19.36 – DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION OR OPINION
(1) For the purposes of this article, the adjective "military" shall be construed as relating not only to the Canadian Forces but also to the armed forces of any country.
(2) Subject to article 19.375 (Communications to News Agencies), no officer or non-commissioned member shall without permission obtained under article 19.37 (Permission to Communicate Information):
(a) publish in any form whatever or communicate directly or indirectly or otherwise disclose to an unauthorized person official information or the contents of an unpublished or classified official document or the contents thereof;
(b) use that information or document for a private purpose;
(c) publish in any form whatever any military information or the member’s views on any military subject to unauthorized persons;
(d) deliver publicly, or record for public delivery, either directly or through the medium of radio or television, a lecture, discourse or answers to questions relating to a military subject;
(e) prepare a paper or write a script on any military subject for delivery or transmission to the public;
(f) publish the member’s opinions on any military question that is under consideration by superior authorities;
(g) take part in public in a discussion relating to orders, regulations or instructions issued by the member’s superiors;
(h) disclose to an unauthorized person, without the authority of the department, agency or other body concerned, any information acquired in an official capacity while seconded, attached or loaned to that department, agency or other body;
(i) furnish to any person, not otherwise authorized to receive them, official reports, correspondence or other documents, or copies thereof; or
(j) publish in writing or deliver any lecture, address or broadcast in any dealing with a subject of a controversial nature affecting other departments of the public service or pertaining to public policy.
(3) This article does not apply to a writing, lecture, address or broadcast confined exclusively to members of the Canadian Forces.
(M)(25 May 2000 effective 15 June 2000)
19.37 – PERMISSION TO COMMUNICATE INFORMATION
(1) Permission for the purposes of article 19.36 (Disclosure of Information or Opinion) may be granted by the Chief of the Defence Staff or such other authority as he may designate.
(2) Permission given under paragraph (1):
(a) does not have the effect of endorsing anything said or done by the person to whom it is given;
(b) may not be referred to in any way; and
(c) is given on the basis that no statement implying endorsement on behalf of the Crown will be included in what is said or done.
(M)
19.375 – COMMUNICATIONS TO NEWS AGENCIES
(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), any communication concerning or affecting the Canadian Forces or any part thereof that it may be considered desirable to make to the press or any other agencies concerned with the dissemination of news or opinions will be made by the Minister or an officer or official designated by the Minister.
(2) An officer commanding a command, formation, base, unit or element may make communications to the press or other news agencies when they concern or affect only the command, formation, base, unit or element under the officer’s command and do not involve enunciation, defence or criticism, expressed or implied, of service, departmental or government policy.
(3) As it is desirable that the public should be acquainted with conditions of life in the service and that local interest be encouraged, an officer commanding a command, formation, base, unit or element is authorized at the officer’s discretion to invite local representatives of the press and other news agencies to visit the command formation, base, unit or element under the officer’s command and to furnish to them, subject to paragraph (2), such information as the officer may consider suitable for the purpose.
