In my view, it is inevitable in any institution that some individuals will express unacceptable views. This inevitably poses a considerable challenge for people in uniform, who must remain neutral.
I would say that the Canadian Armed Forces have done a good job in identifying a dozen reservists. It was the forces themselves who identified the individuals who are now under investigation. So the forces are well aware of the situation, and so are the counterintelligence people in the forces.
At the moment, I think the forces are doing an adequate job, but it certainly shows that when it comes to recruiting members, more effort needs to be made at the security clearance stage, even if it takes longer.
You have to make compromises, because the more time you spend checking on a person, the more likely it is that that person will be recruited by someone else. So you certainly have to do a better job at the beginning, but you also have to keep an eye out.
Basically, I would say that there are members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are completely loyal to whatever government is in power. What is disappointing is that all officers in Canada, whether they are military or police officers, know full well the importance of their political neutrality. They have learned this in training and professional development. They cannot say that they were not aware of it. It is disappointing, especially when they make such decisions intentionally—it is disappointing.
It is very important for an institution, whether it is the police or the military, to send a very clear signal to people in uniform that certain behaviours or messages of sympathy are unacceptable.