed Thursday as head of a personnel project.
Brig.-Gen. Menard was removed as field commander in Afghanistan this month and ordered home after a female non-commissioned officer admitted to an affair.
Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, head of the army, said Brig.-Gen. Menard was due to assume command of land forces in Quebec, but events in Afghanistan shook the military's faith in him.
"I made a command decision not to appoint Brig.-Gen. Menard ... due to the fact that the (Canadian Forces) leadership recently lost confidence in his capacity to command in Afghanistan," Lt.-Gen. Leslie said in a brief statement.
"After careful consideration, I deemed this change was in the best interests of the army and Canadian Forces."
The Quebec posting goes to Brig.-Gen. Alain Tremblay, who takes command July 30.
Military police are still investigating Brig.-Gen. Menard's case. Charges are possible because military regulations bar soldiers - even married couples - from having intimate relationships on deployment.
It's unclear when the probe will conclude, said Capt. Sandra Bourne, spokeswoman for the Provost Marshal's office.
"It's speculative at best for when it will be over. It's whenever it comes to a conclusion and they have all the facts and can do something with it," Capt. Bourne said.
The name of the female subordinate has not been released, but her identity is common knowledge around Kandahar Airfield, where nearly 3,000 Canadian troops are stationed.
Capt. Bourne said the woman has not been charged. Military officials say Brig.-Gen. Menard was identified publicly because he held a high-profile job and relieving him required an explanation.
The scandal and hurried replacement in the field of Brig.-Gen. Menard by Brig.-Gen. Jon Vance has rattled a military already reeling from the case of Col. Russ Williams, charged last winter with the murders of two Ontario women.