This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair addressed an open letter to the Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, urging him to take responsibility and address the “crisis” in support services for veterans with mental health issues. In the letter issued on Friday, which was circulated to the Ottawa press gallery, Mulcair alleged he wants the prime minister to make the issue of suicide in the Canadian Forces a “personal priority.”
In the letter, Mr. Munclair mentioned that “I am asking you on behalf of your government to honestly acknowledge the crisis, accept responsibility for the fact the status quo isn’t working, and commit to taking urgent action that properly addresses the mental health needs of the men and women who bravely serve this country.” Furthermore, he added that “I urge you to make addressing this issue a personal priority for you as prime minister.” Mr. Mulcair’s letter is prompted by a serious of numerous suicides reported in the Forces, most recent of which was of retired Cpl. Leona MacEachern in Alberta on Christmas Day.
According to MacEachern’s husband, the 20-year Forces veteran was receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and intentionally drove her car into an oncoming transport truck after a “protracted” battle with Veterans’ Affairs over medical benefits. The NDP leader admitted that resolving the questionable mental health issues is not a simple task, but at the same time he advised that there is “a wealth of information” that can be obtained from health care professionals. He mentioned that “Canadian Forces members and their families can provide unique insight into better understanding where our systems have failed them and how we can do better.”
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