Veterans minister rebuffs calls to resign amid assisted dying discussion scrutiny
Global News
MacAulay has come under fire due to continued benefits backlogs, forcing veterans to wait an average of 43 weeks for disability claim decisions.
Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay is pushing back on calls for him to resign following scrutiny over a departmental employee discussing medical assistance in dying with a veteran.
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is investigating the issue, MacAulay said, and “at this time” has only found “one, isolated case” of such a conversation occurring.
However, even that one incident is “totally and completely unacceptable,” MacAulay told The West Block’s Mercedes Stephenson in an interview, aired Sunday.
Sources told Global News a VAC service agent brought up medical assistance in dying (MAID), unprompted, in a conversation with the combat veteran, who was seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury. Global News is not identifying the veteran who was seeking treatment.
Multiple sources told Global News the combat veteran never raised the issue, nor was he looking for MAID, and that he was deeply disturbed by the suggestion. Those sources and VAC have told Global News the discussion took place, with VAC confirming it is investigating the incident.
Sources close to the veteran say he and his family were disgusted by the conversation, and feel betrayed by the department mandated to assist veterans. The sources said the veteran was seeking services to recover from injuries suffered in the line of duty, and had been experiencing positive improvements in his mental and physical health. They say the unprompted offer of MAID disrupted his progress and has been harmful to the veteran’s progress and his family’s well-being.
“A veteran can bring up what they wish. But…if some veteran brings (MAID) up, (VAC employees) are instructed to bring it to their supervisor,” MacAulay told Stephenson.
“That’s what the situation is and will continue to be. But the staff needs to know that, and they will.”
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