The Centre of Excellence on PTSD (CoE – PTSD) acknowledges the formal apology delivered by Minister of National Defence, Anita Anand, on December 13, 2021, as a positive step in the recognition of the harms suffered by individuals who have experienced sexual misconduct while serving in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre and Jody Thomas, Deputy Minister of National Defence also offered apologies, and within, acknowledged the impact of MSM on friends, Family members, and bystanders. This formal, public apology is a recognition and validation of the experience of thousands of CAF members (current and former, Federal Public Servants of the Department of National Defence (DND), and Staff of Non-Public Funds, some of whom may also be Veterans), and furthers DND and CAF’s public commitment to change. This apology follows other commitments towards change, including the Heyder Beattie Class Action, changes to CAF and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) policies, and other ongoing efforts, including a Restorative Engagement program, and funds for expansion of the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (SMRC)’s mandate and services offered.

It is the position of the CoE – PTSD that for its apology to be meaningful, DND and the CAF must continue to work toward sustained culture change and gender equality. This would involve taking account for the wrongdoings, acknowledging the legacy of marginalization and exclusion of women and 2SLGBTQ+ members, and taking full responsibility for creating and enabling the gendered and sexualized culture that permits military sexual misconduct, and expressing regret for what happened—and for what continues to happen.

Within the CAF, women remain at greater risk for sexual misconduct, but the experiences of men and gender-diverse people are increasingly coming to the fore. Indeed, the experiences of 2SLGBTQ+ and people of colour may be exacerbated by discrimination on those grounds. Individuals who are part of multiple equity-seeking groups may experience the cumulative stress of intersectional discrimination that puts them at increased risk of developing PTSD and other mental and physical health problems.

Military sexual misconduct can include sexual harassment, hazing rituals, sexual assault and/or discrimination on the grounds of sex, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Individuals who endure these behaviours are at increased risk of depression, problematic substance use, PTSD and other mental health and physical health problems including reproductive health issues, and chronic pain. It may result in feelings of shame and self-blame, moral injury, and feelings of institutional betrayal, which may in turn affect a person’s career and ability to serve their country. Indeed, the impacts of military sexual misconduct and military sexual trauma (MST: a term used to describe the psychological, physical and social impacts or “wounds” that people who experience or witness military sexual misconduct may feel) can be life-long and enduring.

We acknowledge that the DND and the CAF cannot do this work alone. This is why, starting in 2019, the CoE – PTSD joined a diverse group of people with lived experience, researchers, policy makers, clinicians, and government representatives who, together, form the Canadian Military Sexual Trauma Community of Practice (MST – CoP). The MST – CoP hosted an international three-part symposium to raise awareness about this critical issue and to advance the efforts of organizations and individuals supporting people impacted by MST, and produced a fact sheet on MST. The MST – COP can continue to bolster the ongoing efforts of the DND and the CAF through research undertaken by its members, information-sharing efforts, and commitment to expand public awareness.

The CoE – PTSD remains committed to working with people impacted by MST, the MST – CoP, and other network partners to support system-wide efforts that will enable much-needed lasting change.

We are interested in connecting with First Responders/ Public Safety Personnel, First Responder/ Public Safety Personnel Families, Service Providers and Researchers to learn about your knowledge and information needs as they pertain to PTSD and related mental health conditions.

This project is an extension of a Gap Analysis project that is currently underway related to Veterans and their Families that is also being conducted by VIRGO Planning and Evaluation Consultants Inc. We are preparing to share the findings from this analysis. The CoE has received funding from Medavie Foundation for this follow-up First Responder project. We are working closely on this work with the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), as part of our ongoing commitment to collaboration.

Purpose of Survey

The brief questionnaire is focused on learning about your knowledge/information needs. We will use your responses to inform the development of a suite of resources relevant to First Responders/ Public Safety Personnel (including Veteran RCMP) and their Families to increase awareness of Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), reduce stigma, support well- being and help-seeking and link to available, relevant resources. Responses will also be used to inform key partners and stakeholders across the PTS system who are working with/interested in First Responders/ Public Safety Personnel populations.

As a key stakeholder, you will be asked to share your knowledge/information needs about:

• PTSD and related mental health conditions (including substance use conditions),
•  Your preferred ways of having those needs met,
• The ways in which you use, or would like to use knowledge/information

We understand that you may bring many perspectives (e.g., first responders / public safety personnel, first responders / public safety personnel Family member, service provider, person with lived/living experience of PTSD/related mental health conditions, etc.). We encourage you to speak from any of these perspectives when answering the questions that follow. If any of the questions are not applicable to you, please leave it blank.

