Killer Russell Williams was stripped of his commission today by Governor General David Johnston. He is no longer a colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces. He will be stripped of all medals, and will have his salary and benefits clawed by to his arrest in February. He will be expelled from the military with the most severe rationale – service misconduct, and there will be no pension.
The convicted murderer began serving life without parole in maximum security and solitary confinement at Kingston penitentiary yesterday.
Gen. Walter Natynczyk, Chief of the Defence Staff: (via:Macleans)
1. On 21 Oct 10, Mr. Russell Williams, former Commander of 8 Wing, was sentenced to two concurrent terms of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years for the first-degree murders of Cpl Marie France Comeau and Mrs. Jessica Lloyd.
2. The crimes committed by Mr. Williams are deeply upsetting to us all. Over the last few months, I have spoken with many of you in town halls across the country and on missions overseas. Like all Canadians, you and I have been shocked and repulsed by the crimes he committed.
3. During these conversations, you expressed your sympathy and compassion for the victims and the families affected by this terrible tragedy. I also listened to Canadian Forces personnel of all ranks as they expressed their bewilderment and anger at the betrayal of our institutional ethos of truth, duty, and valour. Because of his heinous crimes and his subsequent criminal conviction, Mr. Williams has lost the privilege of calling himself a member of the CF community.
4. With the conviction and sentencing completed, and following my recommendation, the Governor General has revoked his commission, an extraordinary and severe decision that may constitute a first of its kind in Canadian history.
5. Further, the following actions will now be taken:
A. Stripping Mr. Williams of his medals
B. Termination and recovery of his pay from the date of arrest
C. Denial of severance pay; and
D. His prompt release from the CF under “service misconduct” – which is the most serious release item possible.
6. As a consequence of his release from the CF for “service misconduct” and of the revocation of his commission, Mr. Williams no longer possesses a rank as a member of the CF.7. I wish to point out that under the CF superannuation act, there are no grounds to revoke his pension and a court martial would not have any impact on these accrued benefits.
8. Some have questioned why Mr. Williams has not also been charged under the military justice system. I believe we need to understand why this is so. This is because there is no jurisdiction under the code of service discipline to try persons charged with murder where those murders took place in Canada. Mr. Williams was therefore tried and convicted of all of these 88 charges under the Criminal Code of Canada by a civilian court. Additionally there will be no further court martial on these matters because the National Defence Act specifically prevents an individual from being tried by court martial where the offence or any other substantially similar offence arising out of the same underlying facts have been previously dealt with by a civilian court. This basic principle sometimes known as “double jeopardy” is fundamental within our civilian and military justice system. With his current convictions and sentence to life imprisonment justice has already been served.
9. Now more than ever, this is a time for us to come together and heal as a community. We are doing everything we can to assist those in need of counselling or other support. I urge anyone who is feeling upset or concerned to seek assistance and to talk about it. While doing so, we will not forget Cpl Marie France Comeau, Mrs. Jessica Lloyd, and the many other victims and their families who will remain in our thoughts and prayers forever.
10. It is time to move forward, be strong and proud because the actions of Mr. Williams are not reflective of the values of the men and women who serve in the CF, whose integrity and self sacrifice come through loud and clear in words and deeds each day. Whether helping Canadians at home, abroad, or providing the hope of a better future to the people of Haiti, Africa or Afghanistan, I have seen our ethos of truth, duty, and valour at work and making a difference in the world. You have reason to hold your head high. Be strong and proud! I am proud to be your Chief of the Defence Staff.
I don’t understand why this is even on here as I thought this was a Christian blog for Christian issues (such as apostate and greedy tv evangelists). What’s a serial sexual sadist got to do with it ?
I personally have had an overdose of this beast and do not care to hear his name or see his face ever again (likewise with Bernardo and Clifford Olson). The media has given him (and those 2 others) way too much attention and in a sick way, he’s probably relishing every minute of it because he’s now become a household name across Canada and will live on in serial sadistic killing infamy.
Unless you want to begin a threadline about how Canada should reinstate the death penalty for such beasts, for which I would say a huge AMEN, it’s a waste of our CDN taxes to feed and clothe them for the duration of their lives and there is no further point of having this article displayed on your blog.
One thing is certain. Williams demonstrates that even highly respected, decorated and ranking top officials are not above reproach or suspician, which gives me the heebie jeebies to think that virtually anyone and everyone and even the most unlikely of candidates, are subject to such horrors and depravity. No longer is it the crazy man in the trench coat lurking around in the dark. It may be a highly decorated colonel in the Canadian armed forces who commands respect wherever he goes. I will never look at a military person the same way ever again because of this beast.
Hi Jackie:
I haven’t devoted my blogging to strictly Christian issues, I post politics, tech etc as the muse hits me.
