Military Police Complaints Commission -- Publications - Chairperson's Final Report

I: The Complaints

On 31 May 2000,5 the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) held a press conference to advise the public of the findings of the - - protected - - Stopford allegations of poisoning. The press conference indicated that the matters in question had been referred to legal counsel and the CFNIS had decided not to lay charges. It was explained that the statute of limitations for any action under the National Defence Act had long since expired and that the elements of the offence for any charges under the Criminal Code of Canada could not be proven. As a result, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) assembled a team to review the situation and to provide recommendations with respect to any administrative action which should be pursued against personnel involved in the poisoning. This Special Review Group was given 14 days to conclude its review.

I have been advised that the Special Review Group concluded that the CFNIS (for which I am the Commanding Officer) had misled the CDS and the Canadian Public. Therefore, I as the Commanding Officer responsible and accountable for the CFNIS, should be investigated with regard to this finding. The investigation should cover the conduct of the CFNIS investigation and the allegation that my unit misled the CDS and the Canadian Public.

On June 29, 2000, ex-WO Matthew Stopford submitted a related complaint. His affidavit stated, in part:

In June61999 I was advised by General Samson that the Military Police were investigating allegations that I had been poisoned by drops of naphtha having [been] put in my coffee.

On May 31, 20007 Inspector Bruce Burton of the National Investigation Service (Sensitive Investigations Unit) met with me at my house. He informed me that they had written confessions from six soldiers who confessed to having attempted to poison me while on tour in Croatia by placing noxious substances in my coffee. These substances included battery acid, anti-freeze, engine coolant, naphtha, boot blackener and visine.

These comments were confirmed by General Baril, Inspector Russ [Grabb] and Minister Art Eggleton in a news conference which was given May 31, 20008 approximately 30 minutes after my meeting with Inspector Burton.

It was also stated that as many as a dozen troops had been involved in a conspiracy to place substances in my coffee.

It was also stated that there was evidence that Military Police and the Chain of Command knew of the alleged poisoning in 1993 and no action was taken.

I was not informed of these allegations in 1993 and was unaware of any such allegations until receipt of the letter by General Samson in June9 1999.

I am informed by General Sharpe that the facts are substantially different [than] those related to me by Inspector Burton and to the public on May 31, 2000.10

I am informed by General Sharpe that there is a single confession of a single incident involving drops of visine in my coffee. This was apparently done as a practical joke.

I am informed by General Sharpe that there was a single individual as opposed to twelve and that there is a single written confession rather than six confessions.

If the facts as related to me by General Sharpe are accurate [then] the allegations made by NIS and NDHQ are inaccurate in material ways.

These inaccuracies have had the effect of devastating my reputation as a competent and caring non-commissioned officer operating in war time conditions.

Table of Contents

I: The Complaints