Evidence of meeting #31 for Veterans Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was soldiers.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
At that time, no one from the Canadian Forces told you that your son had tried to kill himself right on the battlefield?
4:45 p.m.
As an Individual
No. When I found out later, I was so mad. I could not believe that the army did not tell us such a vital piece of information. It was completely beyond me.
I feel that, as parents, we have the right to know that our son has tried to kill himself.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Do you think that, if you had been told right away, it would have changed anything? Would you have handled things differently when he came home from Afghanistan, if you had known that he had tried to kill himself?
4:45 p.m.
As an Individual
It would have totally changed things. If I had known, I would have asked for a psychologist's help right away. I never saw a psychologist. Even when we went to the hospital, I never saw a psychologist.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
As soon as your son came back from Afghanistan, the Canadian Forces never tried to direct him to a psychologist for treatment and to find out if he still had suicidal thoughts?
4:45 p.m.
As an Individual
No. In the army, suicide is a taboo subject. I feel they wanted to keep it quiet.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
You would never have found it out if the inquiry had not taken place and if, a year later, you had not asked to see the report from the inquiry.
4:45 p.m.
As an Individual
No. Actually, I did not even know that an inquiry is held after an accident. I found that out when they called me, and I was very surprised. Being curious by nature, I asked to be part of it. The army was surprised at that. I met a lot of people, and it was during a series of questions that I found out that my son had tried to kill himself.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Do you have a recommendation for this committee to prevent a similar situation from happening again?
4:45 p.m.
As an Individual
I would say that a person involved in an accident must see a psychologist immediately. Someone who is wounded is already traumatized. The family must also be told. Even if the soldier is not suicidal, he must share things with his family.
4:45 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
If I understand the crux of your testimony correctly, he got appropriate care for his physical injuries, but, for the psychological ones, the care lasted 15 minutes. Do you feel that the person whom he met with was competent?
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
Yes, but who am I to judge the person? She has the training.
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
Personally, I would say not. She was his age. She couldn't understand the military context because she was a civilian.
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
What was his relationship with the other members of his unit? Was there a pact with other members of the unit, say if someone was not going to come back “in one piece”?
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
I think that people often say that it's easier… I've spoken to other military members. When I went, I spoke to some of them. They say that it is easier to come home in a box—because their problems will be over—than to return to Canada and be a burden to the army.
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Do you think making suicide pacts is common practice for Canadian Armed Forces members who do not want to come back if they aren't in one piece?
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
I'm convinced of it. They even say it: they want to come back in one piece, not injured.
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Okay.
I feel that this is what the committee needs to look into. First, we need to know what happens when soldiers are on active duty. Do soldiers make suicide pacts in case they don't make it out in one piece? If this is the case, and especially if there is a suicide attempt during deployment, it seems to me that there should be medical follow-up.
What do you think?
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
In my case, in 2006, there wasn't any. When I went there recently, they showed us the field hospital. It is completely different. When Frédéric stepped on the mine, he was taken to a tent. Now, it's an ultra-modern hospital.
