Canadian Forces Commander of Latvia Mission Charged by Military Police

Lt.-Gen. Steve Boivin (seated centre) transfers command authority from Col. Vince Kirstein (seated right) to Col. James Smith (seated left) during parade for the Task Force Latvia change of command parade in Riga, Latvia on July 19, 2024. Multinational Brigade Latvia Imagery-Canadian Imagery Technician RPBK

The commander of Canada’s high-profile NATO mission in Latvia has been charged by military police following an investigation into compensation and benefit discrepancies.

Col. James Smith was charged under the National Defence Act with one count of prejudice to good order and discipline, according to a statement from Canadian Forces Provost Marshal Brig.-Gen. Vanessa Hanrahan.

The Canadian Armed Forces has confirmed that Smith remains in his role as commander of the Canadian military’s Task Force Latvia pending further proceedings.

The charge follows a military police investigation that started last May into the receipt of compensation and benefits from the Canadian Armed Forces, the March 31 statement said, without further detailing the accusations.

“Should the charge proceed to prosecution, the member will be tried in the military justice system,” Hanrahan wrote. “As with all judicial proceedings, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”

Hanrahan said both Canadian Joint Operations Command staff and members of Task Force Latvia “cooperated fully” with the military police throughout the investigation.

Smith enrolled in the army in 1996 and graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada with a degree in computer engineering.

He has multiple deployments to Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq and has served in a number of senior positions, including as director of the Land Warfare Centre.

He was promoted to his current rank of colonel in 2019. A colonel in the Canadian army is a high-ranking senior officer, positioned directly below a brigadier-general.

Promotions among senior officers are merit-based and typically require a minimum of three to five years or more before promotion to brigadier-general or commodore, according to the Canadian Department of Defence. Rigorous selection boards, character assessments, and vacancy availability dictate promotions, rather than just time-in-rank, the department says.

Latvia Task Force

Smith has served as commander of Task Force Latvia since July of 2024.

Also known as Operation REASSURANCE, the task force is the Canadian army’s largest international military mission and serves as the cornerstone of Canada’s contribution to NATO’s deterrence and defence efforts in Central and Eastern Europe.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the renewal of Operation REASSURANCE for another three years during his visit to Latvia last summer.

More than 3,000 CAF members are deployed throughout the year in support of the operation, according to government data.

The operation includes multiple maritime deployments, an air task force, and a ground force complete with artillery, mechanized infantry, combat support, combat service support, and electronic warfare components.