Thank you for your contribution, and for helping us in our work to improve services and supports.

On the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month in 1918, the guns went silent and the battles of the First World War were over. Since that day, Canadians have gathered annually to honour and remember those who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation.

Canada has had a history of brave service to the world. From the Great War to Afghanistan, close to two million men and women have left their homes and families, and have travelled to distant lands. They have put themselves into situations of extreme danger and trauma. Many were wounded, both physically and emotionally. Well over 100,000 Canadians – sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, partners, and friends – were killed in action or died of their wounds.

We will remember them.

Each year, the Remembrance Day service at the National War Memorial in Ottawa ends with the Parade of Veterans. Canadians who attend the service honour them, applauding as the Veterans march by. Many calls of “thank you!” can be heard from the crowd.

Every year, Veterans’ Week provides moments of reflection, and often of grief, for still-serving members of CAF, Veterans, and their Families.

Trauma experienced while on duty can create invisible ribbons of pain that extend across generations and relationships. As a culture, we are coming to understand the impacts of military service on individuals, as well as on their Families and friends. What was once called “shell shock” or “battle fatigue” is now more properly understood as Post-Traumatic Stress.

Increasingly, services and supports are being tailored to respond effectively to the specific needs of those who have served this nation. But, there is still much work to do, and significant improvements in Veteran-centred care are needed.

The Centre of Excellence on PTSD asks all Canadians to reflect upon the immense contributions that Veterans, active CAF members, and their Families have made, and continue to make, to this country, both at home and abroad.

We urge everyone to pause on Remembrance Day, and honour those who have given so much throughout the generations. After that day, we will continue to remember and support those still serving and those who are now Veterans. They deserve nothing less.

For Veterans’ Week 2021:

1. Commemorating Veterans’ Week 2021, View the Centre of Excellence’s new PSA.
2. Holidays Ahead
   For many Veterans and their Families, the holidays are not an easy time of year. In fact, they are often one of the toughest. The holidays can also bring up unpleasant reminders of previous traumatic experiences.To-do lists, busy gatherings, and crowds can feel overwhelming, To help Veterans and their Families through this difficult time, here’s a resource that provides tips and strategies for coping during the holiday season.
3. Veterans Affairs Canada Podcast Series
   We all benefit from the service and sacrifice of the 2.3 million+ Canadians who have served our country for over 100 years. It is our duty to honour and remember them.Listening to VAC’s Faces of Freedom podcast is a powerful way to remember and reflect.The podcast features stories from Canadians who have proudly served at home and abroad, from natural disaster relief operations to Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. Listen here: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/podcasts/veterans-week-2021

Remembrance Day is the start of a season that can be challenging for some Veterans and their Families. Resources and supports are available. Explore the links below to learn more about PTSD, some options for treatment, as well as tips and strategies for coping with the holidays.

If you, members of your family, or your friends need support:
Find Support – Centre of Excellence on PTSD

If you want to learn more about the causes and symptoms of PTSD, as well as treatments options:
PTSD and Some Options for Therapy – Centre of Excellence on PTSD

If you are a Family member or friend of a Veteran and want to know about supports and services that are available for you:
For Veteran Families and Friends – Centre of Excellence on PTSD

To learn more about national commemorations for Veterans’ Week:
Commemorative Events – Veterans Affairs Canada

The Centre of Excellence on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CoE – PTSD) welcomes the reappointment of the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay to the role of Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, a position he has held in the federal cabinet since 2019.

Honouring the family members and friends who stand beside those in uniform

Founded by Together We Stand, Military Family Appreciation Day was established in 2019 as a nationally recognized day to honour Canadian Military Families. Now celebrated each year on the third Friday of September, it is a time to acknowledge and honour those who stand beside those in uniform.

We are interested in connecting with all our stakeholders to learn about your knowledge and information needs as they pertain to PTSD and related mental health conditions.

Please complete the survey to tell us what information you want to know, how you want to learn about it, and how you would like to use it to inform your work and life. We will use your responses to help ensure our ongoing research and information-sharing work is aligned with, and responsive to, your needs and preferences.

Background

The Centre of Excellence (CoE) on PTSD wants to identify and prioritize research gaps and knowledge/information needs on the topic of PTSD and related mental health conditions that are specific to Veterans and their Families/supporters.

This information will help align the CoE’s ongoing research and knowledge mobilization work with stakeholder needs and preferences.

Purpose of Survey

This brief survey is focussed specifically on the knowledge/information needs of CoE stakeholders, including Veterans, their Families/supporters, researchers, and service providers.

