Police investigation puts fighter pilot call sign meetings under microscope

Such events are typically held at the end of significant training courses or exercises with senior officers on hand, which Blondin said gives the process a “semi-formal twist.” As for the other details, both former pilots said they can often vary from unit to unit.

“When we talk about a process, there's nothing formal, there's nothing in the books, there's nothing in our procedures, that says this is the process as a requirement for call signs,” Blondin said. “It doesn't exist.”

The results of such gatherings aren’t always positive. While many call signs refer to mistakes in training or personality quirks, Blondin gave one extreme example of a pilot years ago whose call sign involved a crude description of a sexual encounter.

Thomson said the air force recently conducted a review of existing call signs to determine their appropriateness “while directing that future call signs aligned with our commitment to be an inclusive organization.”

Yet it’s unclear the degree to which that review touched on the process for assigning call signs, including the conduct of review boards – which appears to lie at the heart of the ongoing military police investigation in Cold Lake.

“There’s probably a lot less alcohol than in the ‘70s and ‘80s, which makes it easier for everybody to stay on this side of the line,” Lawson said. “But it appears someone at one of these reviews was made ill at ease by a comment, or a comment was made well across the line.”

Lori Buchart, co-chair of It’s Not Just 20K, a support and advocacy group created by victims of military sexual misconduct, said it is important for the Canadian Armed Forces to have rituals and traditions to build a sense of identity and boost spirits.

“The important thing for the CAF and its members is to root out the ones that cause harm or are questionable, and keep those ones that actually build morale in a healthy way,” she added.

Charlotte Duval-Lantoine of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, who recently released a book on military sexual misconduct, said the current situation should start a discussion on how call signs are assigned to Canadian fighter pilots – and how it can be done better.

“Call signs and the way they are assigned can reveal a lot about the culture of a unit,” she said. “And like with any culture, it can go too far and take the form of bullying and berating, especially if the person receiving the call sign does not fit in the group as well as others.”

At the same time, Duval-Lantoine said the issue highlights some of the difficulties the military faces in eliminating inappropriate conduct given the various traditions that exist among different units and positions within the Armed Forces.

While both Lawson and Blondin hope call signs remain a fixture among Canadian fighter pilots, Blondin acknowledged there may be a need to impose some type of structure or control over review boards.

“I wouldn't want to get rid of them,” he said. “But I think we need some formalization. In the days we're living in now, some of the stuff is certainly not acceptable the way it is.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2022.