I’ve covered my share of killers, and while I am sick of Williams too, what the GG did is historic. I am anti death penalty, and if you’d like to discuss crime and punishment, feel free.
I’m sorry if this upset you.
I don’t think this story solely begins and ends with the depravity of one man, but encompasses a much larger issue, namely the problem of sexual assault, abuse and harassment in the military and the Canadian Forces handling of reported cases. Maclean’s aired out the dirty laundry of sexual abuse of Canada’s military women over ten years ago, and I don’t believe for a minute that the problem has gone away since then. But you won’t hear that from the military. Sexual harassment is reluctantly discussed publicly by CF senior officers and more often than not, considered by at least one author whose investigations for a book on Capt. Nichola Goddard, to be a “no-go zone”.
I believe Russel Williams is what happens when this problem is let go on for too long or when a strong clear message is not relayed and carried out as to the ramifications of the sexual abuse/harassment of Canada’s military women.
Williams’ deviant behaviour may prove to be the impetus to revisit the problem of sexual abuse against women in the military once again.
Jackie,
Read the “about” section on this blog. Nowhere does it say that it is a “Christian” site dealing with apologetics. It is however, a “Canadian” blog about Canadian issues. The webmaster happens to look at things from a Christian perspective and as far as I can tell, doesn’t limit the conversation to all things “Jesus”. And for someone who doesn’t think this article is appropriate for this blog, you sure didn’t hesitate at getting your two cents in about it.
Hi Bene
I didn’t mean to come across so harshly but when reading about serial rapists and killers, it gets me started, as I have strong feelings about the death penalty for such people.
I didn’t realize that your blog is for Canadian issues in general, not just Christian things, so I stand corrected. It certainly was the main topic of interest in the news media last week as it saturated tv and newspapers across the country and again on W5 last Sat.
There was such an overdose of him last week that I was hoping people would finally stop talking about him once he was convicted and carted of to Kingston Penn.
As for putting in my 2 cents worth Marina, I just kept thinking that if he did those things to my mother or sister I would want him to go to the death chamber instead of wasting our tax money to keep him fed and clothed for the duration of his years (which may be another 30-50 for all we know) and likewise with Bernardo and Olsen and since I was commenting at all, figured I would add some points about how Canada should reinstate the death penalty for such people.
When it comes to sadistic crimes against women and children, it gets me started as I have passionate views FOR the death penalty in such cases (as well as for ALL child molestors and rapists, whether they murdered their victims or not).
It angers me greatly that such people are allowed to serve their time, then be released, only to so often re-offend again. This wouldn’t happen if Canada reinstated the death penalty.
If someone hurt one of my family members in this manner, I would feel ripped off that the best my country could do was lock them up with free room and board, 3 square meals, a hot shower and maybe even cable tv, internet, gym and library access plus a free education, medical and dental care, which is better than what many homeless people have, who never hurt anyone.
Unfortunately it just takes one bad apple to ruin if for the good ones. He has disgraced his military comrades in the same way that one bad apple tv evangelist (like Peter Ripoff and Benny $$$HINN) has ruined it for the innocent ones, thereby strengethening the hand of the enemy (they will say that this proves they’re all charlatan hucksters and there is nothing to their message).
I mostly agree with your comments Jackie and I have to admit that I too am leaning toward reinstating capital punishment for these type of crimes where there is no shadow of a doubt of guilt. The one thing that holds me back from totally affirming the death penalty is the “human error/agenda” factor. We all know that people have been wrongly indicted because of police coercion/interrogation due to public pressure in solving a case. Many innocent have probably been killed due to wrongful conviction.
But as for the case of Williams and those you mentioned, I too don’t see a purpose in keeping these dangerous offenders alive at our expense either. To me it would be no different than killing them in self defense. (However, I’m a little surprised that WOULD be in favour of capitol punishment when your bible commands you not to kill, period. And Jesus in no way advocated retaliation of any kind. )
I would hope that the Canadian Forces and Minister of Defence would learn from the case of Russell Williams that commanding officers are not untouchable. They are human and subject to the same fallibility as ordinary civilians. Although Williams stands apart as a sick twisted pervert and killer, there is undeniably still an underlying sexist attitude from male peers toward women in the Forces. I can only assume that Williams didn’t impart to his subordinates, an attitude of respect towards the opposite sex. Perhaps little “innocent” taunts and jeers that went unchecked, or allegations of sexual harassment that got glossed over, eventually escalated to rape and murder by the Colonel who thought he was invincible.
This subject hits close to home. I would hope that through all that has transpired, the CF would use this as an opportunity to become more open and transparent about the problems and attitudes women encounter when joining a predominantly “old boys club”. Changes in attitudes ALWAYS start from the top down.
I don’t watch or own a TV, nor would I watch mainstream news if I did, so this is actually the first I’ve heard of this issue – and I am shocked.
Thanks Bene.