The mother of a Canadian killed fighting in Syria, is hoping other parents can learn from her experience, and stop their children from going down the same path.

Chris Boudreau's son, Damian Clairmont, was reported dead earlier this year after fighting with rebels affiliated with al Qaeda.

He had suffered from depression, and even tried to kill himself, but Boudreau told CTV’s Canada AM on Wednesday, he seemed to reach a turning point when he converted to Islam at the age of 17.

"It was a good thing, it was peaceful," Boudreau said, before he fell in with the wrong crowd.

"Everything changed when he moved to another part of the city so he started integrating with new people."

She said they used Clairmont, played on his vulnerability, radicalized him, and convinced him to go to Syria.

"He truly believed, in his mind, he was going to help women and children. From everything that was being told to him, to be a better Muslim you had to do something proactive, you had to go out there and do something good," Boudreau said. "Most adults going through that stage in their life are vulnerable, they are looking for an identity, they are looking for a purpose in life."

Looking back, Boudreau regrets not intervening more, but now hopes to share what she’s learned so that others can steer their children in a better direction.

In hindsight, Boudreau says the warning signs from her son included:

  • Discussions of politics that focused on conspiracy theories about 9-11, and how the media were constructing lies to hide the truth
  • Beliefs beyond the realm of modern faith such as objecting to anyone in the family having a glass of wine at the dinner table

Boudreau said she never directly confronted Clairmont, hoping it was just a phase. When she did try to broach the subject, she said, it always led to an argument.

Those conversations would be easier, she said, if there was more support in place.

"We're not doing enough proactive measures, we're not supporting families, we're not strengthening communities and that's where the solution lies," she said.

"We need to be able to reach out and connect with our youth," she added, calling for government programs along those lines.

"And I haven’t seen anything come forth that way."