I'll be sharing my time with Dr. Lunney, if there's time left over.
Dr. Girvin, I'd like to read you a letter from a constituent, and then I'll ask my question. My riding encompasses Canadian Forces Base Petawawa.
Dear MP:
I write to you today to bring to your attention the matter of your soldiers that are returning from Afghanistan with PTSD or other mental health issues. My fiancé returned from his tour in August 2007 and has been seeking help through the military for his mental health issues. We've been attending the doctors' appointments, going to the mental health clinic, and talking to whoever will listen. All the military has done is give him time off work and grief over having to deal with this.
As of late last week, he was sent to Ottawa to see a doctor on base there, and was told he has PTSD and that there's a very good chance that he will be medically released from the army because of this mental health issue. The army is my fiancé's life, and the last thing he wants is to be released. He wants the proper care required to help overcome this issue.
It's very upsetting to me to hear that our government, that is supposed to be helping and supporting our troops, is so quick to wash their hands of the men and women that come back from their tours overseas with mental health issues. I do realize that there are hundreds of women and men that require help with their mental issues after returning to Canada and that we're not equipped to deal with all of this, since we've not seen numbers this high since World Wars I and II. I do, however, think that this issue needs to be brought to the attention of our government and that someone needs to step up and help our young men and women, because they are not disposable, and this does not only affect them, but their families, as well as our country as a whole.
Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to hearing back from you.
My question to you is this. How do I respond to this constituent?