OTTAWA—Air force personnel felt pressured to turn a blind eye to unacceptable behaviour by VIP passengers travelling on military aircraft, setting the stage for a boozy flight last year that saw the alleged sexual assault of one military flight attendant and other rule-breaking activities in an atmosphere of free-flowing alcohol, an investigation has revealed.New military reports outline the circumstances around a morale-boosting trip last December, confirming details that the Star reported earlier this year, including the reluctance of air force personnel to intervene for fear of upsetting their high-profile guests.“Something went sideways with the alcohol on the trip,” Gen. Jonathan Vance, the chief of defence staff, told the Star Wednesday. “Central to it was the perception of the squadron that everybody was a VIP and the definition of VIP meant you could get away with things. That is not my definition of a VIP,” Vance said.The Team Canada trip last December brought former NHL hockey stars, Olympians and entertainers for a visit with Canadian military personnel in Greece and Latvia. The troubled journey hit the headlines when NHL player Dave “Tiger” Williams, a former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer, was charged with sexual assault and assault as a result of alleged incidents during the flight. Williams is scheduled for trial in June in Ottawa.Read more: Booze-fuelled military flights spark calls for change‘Tiger’ Williams continued tour while victim of alleged sex assault flew home to CanadaTwo members of Canada’s military allege they were sexually harassed by passengers during a troubled VIP tripAlcohol is not normally served on military flights but had been authorized by Vance for the Team Canada trips. And it was the “catalyst” for the problems on this trip, according to the air force.The results of a special investigation ordered by Vance confirm that the problems started even before th ...
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