'Doesn't line up': MPs challenge minister over instances of MAID offered to veterans
Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay was challenged by MPs on Monday about how the federal government is handling the growing number of veterans who’ve reported being offered medical assistance in dying.
While MPs are questioning whether the situation is more widespread than the department has acknowledged, MacAulay says officials are working with the facts they have.
During a House of Commons Veterans Affairs Committee meeting on Monday, Conservative MP Blake Richards said that since MacAulay confirmed two weeks ago that Veterans Affairs Canada was aware of four instances of medical assistance in dying (MAID) being offered to veterans by one employee, he's become aware of additional alleged incidents.
"I'm certainly now aware of at least eight veterans who have had this occur," Richards told the committee, citing the recent case of veteran and former Paralympian, Retired Cpl. Christine Gauthier, as one example. "And there has been at least three additional case managers or service agents involved in this," he stated, noting not all veterans he has spoken to about this have come forward.
Responding to Richardson, Deputy Minister Paul Ledwell told MPs that while they are aware of more reports, after reviewing more than 400,000 unique veterans' files for any reference to MAID being raised inappropriately, the department remains at four "isolated cases involving one individual" that have been referred to the RCMP.
Last Thursday, Gauthier told the committee that she too, had a caseworker from the Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) offer her medical assistance in dying (MAID) after trying for five years to get a wheelchair ramp installed at her home. She testified that a caseworker had offered MAID and the equipment needed after she described her deteriorating condition due to permanent knee and spine injuries suffered during military training.
Gauthier's case was not one of the four previously-known cases, and Ledwell said that while this instance is being investigated, after going back to review her files which were included in the initial review, "there's no indication in the files, in any correspondence, in any notation based on engagement with a veteran, of reference to MAID."
"If the veteran has material, an indication of that we again—as we've invited for other veterans—would welcome seeing that, reviewing that, and making that part of our investigation," Ledwell said. "It's critically important as the minister has underlined and as we have stated repeatedly, that we get to the bottom of this, the full breadth of this, and we address the issue."
Echoing this, MacAulay implored Richards and anyone else who is aware of more cases, to "please bring any information they have, forward," either to the department or the Veterans' Ombudsperson.
"What we want to do is make sure that we get the facts, and if you have facts that will assist the investigation, please bring them forward. But we need facts and if we have facts, we will deal with them," said the minister.
Questioning MacAulay specifically on how Gauthier's case was handled— she's been asking for some mobility assistance since 2018 —Bloc Quebecois MP Luc Desilets asked why the department hasn’t acted faster.
MacAulay said that he has asked that her file now receive some "specific attention," but made no commitments on the response.
"I will certainly make it a priority to do everything we can, but that does not mean that we can provide everything that an individual asked for. We will do everything we can under the regulations in order to make sure that this veteran receives what you truly needs," MacAulay said.
NDP MP and veterans' critic Rachel Blaney questioned whether the department is considering implementing a system that would allow calls with case managers to be recorded -- if veterans are comfortable with that.
"Because it seems to me that we're getting into a position where it becomes very much 'he said-she said' and veterans deserve better," said Blaney. "I just want to make sure that we don't let this fall down… And part of that is having something that we can go back to, to make sure that this never happens again."
As the questioning continued, Conservative MP Fraser Tolmie suggested that what the committee has heard, and what the department is saying "doesn't line up," suggesting there is a breakdown of trust between the department and Canada's veterans.
"You wonder why veterans don't feel comfortable coming forward, when… you sit here and continue to tell us: 'oh there's only four, and there's only one agent,' when veterans have clearly indicated that that's not in fact accurate," Richards said. "So, I really hope minister, that you're going to go away from this meeting and think really long and hard about how you've failed our veterans in this regard, and how you're going to have to do better because you've put potentially veterans' lives at risk."
During the hearing—meant to be focused on ongoing contention over contracting changes to the Department of Veteran Affairs rehabilitation services—MacAulay sought to emphasize that there are "thousands of employees" at the department who "truly care" and are also "hurt by this."
"We want to make sure that we get the situation rectified, and rectified as quickly as possible. That is what we're trying to do. And that is what we will do," MacAulay said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has previously described the instances of veterans being offered MAID as "absolutely unacceptable," and vowed the protocols at Veterans Affairs Canada would change.
With files from CTV News' Tom Yun
IN DEPTH
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Trudeau, key election players to testify at foreign interference hearings. What you need to know
The public hearings portion of the federal inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian elections and democratic institutions are picking back up this week. Here's what you need to know.
Who is supporting, opposing new online harms bill?
Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sweeping online harms legislation is before Parliament, allowing key stakeholders, major platforms, and Canadians with direct personal experience with abuse to dig in and see what's being proposed, reaction is streaming in. CTVNews.ca has rounded up reaction, and here's how Bill C-63 is going over.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
TREND LINE What Nanos' tracking tells us about Canadians' mood, party preference heading into 2024
Heading into a new year, Canadians aren't feeling overly optimistic about the direction the country is heading, with the number of voters indicating negative views about the federal government's performance at the highest in a decade, national tracking from Nanos Research shows.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.
Local Spotlight
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly on a mission: N.S. student collecting books about women in sport for school library
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Marmot in the city: New resident of North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale a 'rock star rodent'
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
Relocated seal returns to Greater Victoria after 'astonishing' 204-kilometre trek
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Ottawa barber shop steps away from Parliament Hill marks 100 years in business
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
'It was a special game': Edmonton pinball player celebrates high score and shout out from game designer
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
'How much time do we have?': 'Contamination' in Prairie groundwater identified
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
'Why not do it together?': Lifelong friends take part in 'brosectomy' in Vancouver
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.