Ottawa has ‘failed’ veterans as calls grow for minister to resign: advocates

[brihard]

And now there's a petition....

No Soldier Euthanasia​

Canadian soldiers serve their country and accept unlimited liability. This means they can be ordered into harm’s way, including loss of life. Soldiers can suffer moral injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and physical injury as a consequence of being ordered into combat.

Canada owes a duty of care to those soldiers who have been injured physically or mentally as a consequence of being ordered into harm’s way. This duty of care extends to appropriate care and treatment for PTSD.

A recent and alarming news story by Mercedes Stephenson and Sean Boynton detailed a Canadian veteran being offered medically-assisted suicide as a “treatment” option for his PTSD by a Veterans Affairs service agent. The offer was unprompted and unsought by the veteran.

The story reports that, “Sources close to the veteran say he and his family were disgusted by the conversation, and feel betrayed by the agency mandated to assist veterans. The sources said the veteran was seeking services to recover from injuries suffered in the line of duty, and had been experiencing positive improvements in his mental and physical health. They say the unprompted offer of MAID [that is, euthanasia] disrupted his progress and has been harmful to the veteran’s progress and his family’s wellbeing.”

We are calling on the Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay to enact a simple safeguard. Sign our petition calling on the Minister to ensure by regulation that conversations with VAC service agents about medically-assisted suicide may only be patient initiated.

No Soldier Euthanasia

A Cdn veteran was offered medically-assisted suicide as a “treatment” option for PTSD. The offer was unprompted and unsought by the veteran.

www.physiciansforlife.ca

I’m not gonna touch anything by ‘physicians for life’; they’re an anti-MAID group and I won’t drive support their way or boost the numbers they can claim, however in this specific case what they propose is sound. I’m pretty confident VAC will institute something like that anyway even absent that petition. This is an utter no-brainer for a department level “don’t do that” policy.

 

[Booter]

I’m a never say never-never say always type. I don’t believe any medical services should be off the table from VAC. I was personally disgusted by this story and series of factors, but I don’t think creating a new rule and excluding a service is the right move either. Bringing it up in flippant conversation with some muppet from the VAC pitching ideas most certainly isn’t the right move.

 

[GK .Dundas]

It must be close to Remembrance Day looks like both the Government and the His Majesty's Loyal Opposition have rediscovered veterans.

 

[Furniture]

I’m a never say never-never say always type. I don’t believe any medical services should be off the table from VAC. I was personally disgusted by this story and series of factors, but I don’t think creating a new rule and excluding a service is the right move either. Bringing it up in flippant conversation with some muppet from the VAC pitching ideas most certainly isn’t the right move.

I think most people just want VAC to not bring it up, unless it is first brought up by the veteran. I'm not sure anyone is asking that it not be allowed at all, or that VAC shuts people down when they talk about it first.

 

[Booter]

I think most people just want VAC to not bring it up, unless it is first brought up by the veteran. I'm not sure anyone is asking that it not be allowed at all, or that VAC shuts people down when they talk about it first.

Reread the story. You’re right and I’m stupid.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

In a perfect world for governments and insurance companies, you work hard all your life paying taxes. Collect a pension for about 7 years, spending most of it locally and then dying suddenly. I could so see some OCD pen pusher pulling up a pie chart showing that if they got 2% more people to elect for a early death, they could save X amount of dollars. At which point the managers hopefully say "Thank you and now back to the basement with you".

 

[Kat Stevens]

There's a world of difference between;
a) "You're right, your life totally sucks, I'd want to end it if I were you", and
b) "I'm tired of being in constant pain and just want it to end it in a dignified way".

My mum chose b), if any of us would have suggested a) there would have been some major unpleasantry from me.

 

[OldSolduer]

In a perfect world for governments and insurance companies, you work hard all your life paying taxes. Collect a pension for about 7 years, spending most of it locally and then dying suddenly. I could so see some OCD pen pusher pulling up a pie chart showing that if they got 2% more people to elect for a early death, they could save X amount of dollars. At which point the managers hopefully say "Thank you and now back to the basement with you off with your head".

FTFY

I take a very dim view of people like that, fortunately there are not many.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

Why? It's clearly a systematic issue that neither party has addressed, and not going to be fixed by pretending it's specific to the current government changing.

The LPC is at fault for not fixing it, the Harper CPC is at fault for not fixing it, and probably goes back down the chain through a few different LPC/CPC governments.

Changing parties won't do it if no one burns VAC down and starts again.

It is not the parties that don't care. It is the voters. The people of Canada. If it was important to them, it would be important to the pols.... Same goes for equipment, readiness, etc

 

[Furniture]

It is not the parties that don't care. It is the voters. The people of Canada. If it was important to them, it would be important to the pols.... Same goes for equipment, readiness, etc

Except this week, everybody loves veterans this week.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Except this week, everybody loves veterans this week.

Except Peter Mansbridge... snide prick.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Except Peter Mansbridge... snide prick.

Peter actually served.

RCN, in the late 1960s.

 

[brihard]

Peter actually served.

RCN, in the late 1960s.

Huh. Apparently his dad was a Lancaster navigator (and got a DFC for his troubles) and his grandfather was PPCLI including at Vimy. Peter Mansbridge’s own service was super short.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

Huh. Apparently his dad was a Lancaster navigator (and got a DFC for his troubles) and his grandfather was PPCLI including at Vimy. Peter Mansbridge’s own service was super short.

It wasn’t long, but unlike most journalists, he did try it out. Props to him for that.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Peter actually served.

RCN, in the late 1960s.

Huh, I did not know that, thank you. It must have left a sour taste in his mouth, the delight he took in taking a shit on us every chance he could.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Except Peter Mansbridge... snide prick.

Context ? What did I miss ?

 

[Jarnhamar]

Except this week, everybody loves veterans this week.

Not that poppies are a singular sign of veteran support but I'd say less than 1% of the people in west Ottawa had poppies on this week when I visited.

 

[Kat Stevens]

Context ? What did I miss ?

See above.

 

[dapaterson]

Not that poppies are a singular sign of veteran support but I'd say less than 1% of the people in west Ottawa had poppies on this week when I visited.

Mine is usually on my coat, and weather of late has left my coat hanging on a hook by my front door.

 

[brihard]

Mine is usually on my coat, and weather of late has left my coat hanging on a hook by my front door.

Happened to me too. I threw one on a hat; I almost never wear a hat, even though I of all people should.