Last summer, the OCLA wrote to Rear Admiral Jennifer Bennet, Chief Reserves and Cadets of National Defence expressing concerns over sweeping searches of youth participants in Canada’s cadet summer camp programs.
The OCLA’s letter was covered in the Ottawa Citizen. Two responses were received from Rear Admiral Bennet.
The OCLA’s concerns followed from information provided by anonymous sources who were former and current employees with the cadets program. Those sources have now informed the OCLA that National Defence has implemented a policy (dated May 28, 2015) regarding searches at the summer camps, and that the practice of blanket searching lockers for stolen or missing items appears to have been stopped. There is also a clear consent form required for every cadet attending summer camp.
