Former top military commander's trial on obstruction of justice set for spring of 2023

Jonathan Vance, the country's former top military commander, will have to wait another a year and a half to go on trial for obstruction of justice.

Following a brief, virtual court hearing in Ottawa today, the court set aside ten days in May 2023 for the trial of the retired general.

Vance was charged by military police last July in relation to an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.

When the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) laid the single charge against Vance, it did not provide details. The CFNIS said only that the charge relates to events that happened after military police began investigating Vance in relation to an allegation of misconduct on Feb. 4, 2021.

Provincial court documents allege that Vance "willfully" attempted to obstruct justice by repeatedly contacting Maj. Kellie Brennan and attempting to persuade her to make false statements to investigators.

Brennan told Global News last winter that she and the former chief of the defence staff had an on-again, off-again intimate relationship. She subsequently testified before a parliamentary committee and claimed Vance had fathered two of her eight children.

Vance has declined CBC News' requests for comment. At the outset of the controversy, speaking to Global News, he denied any wrongdoing.