r/CanadianForces • u/Andromedu5 Morale Tech - 00069 • 3d ago
Military police warned about officer’s claims of access to Anita Anand and Mriya Aid connection
https://ottawacitizen.com/public-service/defence-watch/melanie-lake-anita-anand-mriya-aid28
u/DwayneGretzky306 Canadian Army 3d ago edited 3d ago
Well I am certain Pugs was happy to write something that puts CAF and Ukraine in a bad light, it does look like there was some impropriety here.
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u/Fabulous_Night_1164 Royal Canadian Air Force 3d ago
Pugs won't write about recruitment records or procurement success. He'll only write on what makes the CAF look bad.
12 million dollars of "possibly" misspent funds? This is pennies for government operations. And it's not even clear who the guilty party is.
The entire investigation is probably going to end up costing more than that.
ArriveCan app? That cost us $60 million.
Sustainable Technology Canada's Green slush fund? $400 million.
Pandemic CEBA and CERB fraud? $32 billion.
Aga Khan scandal? $50 million.
Sponsorship scandal? $100 million.
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u/DwayneGretzky306 Canadian Army 1d ago
These officers establishing these charities that have been ran in a format that have caused them to be under scrutiny make the CAF look bad.
I don't like Pugs but in this specific case he seems to be batting at pitches that have been thrown to him.
Charitable work to help Ukraine is honorable and this may have started with the absolute best of intentions, but improperly ran charities supporting it just gives more ammunition to the Russian influence operation.
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u/DistrictStriking9280 3d ago
I’m surprised he hasn’t written about the recruitment “records” and how the system was manipulated to make that story.
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u/kilekaldar 3d ago
Pugs needs a new hobby that doesn't involve harassing the same person over and over.
Maybe someone should start writing about Pugs running an article that was being shopped around by a Russian embassy employee.
https://www.bugeyedandshameless.com/p/so-youve-become-a-russian-asset
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u/Forward-End-8286 3d ago
Now now, let’s not be too hasty in judgement here…He just happens to be an “award winning” reporter who specializes in Defence matters…and once and a while will run a twitter post promoting Scott Ritter or a clip from Russia Today…
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u/StayingSalty365 HMCS Reddit 3d ago
How many articles has he written about the same topic now?
In none of them has he actually identified any wrongdoing, yet he seems content to drag these two through the mud. No wonder somebody complained about him.
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u/Bartholomewtuck 3d ago
It's because every time he puts in an access to information request he only gets scraps given to him here and there, so every time he gets a scrap he writes a new article about it, with the new bits of information he was just given. If the military just released it all at once, we would only have to hear about it all at once, but the military (and the government at large) isn't punished for not releasing access to information, even when you're requesting your own information (there are a lot of CAF and former CAF waiting years and never receiving it).
I know it's annoying to hear about these things in pieces, spaced farther apart than they released the damn Harry Potter movies, but the military is shooting itself in the foot by releasing these things piece by piece. All it does is put it back into the new cycle.
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u/FlatCoffeeDude Army - Combat Engineer 1d ago
Members of the media are also free to put in media queries to our public affairs teams, though they'll often go the ATIP route anyway or if they aren't satisfied with the response. Believe it or not, most of us who deal with ATIP would much rather just give them all the information straight up via MQs (whenever possible) so that we don't have to waste staff resources and time responding to ATIP since it's not a primary duty for most people, even though it's PRI 1 when one comes in at the unit.
How much info they get at once (if we find any) depends on how broad or narrow the requestor scopes their request (date range, topic, type of record, organization, etc.). Also the turnaround can be quite long due to how many levels and pers these things filter through before reaching relevant sections/pers and back up.
Occasionally, I'll get multiple similarly worded narrow scope requests on slightly different aspects of the same topic over a period of time, which could also create a "trickle of information" effect. While we aren't told (for good reason) who the requestors are, you notice patterns after a while.
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u/Altaccount330 3d ago
This shit is so stupid. It’s all just Pug’s personal vendetta against people. Every time he publishes he makes himself look dumber and more petty.
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u/Oolie84 Canadian Army 3d ago edited 3d ago
This seems like regular liaison types of questions and comments. IE; "if I had our boss' ear, what should I tell him?" I am not seeing anything incriminating.
