Canada has always had wounded soldiers returning home from distant conflicts. More recently—with the mission in Afghanistan—the public has become accustomed to seeing veterans with missing limbs or in wheelchairs. While much has been done to provide followup care for these veterans, more must be done, and done soon. In her most recent report, the Interim Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence, Mary McFadyen, states very clearly that this shortcoming continues to apply to those who are returning with wounds we do not see, operational stress injuries (Ombudsman Critical Of Progress With Stress Injuries).

Her report, titled A Long Road To Recovery: Battling Operational Stress Injuries, is the second followup to an original report presented in 2002. While McFadyen states the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces have made important progress in identifying, preventing and treating post-traumatic stress disorder and other operational stress injuries, significant problems remain in regards to the allocation of mental health care professionals and the collection of key information.

Many of the problems lie with the level of professional support available to those suffering stress-related injuries. Investigators found that mental health resources are unevenly distributed across the Canadian Forces, and there is a shortage of staff in the more remote bases. For example, Canadian Forces Base Petawawa, Ont., a base of 5,100 personnel with many deployments to Afghanistan, had only one full-time psychologist, and 80 per cent of the time of one psychiatrist. This compares to the five psychologists and three psychiatrists at CFB Edmonton where there are approximately 6,600 Canadian Forces personnel. As well, the ombudsman’s investigators found that the caseloads of caregivers are daunting and that many of these people are in danger of burning out.

Overall, there is a greater number of mental health care professionals serving the Canadian Forces, but more are needed. The Canadian Forces needs to find ways of attracting qualified professionals to fill these positions or else undertake to provide the very specialized training itself.

A further gap is noted in the collection of data on the number and nature of the operational stress injuries being treated. The 2002 report noted there was “no centralized Canadian Forces-wide process to collect up-to-date statistics on the number of current and former Canadian Forces members who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic distress disorder or other stress-related injuries.”

More than six years have passed since that initial report, and while some headway is noted in automating medical records, a report from the Auditor General of Canada on military health care found that the electronic system has been delayed and will not be operational until 2011. This is very unfortunate because the Canadian Forces must have the ability to co-ordinate information on the extent and seriousness of the stress-related problems resulting from modern-day military service. “Without these tools, it is more difficult to design and implement effective programs across the country while ensuring that scarce resources are allocated properly,” the report states.

While noting the progress that has been made, the Interim Ombudsman questions what she calls the lukewarm leadership and commitment at the national level to address the stress injuries and create a culture where there is no stigma attached to being treated for these sorts of injuries.

Concern for improved treatment for those suffering from operational stress injuries was expressed by The Royal Canadian Legion in five different resolutions passed at the 42nd dominion convention in June. The Legion was founded by veterans in 1926 in order to push the government into providing returning veterans with the best health care available at the time. No less an obligation remains for National Defence and the Canadian Forces to address these very real injuries in a timely manner that reflects the best of our medical knowledge today.

On Guard For O Canada

A ban on the singing of O Canada at an elementary school in New Brunswick attracted headlines across the country earlier this year and resulted in the superintendent quickly overturning the principal’s original decision.

The controversy was sparked by parents who objected to the termination of what had become the traditional beginning to the day’s classes. Their concern found a sympathetic ear with many Canadians. Among those to react was the Dominion Institute, a national charitable organization dedicated to fostering a greater knowledge of Canada and its institutions. It expressed its dismay with the ban and pointed to a survey it had commissioned which found that only 53 per cent of Canadians know that the first line of the national anthem is “O Canada! Our home and native land…”

Delegates at the 42nd dominion convention in Ottawa understood the importance of preserving and respecting our anthem when they voted unanimously on a resolution that directed the Legion to express “the desire for dignified and respectful performances of the national anthem.”

While the singing of O Canada may not be mandatory in our education system, there are many civic occasions, Remembrance Day ceremonies and formal meetings such as conventions where it is appropriate to sing the anthem. It is only by ensuring that our children are familiar with the anthem and its words—in either official language—that we can count on them showing proper respect when called upon to join in.

We should stand on guard for the anthem just as we stand on guard for the rights and freedoms we enjoy in this country. Our veterans fought for those freedoms, and so it is only fitting that we take a few moments to stand and express our appreciation.

Popularity: 3% [?]