Former Paralympian says lawmakers’ veterans’ division suggested assisting in her death

A paraplegic former member of the Canadian Armed Forces shocked lawmakers Thursday by testifying that the Department of Veterans Affairs had offered her a written opportunity for medically assisted death.

Christine Gauthier, a retired corporal who represented Canada at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics and the Invictus Games that same year, spoke before the House Veterans Affairs Committee and agreed to provide a copy of the letter.

“As for me, I have a letter in the file because I had to face it too,” Gauthier said, referring to discussions about veterans being offered the option of medical assistance in dying (MAID). Did.

Gautier, who first injured his back in a training accident in 1989, wrote, “Madam, if you are so desperate, we can provide you with MAID, or lethal medical assistance.” I have.

Testifying in French, she said she had been fighting for a home wheelchair ramp for five years and expressed her concerns about the offer of euthanasia in a recent letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“I sent a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau and they said [Veterans Affairs] They gave me MAID, they gave me the equipment,” said Gauthier.

Gauthier did not disclose when the request for assistance in death was made, whether it came from a case manager or a Veterans Affairs Service agent, or whether it was written to the prime minister.

Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence Macaulay said in testimony to the same committee last week that four, possibly five, cases in which Canadian Armed Forces veterans were given the MAID option by the now-suspended Veterans Services Agent were referred to the RCMP. made it clear that

Macaulay urged other veterans who may have had similar experiences to come forward.

A station official told CBC News they could not confirm whether the incident involving Gautier was a new case or one the station was already investigating.

In testimony last week, Macaulay told the committee four cases he said were certain the division was uncovered as part of a file review that began last summer.

The Veterans Services agent who allegedly provided advice has been removed from her post while the department and the RCMP investigate.

“We are confident that this is all related to one employee and is not a widespread or systemic issue,” Macaulay told the committee last week.

Another veteran who testified Thursday, veteran corporal Bruce Monker, said at a meeting two weeks ago that the department’s deputy minister told an advisory panel that includes veterans that what they were facing was an isolated case. I tried to assure that

“Five days later, I learned through the media that it was all a lie.” said he was disappointed to say the least.”

“I am in shock”

A Macaulay spokesperson said late Thursday that the advisory board had been given the latest information the department had at the time of its meeting.

New Democratic Rep. Rachel Blaney, a member of the committee, was upset by what she heard Thursday.

“I sincerely apologize,” she told Gautier. [to the committee].”

The question of what is happening at the Department of Veterans Affairs and whether the liberal government is addressing the issue was put before the prime minister during media hours on Thursday.

Prime Minister Trudeau tried to reassure him that the employee in question was no longer in contact with veterans. He also acknowledged that these cases fit within the larger debate over the expansion of medically assisted death in Canada and included people with mental illness.

That could be an option next spring.

“The issue of dying medical assistance is a very personal and very difficult choice that individuals and families need to make in the most thoughtful and best-supported way possible.”

“We understand that protecting the most vulnerable while at the same time ensuring that people’s rights and choices are respected is a very important but difficult balance to strike.”