National Défense Defence nationale Proceedings of Ethics in the Conference on Ethics in Practice Canadian Defence Ottawa, 30–31 October 1997 Sponsored by the Defence Ethics Program Chief Review Services National Defence Headquarters Proceedings of Ethics in the Conference on Ethics in Practice Canadian Defence Ottawa, 30–31 October 1997 Sponsored by the Defence Ethics Program Chief Review Services National Defence Headquarters Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data Conference on Ethics in Canadian Defence (2nd : 1997 : Ottawa, Ont.) Ethics in practice : proceedings of the Conference on Ethics in Canadian Defence Text in English and French on inverted pages. Title on added t.p.: L’éthique dans la pratique. “Ottawa, 30–31 October 1997” ISBN 0-662-63203-6 Cat. no. D2-109/1997 1. Canada — Armed Forces — Moral and ethical aspects — Congresses. 2. Canada. Dept. of National Defence — Moral and ethical aspects — Congresses. 3. Military ethics — Canada — Congresses. I. Canada. Dept. of National Defence. II. Title. III. Title: Proceedings of the Conference of Ethics in Canadian Defence. U22.C65 1997 355.1’3’0971 C97-980401-9E © Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada 1997 Cat. No. D2-109/1997 ISBN 0-662-63203-6 DGPA Creative Services 97CS-2155 Contents INTRODUCTION Major-General Keith G. Penney . v STATEMENT OF DEFENCE ETHICS . .vii OPENING REMARKS 1. Ms. Louise Fréchette. 2 2. General Maurice Baril . 6 ETHICS: A GIFT WE GIVE OURSELVES Mr. Jacques Duchesneau, MPA . 14 LEADERSHIP Air Commodore (ret’d) Leonard Birchall, OBE, DFC, CD . 26 ETHICS IN THE REAL WORLD Lieutenant-General (ret’d) George Sammet (USA), MA, MPE . 40 ETHICS AND LEADERSHIP: THE MYTH OF INFALLIBILITY IN THE CANADIAN FORCES Captain Claude Beauregard, MA, PhD. 48 A PROPOSAL FOR PRACTICAL MILITARY ETHICS Corporal Andrew J. Yu. 56 LESSONS FROM THERMOPYLAE AND WATERLOO: MILITARY ETHICS FOR THE 21st CENTURY Mr. Roger Todd, MA, MPA. 70 COMMAND CHIEFS’ PERSPECTIVES 1. Canadian Forces Chief Warrant Officer J.C. Parent, MMM, CD . 74 2. Chief Petty Officer 1st Class Terry Meloche, MMM, CD . 76 3. Chief Warrant Officer Maurice Dessureault, MMM, CD . 79 4. Chief Warrant Officer Gilles Guilbault, CD . 82 SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS… Major (ret’d), The Reverend Arthur E. Gans, CD, ThM. 88 iii Conference on Ethics in Canadian Defence 1997 Contents FIRST STEP EXERCISE: CONFERENCE ATTENDEES ETHICS SURVEY Colonel Paul Maillet . 98 ETHICS AND THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM Mr. S.C. Alford . 102 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS OF AUTHORITY AND LEADERSHIP IN THE CANADIAN FORCES Major R.M. Lander . 106 LIFESTYLE LEADERSHIP: ETHICS IN PRACTICE Major C. Cooley . 124 BUREAUCRACY VERSUS ETHICS: STRIVING FOR “GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE” Lieutenant (Navy) P. Richard Moller . 130 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES Padre Timothy P. Nelligan, CD . 136 IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST Leading Seaman John M. Roach . 146 MILITARY ETHICS: AN OXYMORON? Lieutenant Commander I.C.D. Moffat . 154 A DESCRIPTIVE FRAMEWORK FOR LOYALTY: INTRODUCING INSIGHT AND FUNCTIONALITY Major Marek Wakulczyk . 170 THE ROLE OF ETHICS AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY Captain Gordon Leek . 176 N.B. The opinions expressed in the discussion papers do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Department of National Defence or the Canadian Forces. iv Ethics in Practice Introduction Major-General Keith G. Penney I am pleased to present the Proceedings of the second Conference on Ethics in Canadian Defence, which took place 30–31 October 1997 in Ottawa. This publication captures the formal presentations that were made under the theme of Ethics in Practice. Given the considerable interest shown in this area we decided to also include the papers submitted to us by those who wanted to contribute but did not present at the conference. n the past decade the Canadian Forces environments because the worth of the ethics and the Department of National Defence program is only as good as the dialogue in Ihave undergone significant changes. Society relation to specific issues in specific work and our environment have changed, people’s environments. All of the terms of reference, expectations have changed, and our operational framework and statements of obligations of challenges have changed. As a result, in today’s the Defence Ethics Program exist to provide a context we need to focus more on ethical certain amount of structure, consistency and reasoning, ethical decision making, and ethical support to the dialogue. We in the NDHQ behaviour. Not because it is popular, not because program office can facilitate and guide the our allies are doing it, but because it is the program, but only you can implement it. right thing to do. In addition to these Proceedings, videocassettes To address the challenges we face today and