Two more cases of euthanasia debates with veterans found, minister says – National

Two more cases of Canada’s Department of Veterans Affairs officials discussing dying medical assistance with veterans have been discovered, the minister in charge told lawmakers on Thursday.

Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence Macaulay told the House Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs that this brings the total number of cases involving one VAC service agent to four, which he has contacted the RCMP.

“I have instructed the Deputy Minister to consider all options for this investigation, including requesting the police to investigate if necessary. We have taken steps to make inquiries,” MacAulay said.

“If veterans are watching right now, I’m sorry,” he added, calling the discussion of assisted death with veterans seeking medical treatment “totally unacceptable.”

Global News first reported on August 16 that a VAC employee had discussed medically assisted dying with a veteran.

A source told Global News that a VAC service agent brought up dying medical assistance (MAiD) in a conversation with a combat veteran who was discussing treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

Global News did not identify the veteran due to privacy concerns, but spoke directly with the individual. He says the service agent repeatedly brought up his MAiD even after the veteran asked the service agent to stop.

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The veteran said he felt pressured as a result.

He also credits service agents for helping another veteran access resources for end-of-life medical assistance through Veterans Affairs Canada, including support for that person’s children who were suffering from imminent death. said he told him on the phone.

The veteran told Global News that a service agent told him that another veteran had died with medical assistance, and that it was the one who decided to end his life. .

Both of these cases were previously confirmed by Macaulay and his deputy minister, Paul Ledwell, when they attended the Veterans Affairs Commission in October.

Macaulay had previously referred to the situation as an “isolated incident”.

Macaulay told the committee on Thursday that the investigation, which began in August, is still ongoing, as well as ongoing training with all VAC employees to ensure MAiDs are never raised to veterans again. He said that it was

However, he added that in light of the new incident findings, the investigation was expanded to look at management and employee training to determine why employees were repeatedly able to raise procedures with customers. rice field.

He said one of the new cases occurred in 2019 and the other in May of this year.

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