The Liberal government is tapping former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour to lead what it says is an independent review of the military's handling of sexual assault, harassment and other misconduct.

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan announced Arbour's appointment today, nearly three months after the government and Canadian Armed Forces were rocked by allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour by the military's top commanders.

Arbour, the former UN high commissioner for human rights, is being asked to help set up an independent system for victims and others to report incidents and also to review all aspects of the military's approach to preventing and punishing misconduct.

That includes everything from how it screens, recruits and trains service members to the way reports are handled, victims are supported and perpetrators are investigated and punished.

Arbour will not be looking at individual cases, a number of which are currently under active military police investigation, but will instead make recommendations on how the military can do better.

Arbour, whose appointment was one of a number of new initiatives announced by Sajjan today, is expected to send recommendations to the minister, who will pick which to direct the military or Department of National Defence to implement.