You will be asked to share:

• Your knowledge/information needs about PTSD and related mental health conditions (for both Veterans and Veteran Families/supporters),
• Your preferred ways of having those needs met,
• The ways in which you use, or would like to use knowledge/information.

We understand that many of you bring many perspectives (e.g., service provider, person with lived/living experience of PTSD/related mental health conditions, Veteran, Family member, etc.). We encourage you to speak from any of these perspectives when answering the questions that follow.  If any of the questions are not applicable to you, please leave them blank. 

Thank you for your contribution, and for helping us in our work to improve services and supports for Veterans and their Families.

With the Taliban gaining ground across Afghanistan, many individuals who aided Canadian troops until their withdrawal in 2011 as well as those currently working with the Canadian Embassy such as cooks, cleaners, and drivers are at risk of torture and death at the hands of the Taliban. The situation has rapidly deteriorated, especially with the US Forces now pulling out of the country.

The Centre of Excellence on PTSD stands with the Canadian Veteran community calling for timely, reasonable and decisive action which includes the need for rapid processing and barrier-free access to the new program created by the Canadian government for Afghan interpreters, as well as for Embassy staff, and their families to apply to resettle in Canada.

The Centre of Excellence on PTSD recognizes the significant concerns shared among many Canadian Veterans who were supported by the interpreters. Further, there is a distinct risk to Veterans who served in Afghanistan, and were aided by the interpreters, who may be facing a secondary trauma as the Taliban retakes ground and risk escalates.

On Wednesday July 28, the federal government through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released application packages to be submitted under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

As highlighted by Canadian Veterans, the Centre of Excellence on PTSD supports the position that while welcome, the program itself must reflect the complexity of the situation for those who may be in hiding and without access to the internet or other connections as they seek safe passage in fleeing the Taliban. We also wish to highlight that, as the documents on the government website are in English and French, language may well prove to be an additional barrier to those seeking asylum. These significant barriers must be addressed to effectively support those at risk.

Canada joined the mission in Afghanistan in 2001 with its combat role ending in 2011 in favour of a shift towards training Afghan soldiers, with the final pull out in 2014. Afghan interpreters are those who worked in the past with Canadian troops to ensure their safety. These individuals, as well as those currently working with the Canadian Embassy such as cooks, cleaners and drivers and their families are seeking safe asylum in Canada as was promised during the years Canadian soldiers were in the country, and most recently through a federal program announced to welcome these people to Canada as refugees.

An independent intermediary organization, the Centre of Excellence on PTSD is hosted within The Royal Ottawa Health Care Group and funded by Veterans Affairs Canada. Views of the Centre are independent of either organization.

Photo:
Master Corporal Anouk Beauvais (left) and an interpreter (centre) from the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (KPRT) speaking with an Afghan woman from the village of Panjwayi in Afghanistan (left).
Photo by: Cpl Simon Duchesne

The loss of a first responder in the line of duty hits hard. Particularly so in smaller communities, where police officers, fire fighters, and paramedics are often familiar faces and well-loved friends. The death of RCMP Constable Shelby Patton in Wolseley, Saskatchewan, while on a traffic stop on Saturday, 12 June, has left a community in grief, and a nation witness to yet another traumatic loss.

Our thoughts and support also extend to RCMP Police Dog Services Corporal Scott MacLeod, whose police dog, Jago, was killed on Thursday, 17 June 2021, while trying to apprehend a suspect in High Prairie, Alberta. This loss, too, is an emotional injury that will require support, kindness, and care.

Police officers live with the threat of injury or death each time they go to work. They are the second most likely workers in Canada to be killed on the job. Since 1975, 284 police officers have died while on duty, and 101 of them were murdered. Of these, 30% were RCMP officers.

The unique conditions of work for police officers – where the chances are likely that they will experience or witness violence in its many forms – create a distinct set of challenges for officers and their families. While we usually think of post-traumatic stress as an outcome of military service, RCMP officers, police officers, and other first responders experience it as well, and they and their families are living with the impacts.

A 2014 Veterans Affairs Canada study showed that almost 42% of long-term disability claims submitted by former RCMP officers were for mental-health conditions. A study, initiated in 2019 by the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) and the University of Regina, shows that 30% of RCMP officers screened positive for PTSD, while 32% had a major depressive disorder, and 23% had generalized anxiety. It is clear that RCMP officers and, by extension, other first responders are in need of supports to manage the impacts of trauma acquired while on duty.

The Centre of Excellence on PTSD stands with Veterans, both military and RCMP, first responders, and their families. We are working hard to ensure that they have nation-wide access to the services and supports they need to better understand the impacts of their trauma, and to heal.