in of the Conference are available in both official the future, we have to reflect on our history but languages from the Pearkes Library at National also we have to look to our young people. We Defence Headquarters. are recruiting bright, energetic people and we must actively listen in order to understand the In closing, I would like to sincerely thank those messages and expectations they have. It is also who made this second Defence Ethics Conference essential that we have dialogue concerning a resounding success. Thank you to those who ethical issues so that we continue to practice gave presentations, helped organize the confer- ethical decision making. For this reason I am ence, contributed through their attendance and especially pleased that, for the second year in active participation in the discussion, and assisted a row, we witnessed excellent presentations and through the production of these Proceedings. dynamic dialogue between the presenters and the 300 participants at the Conference. I have not yet met with a group that once into a dia- logue did not find ample examples of ethical issues within their environment. Keith G. Penney It is important that we have a lively debate Major-General on ethics in the workplace and in the teaching Chief Review Services v Conference on Ethics in Canadian Defence 1997 vi Ethics in Practice National Défense Defence nationale Statement of Defence As members of the CanadianEthics Forces, liable to the ultimate sacrifice, and as employees of the Department of National Defence having special obligations to Canada, we are dedicated to our duty and commited to: Respect the Dignity of all Persons Serve Canada Before Self Obey and Support Lawful Authority Guided by these fundamental principles, we act in accordance with the following ethical obligations: LOYALTY We dedicate ourselves to Canada. We are loyal to our superiors and faithful to our subordinates and colleagues. HONESTY We honour the trust placed upon us. We value truth and candour, and act with integrity at all times. COURAGE We face challenges, whether physical or moral, with determination and strength of character. DILIGENCE We undertake all tasks with dedication and perseverance. We recognize our duty to perform with competence and to strive for excellence. FAIRNESS We are equitable in our dealings with others. We are just in our decisions and actions. RESPONSIBILITY We accept our responsibilities and the consequences of our actions. viii Ethics in Practice Opening Remarks Ms. Louise Fréchette General Maurice Baril Opening Remarks 1. Ms. Louise Fréchette Ms. Fréchette is Deputy Minister of National Defence. She holds a B.A. from Collège Basile-Moreau (1966) and a Licence-ès-Lettres (History) from the Université de Montréal (1970). Ms. Fréchette has served in a variety of foreign service positions, including Ambassador to Argentina and Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. am very pleased to welcome you to this We could have called this Conference: Conference and to have the opportunity “Bringing the Statement to Life” because I to discuss ‘Ethics in Practice’, a topic which ethics are really about the way we live and I believe is a logical and necessary follow-on to the practical decisions we make every day. last year’s Conference. I am also pleased because We need to make decisions we can live with. there is so much to talk about. So much work Decisions that we can defend to our families; has been done on such an important and our colleagues; other Canadians. relevant topic. I want to examine some of the ways we have I want to make one point right away. We can brought to life the values and principles in take pride and confidence in the fact that virtu- our Statement of Defence Ethics within the ally every man and woman in the Department Department of National Defence. General Baril of National Defence and the Canadian Forces will focus his remarks on the other half of the performs to the highest ethical standards. Defence Team, the Canadian Forces. And we know that they too take enormous pride in that. As I said earlier, we need to answer the question: have we begun to use the Statement of Defence We can also be proud because the Department Ethics to guide our daily behaviour? Are we of National Defence took the lead. We were the living “Ethics in Practice”? first department in the government of Canada to establish a formal ethics program. Part of the answer is found in what Professor Legault of Laval University observed, and I Last year at this Conference I said that the quote, “The term ethics, once the preserve of Statement of Defence Ethics must be a ‘living pure philosophy, has fully entered the lan- document’. We have to personalize it and make it guage and practice of modern organizations our own — whether we are civilian or military and institutions.” I couldn’t agree more. We — and use it as a tool for helping us in our witness the relevance of ethical decisions day-to-day decision-making.