A Colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force and the commander of Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Col. Leif Dahl, has been accused of firing a gun from a boat on the Murray Canal in eastern Ontario. The Department of National Defence has confirmed that Col. Dahl is the individual charged by the Quinte West OPP following the incident on August 25.
According to the Ontario Provincial Police, they received reports of someone shooting at wildlife from a boat in Quinte West. When police arrived at the scene, the boat had already left, but it was later located. It was discovered that a firearm had been thrown into the canal, prompting OPP divers to recover it.
Col. Dahl now faces several charges, including obstructing a peace officer, careless use of a firearm, careless use of a firearm while hunting, hunting birds without a license, and unlawfully having a loaded firearm in a conveyance. The Ontario Provincial Police have scheduled his court appearance for September 28.
The Royal Canadian Air Force has acknowledged the incident and stated that it is aware of the hunting-related incident involving Col. Dahl. However, they have declined to comment further on the matter because it is now before the courts. They assured that more information on Dahl’s status will be provided in due course.
Col. Dahl assumed command of 8 Wing Trenton on July 29, 2022. Additional details about the incident and any potential consequences for Col. Dahl will be determined through the legal process.