Canada government apologises to military sexual misconduct victims: We did not protect you

Canadian leaders issued an apology to the victims of military sexual misconduct.
In a 40-minute address led by Defence Minister Anita Anand, she said "I apologize to the thousands of Canadians who were harmed because your government did not protect you, nor did we ensure that the right systems were in place to ensure justice and accountability”.
In an apology which was watched at one time by 8000 people, she said “For far too long, your government failed to dedicate enough time, money, personnel and effort to deal with sexual harassment, sexual assault and discrimination based on sex, gender identity and sexual orientation in the military and the department.”
Anand, who took over as defence minister in October from Harjit Sajjan who was criticized for not doing more to address such behaviour among top military officials, promised real action, saying: “Things can change, they must change, and they will change.”
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau underscored the importance of the moment while facing questions about why he wasn't delivering it himself.
“There have been many discussions around the right way to move forward, and I'm very pleased that the chief of defence staff and the minister are the ones making this apology," Trudeau said.
While the minister went on to praise the dedication of Canada's current military and Defence Department leadership, she stopped short of providing any specific details on how real change will come.
Reservist Sam Samplonius, a survivor of military sexual assault who is co-chairperson of It's Not Just 700, a support and advocacy group for victims of military sexual assault and trauma, welcomed Monday's apology.
“I was hoping that they would maybe broaden onto what things that they're doing," she said. "However, I also can understand how they really wanted to concentrate on the apology, part of that."