Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay denied a Veterans Affairs caseworker offered medical assistance in dying (MAiD) to Canadian Armed Forces veterans, despite previously testifying before a House of Commons committee they had..In response to a tweet by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre on Monday, where he said the Liberal government had offered veterans medically-assisted suicide, MacAulay said Poilievre was spreading "harmful misinformation."."However, we have invested over $11 billion in Canada's veterans, which has put $2 billion more every year in veterans pockets compared to the Conservatives," MacAulay added.."All veterans can and should feel safe coming to Veterans Affairs Canada for the support they need and deserve. The political games Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives are playing with veterans is harmful and wrong.".But in November, MacAulay himself testified in front of a House of Commons veterans affairs committee suicide had been offered to several veterans. .“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it once again, what happened was totally unacceptable. There is no way to justify it, and I will not try to do that today, or ever," MacAulay said when asked about the offers of medically assisted suicide..MacAulay went on to describe several instances of MAiD being inappropriately offered in 2019 and 2021. A total of four veterans are alleged to have been offered MAiD, all by the same Veterans Affairs caseworker..Canadian veteran and Paralympian Cpl. Christine Gauthier said she was given the option to commit suicide after several years of her requests for a home wheelchair ramp not being met.."With respect to MAiD, I have a letter in my file because I've had to face that as well. I have a letter saying that if you're so desperate, madam, we can offer you MAiD," she testified on December 2.READ MORE: Assisted dying was offered to veteran and former Paralympian requesting wheelchair rampMacAulay's denial of MAiD being offered to veterans came on the same day that it was revealed the Veterans Canada employee who offered the procedure is not longer at the department.“As of today, the employee is no longer employed at Veterans Affairs Canada,” said Erika Lashbrook Knutson, press secretary for the MacAulay.In response to MacAulay's tweet, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner said, "Gaslighting doesn't fix the problem, minister."
