Chief of defence staff offers apology for military’s history of discrimination

By Canadian Press on October 30, 2025.

OTTAWA — The head of Canada’s military formally apologized today to members of the Canadian Armed Forces for the service’s history of racism and discrimination.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan teared up as she delivered a rare, emotional speech to the rank and file in Ottawa this afternoon apologizing to every armed forces member who has experienced discrimination.

Carignan called the apology a milestone on a difficult and much longer journey toward ridding the military of discrimination, racism and harassment.

She said the military will not tolerate backlash against this work and that racism has no place in the Canadian Armed Forces.

A final settlement agreement for a class-action lawsuit about racism in the military directed the Canadian Armed Forces to acknowledge its history of systemic discrimination.

Planning for the apology began in September of last year and it was supposed to happen in March, but officials who assessed the communications plan for the apology pushed the timeline back due to other events.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 30, 2025.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press