By Canadian Press

Sex assault trial starts for military officer who led COVID-19 vaccine campaign

Sep 19, 2022 | 5:55 AM

OTTAWA — Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin’s sexual assault trial is scheduled to begin in a Gatineau courthouse this morning.

The trial comes more than a year after the senior military officer was abruptly removed as head of the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine campaign in May 2021.

Fortin was later charged with one count of sexual assault in August 2021, with the case relating to an alleged incident dating from 1988.

Fortin has maintained his innocence and in addition to his criminal case, is challenging his removal from the vaccine campaign in Federal Court.

In challenging his removal, Fortin has accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other senior members of the Liberal government of having turfed him from the vaccine campaign for purely political reasons.

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While his request for reinstatement was denied last year, an appeal is scheduled to be heard early next month.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2022.

The Canadian Press