It was so dysfunctional, a former military ombudsman says, the Department of National Defence was like “pushing a rock uphill.”.Gary Walbourne, who in 2018 abruptly quit his $203,000-a year post after complaining his office lacked independence, made the comment to a House of Common’s defence committee, said Blacklock’s Reporter..“I left the job early on the advice of my doctors and my own realization that no reasonable person could possibly be expected to continue in the hostile circumstances created by the Department of National Defence,” said Walbourne..MPs had summoned Walbourne to testify and the career public servant appeared with his personal lawyer..Walbourne claimed he became targeted by the military after he wrote a 2017 report The Case For A Permanent And Independent Ombudsman’s Office. In the report, Walbourne wrote his office had little autonomy..“Independence, real or perceived, is not possible where someone else holds the purse strings,” said the report. “Not only is the allocation of the ombudsman’s budget determined by the department, but spending limits are imposed.”.Walbourne Wednesday said in retaliation he was then hit with trumped-up accusations of wrongdoing..“The precise allegations being made were not disclosed. Rather, vague and cryptic descriptions such as inappropriate contracting and discriminatory hiring practices were provided. These allegations were meritless and I knew it was a hit job,” he testified..“It was obvious this process was being used as a means of intimidation. I’ve gone through the wringer with this department. Let me tell you, there’s a whole other committee meeting we can have..“Mine was an administrative nightmare, absolutely an impossible situation to work in..“I wish we could have time to sit and talk about unethical, nefarious, insidious behaviour because I have a conversation that maybe someday will be told. I just think it’s a hard ride. If you go into this position and do the right thing, you know you have to agitate at times. They say calm seas don’t fill many sails..“We need change. We keep talking about change. It just doesn’t happen. What happened to me I think was an exercise and a lesson for others..“If you do the right thing, be prepared. But I just think it was a farce. It was a dog and pony show. The allegations were meritless, and the findings even though they were found against me can be disproved, every one of them.”.Walbourne was invited to testify as part of ongoing hearings into allegations of sexual misconduct against high-ranking military, including a former chief of the defence staff..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
It was so dysfunctional, a former military ombudsman says, the Department of National Defence was like “pushing a rock uphill.”.Gary Walbourne, who in 2018 abruptly quit his $203,000-a year post after complaining his office lacked independence, made the comment to a House of Common’s defence committee, said Blacklock’s Reporter..“I left the job early on the advice of my doctors and my own realization that no reasonable person could possibly be expected to continue in the hostile circumstances created by the Department of National Defence,” said Walbourne..MPs had summoned Walbourne to testify and the career public servant appeared with his personal lawyer..Walbourne claimed he became targeted by the military after he wrote a 2017 report The Case For A Permanent And Independent Ombudsman’s Office. In the report, Walbourne wrote his office had little autonomy..“Independence, real or perceived, is not possible where someone else holds the purse strings,” said the report. “Not only is the allocation of the ombudsman’s budget determined by the department, but spending limits are imposed.”.Walbourne Wednesday said in retaliation he was then hit with trumped-up accusations of wrongdoing..“The precise allegations being made were not disclosed. Rather, vague and cryptic descriptions such as inappropriate contracting and discriminatory hiring practices were provided. These allegations were meritless and I knew it was a hit job,” he testified..“It was obvious this process was being used as a means of intimidation. I’ve gone through the wringer with this department. Let me tell you, there’s a whole other committee meeting we can have..“Mine was an administrative nightmare, absolutely an impossible situation to work in..“I wish we could have time to sit and talk about unethical, nefarious, insidious behaviour because I have a conversation that maybe someday will be told. I just think it’s a hard ride. If you go into this position and do the right thing, you know you have to agitate at times. They say calm seas don’t fill many sails..“We need change. We keep talking about change. It just doesn’t happen. What happened to me I think was an exercise and a lesson for others..“If you do the right thing, be prepared. But I just think it was a farce. It was a dog and pony show. The allegations were meritless, and the findings even though they were found against me can be disproved, every one of them.”.Walbourne was invited to testify as part of ongoing hearings into allegations of sexual misconduct against high-ranking military, including a former chief of the defence staff..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
