Canadian soldier found guilty of drugging colleagues with cannabis cupcakes during live-fire exercise
A military judge has found a Canadian soldier guilty of drugging her comrades with cannabis cupcakes during a live-fire training exercise, calling her actions "shockingly unacceptable."
Bombardier Chelsea Cogswell was found guilty Wednesday on nine charges, including eight charges of administering a noxious substance and one charge of behaving in a disgraceful manner, in the first trial of its kind for the Canadian military.
Cogswell was operating a mobile canteen during Exercise Common Gunner, a major live-fire drill involving up to 150 personnel in July 2018 at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick.
During two videotaped statements, Cogswell told military police that she baked a dozen chocolate cupcakes for her fellow soldiers but denied adding any cannabis to them.
Five soldiers who provided urine samples tested positive for marijuana while the wrapper from one of the cupcakes also tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
Several soldiers testified to a chaotic scene on the firing line as intoxication quickly took hold.
One gunner wandered aimlessly in front of a howitzer, staring at the trees and seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. Another soldier, who comrades described as typically health-conscious, sat eating Doritos and chain-smoking cigarettes. Others fell on the ground in laughter.
The court heard that a gunner tried to load an artillery round into a weapon while the shell’s protective end cap was still in place. Another testified that he improperly set a timing fuze, which controls how far down range an artillery shell will explode.
A soldier slipped and fell off an ammo box while trying to load her gun. Another testified to nearly crashing his military truck into another vehicle while his passenger testified to the cartoonish appearance of the scene around them.
'SIGNIFICANT HARM' AND 'POTENTIAL DEATH'
Prosecutor Maj. Max Reede argued that Cogswell’s actions recklessly introduced serious risk into an already risky training scenario, and violated the integrity of her colleagues, including a member who had been in recovery from substance use for several years.
Defence lawyer Ian Kasper argued the military police were negligent in their investigation and he denied the charges against Cogswell, who pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Military Judge Cmdr. Sandra Sukstorf agreed with the prosecution in her finding, saying Cogswell’s actions introduced "significant harm" and "potential death" into the exercise.
Cogswell, who did not testify at the hearing, told police she had a prescription for medical marijuana at the time of the incident. Recreational marijuana was still outlawed in July 2018, three months before the federal Cannabis Act legalized its use and possession.
Cogswell has served in the army’s regular forces since June 2011. She became a qualified artillery gunner in 2013 and was promoted to the rank of bombardier in 2015.
A hearing to decide her sentence will begin in New Brunswick on Nov. 16.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.