Retired general Jonathan Vance's plea, entered during a virtual appearance in an Ottawa courtroom, follows a wave of accusations against him and other senior commanders over the past year that plunged the military into turmoil and tarnished the image of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's self-proclaimed "feminist government."

Vance held the position of chief of the defense staff. While under investigation for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a subordinate, Vance was charged last July with contacting the woman to try to persuade her to make false statements about it to investigators.

Major Kellie Brennan testified at a parliamentary committee last April that she and Vance had an on-and-off relationship that started in 2001 and continued after he became chief of the defense staff in 2015.

Brennan shared with Global News recordings of their telephone conversations in which Vance reportedly warned that revelations of their affair while he was her boss "would be devastating" or "life-changing for both of us in a bad way."

She'd also claimed that the general fathered two of her children, which was disputed.

Vance, who retired in January 2021 before the relationship allegations were made public, had denied any wrongdoing at the time.

In a statement to AFP on Wednesday, Vance through his lawyer said he "apologizes and takes responsibility for his part in this matter."

The judge, meanwhile, accepted a joint defense and prosecution sentencing recommendation for a conditional discharge and one year probation.

The Canadian military has long struggled with widespread sexual misconduct allegations, with the number of complaints rising in recent years and then suddenly reaching the top brass.

Ottawa last year tasked former International Criminal Court prosecutor Louise Arbour with helping clean up the military culture.

Her review has built on another task force's finding in 2015 that the military had "an environment that is hostile to women... and is conducive to more serious incidents of sexual harassment and assault."

Last April, the military reported to the House of Commons that 581 sexual assaults and 221 incidents of sexual harassment had taken place since the 2015 report's release.

Defense Minister Anita Anand declined to comment on Vance's plea, but told reporters she would "continue to build an institution where everyone can work with the respect and the protections that they need to do their jobs on behalf of our country."