The House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs met on October 9, 2025, to study the impact of suicide prevention among veterans. Witnesses included Sherri Elms, Margit Simon (transition trainer with the Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group), Brad Field (president of Homes For Heroes Foundation), Ashley Thompson (serving member and widow), and Hélène Le Scelleur (retired captain and vice-chair of the Centre of Excellence Advisory Council for Veterans).
Sherri Elms testified that her husband, a 34-year infantry veteran, died by suicide in 2014 after living with an undiagnosed operational stress injury for over 20 years. She said his medical chart contained scattered warning signs but no one considered his struggles service-related, and his family was never asked about his behaviour at home. Elms recommended that families be included in care and that Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) fund mental health services for survivors of service-related deaths, noting she had to pay out of pocket for therapy because funding did not follow the patient.
Margit Simon shared the story of her son, Private Jason Simon, who died by suicide while serving as a reservist. She urged the committee to continue openly discussing suicide and to accurately document causes of death in the military, as she had to fight to have her son’s cause changed from “unknown.” Simon also asked whether studies are being done on suicide statistics by gender and age, noting that female veterans are twice as likely and male veterans 1.4 times as likely to die by suicide as the general population.
Brad Field said too many veterans feel invisible and that safe housing, mental health support, and community care can prevent crises. He called for cultural change within the Canadian Armed Forces and VAC, arguing that navigating the VAC website is insurmountable for many veterans and that caseworkers often read from a textbook rather than listening from the heart. Field also raised concerns about VAC’s cannabis policy, saying it is turning veterans into unproductive “potheads” and costing taxpayers hundreds of millions annually, and recommended a concierge-style service to streamline applications.
Ashley Thompson, a serving member and widow, testified that her husband died by suicide in 2022 while on active duty, but VAC classified his death as non-service-related. She said a board of inquiry omitted key information, including one deployment and all remedial measures he faced, and that she and her five children have received no meaningful support from VAC. Thompson recommended that legislation be changed so that families of veterans who die by suicide receive benefits and mental health care, regardless of the service-related determination.
Hélène Le Scelleur argued that suicide prevention must address chronic pain, moral injury, and institutional betrayal, not just mental health. She said that institutions sometimes become the source of distress through dehumanizing administrative requirements and a lack of accountability. Le Scelleur highlighted that her name and rank were erroneously placed on two permanent memorials funded by VAC as if she had died in combat, causing deep distress, and that despite repeated requests, there has been no apology or remedy. She also stated that the Women Veterans Council, on which she sits, has no budget, resources, or access to the minister, leaving it symbolic rather than effective.
The committee did not debate any motions or procedural matters during this meeting.
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