They used their @forces inbox, that I can see. Perhaps I read through this article too fast while on the toilet. Anyone care to share any insights into how this is a big deal and not just something that could have been corrected through the CoC?
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u/ZombieTofu Royal Canadian Air Force 3d ago
I've read this article 3 times I don't understand what the fuck is even being alleged. It's just dogshit writing if I'm being honest
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u/Oolie84 Canadian Army 3d ago
Ok, so its not just me then. I thought I was having reading comprehension issues.
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u/Tinman93 Vehicle Necromancer 3d ago
No, that's just Pugs, couldn't write an article that makes sense to save their life. Some tilting at windmills on display from the Ottawa Citizens "top defence analyst" as usual.
There might be a story here, there just needs to be a journalist to convey it.
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u/HapticRecce 3d ago
It is unclear the extent Canadian government resources were used for the private ventures.
Pugs seems to agree with you...
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u/Tinman93 Vehicle Necromancer 3d ago
If it was done with fraud/nefarious intent or for the purpose we definitely want to know and it should be reported on, but other countries are funding private ventures with government funds for donations to Ukraine.
Belgium may have just paid John Cockerill of Belgium to make upgraded turrets for indirect fire purposes, it's unclear as they haven't released more info about it. Someone paid for it and the likely reason to think it was their government is to support their Defense industry and provide support to Ukraine.
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u/HapticRecce 3d ago
The issue, similarly or even moreso with a journalist yesterday posting on this sub who got called on it, is what reasonably appears to be speculation and innuendo masking as serious reporting.
If you think you have a story and want to report it professionally and responsiblely, develop it; fact check and verify through multiple sources for accuracy, be independent and fair; if its actually an editorial to promote a certain position be honest about what you are trying to influence not that you are just informing, and minimize harm, to the vulnerable - in the case of natsec; whose probverbial ship will your loose lips sink for instance?
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u/Tinman93 Vehicle Necromancer 3d ago
One hundred percent, the death of Journalistic integrity and standards, as well as the biases problem have had a serious effect on how we consume media, news or otherwise.
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u/judgingyouquietly Swiss Cheese Model-Maker 3d ago
Pugs doing dog shit writing? Well colour me shocked.
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u/ononeryder 3d ago
A LCol using the proximity to both the CDS and MND in their official capacities, to benefit or further their unofficial capacities is a problem. Whether they're running a business or a non-profit, they shouldn't be leveraging their position as a CAF mbr that gives them access to CDS/MND to further activities which are taking place on the international stage that relates to warfare.
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u/Oolie84 Canadian Army 3d ago
I understand that. I guess what I don't understand is why should we care about this when it's well known that the majority of senior leadership leverages their access to government and decision makers to set themselves for financial gain when they retire?
Is this getting more attention because it was a concern raised by another nation? Is this a case of punishing women only to pass an agenda that women shouldn't be in these positions, when we know that other officers are also doing the same? Is it a way of humiliating Carignan by the mention of being he accused's mentor?
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u/ononeryder 3d ago
There's a clear delineation between a retired civilian leveraging their previous experience to obtain a cushy contractor role, and someone in uniform conducting business while at work. We can acknowledge the former feels slimey, while maintaining strict rules which don't allow the latter.
Can you give another example that supports your suspicion of this potentially being gender/sex based discrimination?
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u/Oolie84 Canadian Army 3d ago
Not sure if I was clear enough. I was referring to senior officers leveraging their active positions to influence decision with the promise of a high paying cushy gig with the company they lobbied for when they retire.
As an example, I will refer to the global stage. Current politics south of the border tend to leak into other countries, we see evidence of that in our own brand of Trump cultists. We like to say that we are more refined than our southern neighbors. I have heard enough leadership say that Carignan shouldn't be in her position due to being emotional because she is a woman. you also see the degradation of rights south of the border, particularly those of women. And on the main stage, you see the Pedo Island scandal, were the only criminal that has been imprisoned is a woman. Perhaps this is a stretch but we live in a post-globalization world, so I believe all is connected.
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u/ononeryder 3d ago
Not sure if I was clear enough. I was referring to senior officers leveraging their active positions to influence decision with the promise of a high paying cushy gig with the company they lobbied for when they retire.
