Open letter to MP Ryan Leef:
On Friday, January 31, I sent you the following email:
“As a constituent, and the grandson of a member of the Royal Canadian Navy who served in two World Wars, I would urge you to support the motion put forward by the NDP to keep the service centres for veterans open. The alternatives put forward by the Minister of Defence will have dire consequences on the lives of veterans and their families who often count desperately on the help they receive from Veterans Affairs.
“Please, in the name of human compassion, support this motion to keep the Veterans Offices open.”
Nevertheless, and without any response from you or your office, on Monday, Feb. 3, you voted against this motion and in favour of closing the said offices.
The motion read:
“That, in the opinion of the House, the men and women who bravely serve Canada in the armed forces should be able to count on the government for support in their time of need, and that the government should demonstrate this support by (a) immediately addressing the mental health crisis facing Canadian soldiers and veterans by hiring appropriate mental health professionals; (b) reversing its decision to close veterans’ offices; and (c) prioritizing and concluding the over 50 outstanding boards of inquiry on military suicides so that grieving families may have answers and closure.”
I thought the public should know where you stand on caring for veterans.
Jean-Francois Des Lauriers
Whitehorse