Thaindian News

Toronto, July 22 (IANS) A former Canadian general was Thursday demoted and fined for having a sexual affair with his subordinate while he was posted in Afghanistan.

Former brigadier general Daniel Menard, who pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with his subordinate before a court martial, was fined $7,000 and demoted to the rank of a colonel.

Menard, who commanded Canadian forces in Afghanistan, had met Corporal Bianka Langlois in Canada in 2008. The two continued their affair when the general was given command of Canadian forces in Afghanistan and she was also posted there.

Though Canadian Forces rules prohibit inappropriate relationship among military personnel, the general “had numerous trysts in her living quarters. Menard also kissed Langlois in his office on more than one occasion.”

An inappropriate relationship as per Canadian Forces rules could be “an emotional, romantic, sexual or family relationship, including marriage or a common-law partnership or civil union, between two CF members, or a CF member and a DND (department of national defence) employee or contractor, or a member of an allied force.”

Menard was relieved of his duties in Kandahar and ordered home for engaging in “sex in theatre” with the female trooper.
Langlois was given an official reprimand and fined $700 in September for sleeping with her boss.

The 45-year-old former general, who quit the military last year, said, “It was clear I was no longer in the club of generals. I felt completely ostracised. I concluded I didn’t have a place anymore.”

Once considered a rising star of the Canadian military, Menard is now looking for a job.

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh.s@ians.in)