Sources at Veterans Affairs Canada said one employee casually offered euthanasia to a CAF veteran struggling with a brain injury and PTSD.
Speaking to Global News, several sources from VAC say that the offer to provide “medical assistance in dying” (MAID), which is just euthanasia, was entirely unprovoked.
The veteran never brought up MAID, and he and his family “were disgusted by the conversation and feel betrayed by the agency mandated to assist veterans,” reports Global News.
Sources say that the veteran had been improving both physically and mentally following a traumatic brain injury received while serving in the line of duty and that the casual offer to be euthanized has impeded his progress.
Veterans Affairs Canada has since issued an apology for the employee’s behaviour.
“VAC deeply regrets what transpired,” VAC wrote in a statement, adding that MAID was discussed “inappropriately,” and the organization plans to take “appropriate administrative action.”
The most recent report from Health Canada on MAID has revealed that death from MAID has skyrocketed since being made legal in 2016 and constituted 3.3% of all deaths (10,064) in Canada in 2021.
As noted by University of Toronto Law professor Trudo Lemmens, the incidents of MAID “is rising remarkably fast.”
He also noted several times when those dealing with issues relating to poverty and non-terminal illnesses were offered MAID as a solution to their ailments, which should never happen under the current guidelines for offering and approving MAID.
Veterans now say they’re concerned about VAC members offering MAID to struggling veterans, especially considering that veterans are already at higher risk of suicide. Thus, an offer of MAID may be seized upon when other care could be provided.
