HMCS Whitehorse.
The Royal Canadian Navy is making it harder and more expensive to drink booze on its warships following incidents such as that of last July, when a coastal defence vessel was ordered home after sailors were accused of sexual misconduct, shoplifting and drunkenness.
Measures include a ban on alcohol consumption while vessels are at sea – except for ceremonial occasions – and a hike in prices charged for booze at other times. These were recommended in a major review of rules governing the personal conduct of sailors, some of which was made public Friday.
Vice-Admiral Mark Norman announced he accepts the recommendations in the Internal Review of Personal Conduct within the Royal Canadian Navy, which was led by Commodore Craig Baines, commander of Canada's East Coast fleet. The new restrictions take effect immediately.
"I have no doubt there will be some folks who see this as negative, but I have great confidence based on broad consultations through all ranks of the navy that this will be seen as a positive, measured and progressive step," the naval flag officer said in a teleconference call with journalists.
Only the executive summary of this conduct review was released Friday, and the military is going to force the media and the rest of the Canadian public to use access-to-information law to retrieve the rest of it. This process suggests the review will likely be censored before release.
The review called on naval officers to lead by example in promoting better behaviour in the fleet.
"Deck-plate leadership throughout the Royal Canadian Navy must continue to actively communicate, educate, mentor and serve as models of proper conduct. This is the first and most important step to show sailors what 'right looks like,'" the report said. "More must be done to ensure that all members of the RCN understand their obligations and duty in light of their significant roles as ambassadors for their nation as they successfully execute operations around the world in support of Government of Canada interests."
The report took pains to emphasize "the vast majority of its officers and sailors know and understand how to represent their country, service and ships." Vice-Adm. Norman said it's clear the informal expectations of good behaviour must nevertheless be codified.
Unlike their U.S. counterparts who serve on completely dry ships, off-duty Canadian sailors have been free to purchase beer or wine, including from soda machine-style dispensers. Those dispensers are being removed as part of the reforms which will require a server to be present for purchases. The alternative, Vice-Adm. Norman said, was to ban alcohol entirely.
Of three alleged incidents in the HMCS Whitehorse case, one Canadian sailor was arrested by San Diego police but later released due to a lack of evidence, the navy said. A source told The Globe and Mail in July that the arrested sailor was suspected of shoplifting. In a second incident, a sailor was allegedly intoxicated, spending the night in a drunk tank. In a third case, a soldier was investigated by military police for alleged sexual assault.
These incidents are at various stages of being dealt with through the military justice system, including a planned court martial of the sailor accused of sexual assault.
Other cases of misconduct weighing on the navy included allegations of drunken sailors in Key West, Fla., in 2012.
With a report from The Canadian Press
Steven Chase