Media and Speaking
I am expert on women in war and military culture (with a focus on military sexual violence), women in combat roles, military suicide, as well as issues related to post-conflict transitions and feminist solutions to ending war.
I enjoy examining research questions from an interdisciplinary perspective, and generating conversations between diverse areas of study (which I believe are required to truly understand complex security issues).
Select recent media contributions:
2022, Interview at CBC News, Politics Canada's military needs 'mass change' in leadership, says specialist, May 31
2022, Interview at Global News The West Block, ‘Gender and military researcher finds Vance verdict discouraging.’ April 3
2020, Interview at CBC News Power & Politics, ‘'When I would feel hopeful is when I see tangible policies.'
2020, Interview at CBC News The National, ‘The significance of military’s apology to sexual assault victims.’ Dec 14
March 30, 2022: Tackling sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces (A Little More Conversation with Ben O’Hara-Byrne)
February 23, 2022: Senior military officer charged with five counts of sexual assault (The Globe and Mail)
December 14, 2021: Ottawa apologizes to victims of military sexual misconduct (CBC the National)
December 3, 2021: Publicly, the head of Canada’s military police said he’d investigate any officer. Privately, he said that didn’t include his boss(Toronto Star)
December 1, 2021: Military’s failure to enact victims’ declaration of rights leaves sexual assault and other crime victims without support (The Globe and Mail)
November 17, 2021: Canadian military overstated its progress on recommendations to tackle sexual misconduct, assessment concludes (Toronto Star)
November 16, 2021: Military sexual misconduct survivors were promised an apology in 2019. Why the delay? (Global News)
November 4, 2021: Anand says she accepts need to hand military sexual misconduct cases to civilians (Global News)
November 4, 2021: Defence Minister Anand moving military sexual misconduct cases into civilian justice system (CBC News)
October 26, 2021: What to do about sexual misconduct in Canada’s military (The Decibel)
October 26, 2021:Anita Anand, second woman in Defense, will lead the fight against sexual misconduct (L'actualité)
October 26, 2021: Women take charge of key portfolios in Justin Trudeau's new cabinet (CBC News)
October 26, 2021: New defence minister vows to fight sex misconduct, warns battle 'going to take time' (Vancouver is Awesome)
October 26, 2021: New defence minister Anita Anand will have to rebuild trust in military rocked by sexual misconduct crisis, observers say(Toronto Star)
October 22, 2021: Taxpayers spent up to $720K on salaries for military leaders sidelined by sexual misconduct crisis (CBC News)
October 22, 2021: (FR) Sexual misconduct: Military salaries targeted cost up to $ 720,000 (ICI Radio-Canada.ca)
October 22, 2021: Military unable to clean up its own mess (Winnipeg Free Press)
October 22, 2021: Sexual misconduct in the military is the Prime Minister’s responsibility – and failure (Globe & Mail)
October 18, 2021: Head of Canadian military intelligence school relieved of command after misconduct investigation (CBC News)
October 18, 2021: McDonald sexual misconduct allegation was not deemed ‘unfounded,’ military confirms (Global News)
October 12, 2021: ‘I’ve been exonerated’: Art McDonald, top military commander on leave, wants his job back (The Globe and Mail)
October 6, 2021: New job for general who wrote reference for sex offender infuriates survivors’ group (The Globe and Mail)
October 6, 2021: Military drops general from sexual misconduct file after uproar (CBC News)
October 6, 2021: Sajjan stands by military amid outrage over general's new job on sex misconduct file (CTV News)
October 6, 2021: Latest military misconduct controversy spells trouble for true change in Canadian Forces: experts (Global News)
October 5, 2021: (FR) Sexual misconduct: controversial major general appointed to key post (Radio-Canada)
October 5, 2021: Move to assign general who supported sex offender to role reviewing sexual misconduct 'tone deaf': survivors (CBC News)
September 30, 2021: (FR) The next army recruiting campaign will target women (L'actualité)
September 30, 2021: Planned recruiting ads aimed at women as military struggles with sexual misconduct (The National Post)
September 26, 2021: (FR) Nouveau conseil des ministres: Trudeau invité à confier la Défense à une femme (Le Droit Numèrique)
September 26, 2021: Canada's only female defence minister was in 1993. Is it time for another? (CTV News)
August 13, 2021: Ottawa puts Adm. Art McDonald on leave from top military job (The Peterborough Examiner)
August 11, 2021: Military won't ask RCMP to investigate sexual assault claim involving senior commander (CBC News)
July 8, 2021: The war inside the Canadian Armed Forces (McLean's)
June 29, 2021: Canada's acting top soldier gives navy chief a chance at redemption after golf controversy (CBC News)
June 24, 2021: Sajjan has lost all credibility on military sex misconduct: experts (Globe & Mail)
June 22, 2021: Military ombudsman criticizes erratic handling of military misconduct - part 1 and part 2
June 21, 2021: House defence committee rises without report on Vance allegations (CBC News)
June 16, 2021: Sexual misconduct crisis in Canada’s military prompts calls for defence minister’s resignation (Toronto Star)
June 15, 2021: Top soldier knew his second-in-command was in touch with officers, one of whom is under investigation (Toronto Star)
June 14, 2021: Carole MacNeil (CBC) speaks with Megan MacKenzie, a professor at Simon Fraser University (CBC News)
June 1, 2021: Report: Military should retain jurisdiction over investigating misconduct complaints (CBC News)
March 12, 2021: 'When I would feel hopeful is when I see tangible policies' | Megan MacKenzie (CBC News | Power & Politics)
March 1, 2021: MPs, experts reeling following Vance allegations, McDonald’s voluntary departure from top military post (The Hill Times)
February 22, 2021: More than a zero-tolerance statement: Feds urged to create body to monitor military's handling of sexual misconduct (National Post)
February 22, 2021: Deschamps laments progress on military misconduct amid calls for external oversight (CTV News)
2019, Article for Sydney Morning Herald, ‘Is fragile masculinity the biggest obstacle to climate action?’ December 15
2019, Interview at the ABC, ‘When will the military have its #MeToo moment?’ July 16
2019, Article for Women’s Agenda, ‘Military sexual violence: when will the military have its #MeToo moment?’ July 15
For Media Inquiries:
If you are a writer, editor, or producer and would like to request an interview for a story, podcast, or video with Megan, please submit the form below to help us better address your request.