National Defence committee  First of all, I don't see a downside in removing it, and I definitely see an upside to that happening. A good soldier, a well-trained soldier, learns very early on what the rules are and what's expected of them. This rule doesn't have to be enforced for it to have an effect. Th

National Defence committee  Stuart had multiple hospitalizations and multiple suicide attempts. He did have a short stint at Edgewood in Nanaimo, but it was not an appropriate place for him. For him, a huge obstacle was being sent somewhere where military members speak to other military members and have an

National Defence committee  In the initial circumstance, I would really wish that Stuart had been seen as a mental health problem—and I hate those words, but he needed help—rather than as a discipline problem. This incident when he was at the duty desk really sticks in my mind. There were a bunch of cadets

National Defence committee  We've had a very difficult journey, and it's been a very long one. We were initially notified of our son's death by phone. It was actually a telephone message that was left. We returned a call to the base and were told that Stuart had died. Later on that evening, a padre and an o

National Defence committee  May I continue?

National Defence committee  I believe that, even if never used, this subsection provides an unintended negative consequence simply by remaining in force. In 2007, while completing the last phase of training towards his next promotion, Stuart admitted in a questionnaire that he suffered from chest pains. T

National Defence committee  Thank you, and thank you for your kind words. Good morning, Madam Chair and committee members, and hello again to those members I have met before. My name is Sheila Fynes, and I will begin by thanking you for this opportunity to speak to possible revisions to the National Defen

National Defence committee  I believe that as soon as you put your hand up, your career is pretty much toast. Maybe it's not so much the case now, but it definitely was when Stu was serving. You become “that guy”. I think what makes a really good soldier is the pride attached to what they do. As soon as yo

National Defence committee  Yes, it was. When our son was ordered out of hospital, there were a lot of restrictions put in place, and I was interested in what you had to say about detainment and defaulters discipline. He had to live at the duty desk. If he left the duty desk, he had to say exactly where

National Defence committee  I won't.

National Defence committee  I think the change is happening faster and faster. It's accelerating as we go. I think there was a time when it was almost shameful. The word itself, “suicide”, meant “defective”, mental illness: “What's wrong with the family?” or “Why did this happen?” Now there have been so

National Defence committee  I was astounded that it even ever existed. It just so goes against.... The right thing to do is to help somebody who is not well, regardless of what they do for a living. When you told me about that, you know, I was like, “What? No, that can't be.”

National Defence committee  I understand paragraphs 98(a) and (b)—I really do—but paragraph 98(c) is the logical extension of this scenario: If you don't get what you want through paragraphs 98(a) and (b), then if you take that extra step, we're going to take that step as well.

National Defence committee  It's hard. It is really hard. You think you have it under control, and time goes by. People think, “Okay, it's been a year”, or “It's been three years”, or “It's been five years.” When we were putting this together, it was yesterday. It never goes away. For some families, it just

National Defence committee  It's probably one of the most important inflection points for us. It's been a journey for us to bring attention to the issue of soldier suicide. She made a comment—it was in the paper—about how they're the forgotten soldiers. I think that putting a Silver Cross Mother of a soldie