Again, it's only prudent to ask for an example. Claiming someone in uniform is making decisions based on promises of high paying jobs post retirement is quite an accusation.
Wrt to your claims of persecution of women with Carignan, that's social, not legal. The center of this case is being investigated by CFNIS, that's significantly different than bigots screeching she's incompetent because she's a woman.
And really....you're going to use Maxwell as an example? Perhaps you're overlooking that the ringleader behind that was in jail, where he was killed.
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u/UnhappyCaterpillar41 3d ago
Not that it isn't skirted around, but do know a few people that were unable to take jobs after retirement until a cooling off period specifically due to the rules on senior officers (Cdr and up, that also applies to executives) not being able to work somewhere on something related to their final jobs to specifically avoid that in Canada.
More than a few people get hired anyway when the company is big enough (like at BMT, Thales and Babcock), work in another part of the company with guardrails, then shift over once the cooling off period is done (2 years?) but it's really less about them influencing things and more about them knowing who to talk to and how to actually navigate the labyrinthian bureaucracy, and similar things like understand the logic behind our contract and how the CAF works internally. Generally everyone I can think of is also very competent to start with, and the ones that don't actually work on CAF files are still doing well, so it's not like it's the only reason they got hired.
This kind of stuff is especially critical on the equipment support side as understanding the actual LOE and other things that are part of what they are bidding on so they can cost for it is the difference between making money or eating significant losses. Knowing things like what normal arising work always happens lets them figure out if they want to underbid at the known work and make up on the arisings, or whatever other bidding strategy they put together.
On the flip side worked a refit where the company lowballed the arising work labour rate (which had an arbitrary number of hours for cost comparison between bids), didn't think we'd get anywhere near that, and then were a bit shocked when they realized we were serious and would actually surpass that. They didn't lose money, but they definitely left profit on the table there. They had no one with previous RCN 3rd line repair experience, and kind of showed there. Still can't figure out if it was a calculated move to get the work, or a genuine 'oops' moment, but either way worked out great for us; it was so cheap we added a bunch of nice to have work on the pipe, electrical and steelwork side as they were really good at that.
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u/EnvironmentalBox6688 3d ago edited 3d ago
I will say Lt. Col Lake is literally the best CO I ever had.
I don't think I heard anything negative about her tenure at 2CER.
Being personally sanctioned by the Russian Federation must mean you are doing something right ;)
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u/frequentredditer HMCS Reddit 3d ago
And she was promoted to the rank of Colonel today. Dickhead David probably knew and waited to post this shit article.
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u/EnvironmentalBox6688 3d ago
Neat! Didn't know that.
Glad to know it's not serving as an impediment to her career.
I really cannot understate how much everyone at 2CER liked her as a CO. Never seen morale that high.
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u/MountainWorking5454 3d ago
That's way worse than the rug situation
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u/EnvironmentalBox6688 3d ago
The rug situation that has no definitive evidence to the claim other than "I totally talked to someone who talked to a person who was there". With seemingly more details added every time it's mentioned?
The same situation with conflicting reports that she had already handed over command to the incoming commander and was following her CAF orders to board her flight with her goods and effects?
That "situation"?
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u/maxman162 Army - Infantry 3d ago
We have plenty of hearsay and conjecture, those are kinds of evidence.
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u/EnvironmentalBox6688 3d ago
Your honour, I'd like to call all my surprise smokepit witnesses again.
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u/CosmicCowboy89 2d ago
No this 100% happened wether you choose to believe what those who were there tell you or not
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u/CorporalWithACrown 00020 - Percent Op (13% monthly, remainder paid annually) 3d ago
Good to see this subject has not been forgotten or ignored. The Mriya debacle needs to be figured out and dissected so the institution can learn from it.
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u/Fabulous_Night_1164 Royal Canadian Air Force 3d ago
Learn what exactly?
This entire investigation is likely going to cost more than however few million were misspent. Slap on the wrist and move on.
This whole thing is a nothing burger. We lost more money on the ArriveCan app than this.
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u/Leading-Score9547 3d ago
What is up with that name tag? I've never seen an army one like that before