Leadership Changes in Canadian Army Battalion

The officer in charge of one of the Canadian Army’s prominent regular force battalions, along with the unit’s top non-commissioned officer, has been relieved of their duties.

Lt.-Col. Jason Hudson and Chief Warrant Officer Kim Doerr, from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, located in Edmonton, were reportedly asked to step down over the weekend, according to several military sources on Tuesday.

The Department of National Defence confirmed in a written statement to that action had been taken but declined to provide details on the reasons behind it.

“An investigation is currently underway under the direction of leadership within [the] 3rd Canadian Division. As this process remains ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” said Andrée-Anne Poulin, a Defence Department spokesperson.

“Canadian Armed Forces members, particularly those in positions of authority, are expected to always demonstrate sound judgment and exemplary conduct to preserve public confidence and maintain the trust of those they lead.”

Defence Department indicates action is ‘temporary’

While the Defence Department refers to these removals as “temporary,” such decisions are viewed as serious by military standards and often have lasting effects on the careers involved.

Interim replacements have already been appointed.

Several current and former military sources reached out to mentioning that there’s an investigation related to an incident involving alcohol that took place very recently. has chosen not to identify these confidential sources since they were not authorized for public comments.

The department did not confirm this aspect or specify what kind of investigation was being conducted.

Military leaders have various options available including a unit-level disciplinary inquiry, an investigation by a higher command or a military police investigation.

Hudson was recognized last summer as he commanded Operation LENTUS 25-05 land task force during efforts against wildfires in northern Saskatchewan. He oversaw the deployment of over 300 troops assisting provincial firefighters in areas like Beauval, La Loche and Green Lake.

This past year has seen several high-profile officers lose their positions within the army.

In April, Col. James Smith, who led Canada’s largest overseas deployment with Task Force Latvia, was temporarily removed from his role and reassigned after facing charges under the National Defence Act regarding alleged compensation irregularities affecting good order and discipline.

This year also saw Col. Fraser Auld removed from his position as commandant at the Canadian Army Command and Staff College in Kingston due to a “loss of trust in his ability to command” following an undisclosed personnel issue.

Additionally, last summer Col. James Mc Kay resigned from his role as commander of the 33 Canadian Brigade Group (which supervises military units across eastern Ontario) amid a social media scandal linked to a private Facebook group called “Blue Hackle Mafia.”

Lt.-Col. Ryan Hendy was also implicated in this same scandal and was temporarily relieved from his position as commanding officer for the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, a reserve unit.

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