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The battle of Romeo Dallaire's life may not be Rwanda after all, but PTSD
By
Gerry Caplan
| January 10, 2017

Few of us could have been surprised by Romeo Dallaire's moving article in The Globe this weekend commenting on the tragedy of Lionel Desmond, the former soldier with PTSD who murdered his family then took his own life. Lt.-Gen. Dallaire, now retired, is surely among Canada's most admired citizens, if not the most admired. I include myself among his ardent fans, and I hope that 2017 might be the time he finally escapes from the demons that have haunted him for the past 23 years. Lionel Desmond's ghastly case only stirs up those ghosts.

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Politically sidelined (trigger warning)
By
J. Baglow
| August 15, 2015

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Where would I find enough leather
To cover the entire surface of the earth?
But with leather soles beneath my feet,
It's as if the whole world has been covered.
~ Śāntideva

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Remembrance Day: Focusing on mental health and healing

Photo: flickr/Nelson Kwok
What do we honour on Remembrance Day? Should we shift our focus to mental health instead of militarism?

Related rabble.ca story:

Refocusing Remembrance Day on mental health and healing
Tags:
mental health Canadian militarism Remembrance Day PTSD
Refocusing Remembrance Day on mental health and healing
By
Michelle Muller
| November 10, 2014

Remembrance Day: November 11, 2014.

I have recently been thinking a lot about what this holiday actually means, due to recent conversation on Facebook and talk radio regarding the London Ontario Santa Clause Parade.

A person was claiming it is disrespectful to have the Santa Clause parade before Remembrance Day -- and seven weeks before Christmas -- because it makes it seem as though Christmas is more important than Remembrance Day. And, that Remembrance Day is actually a very important day to reflect on war, military and the veterans that we have lost and that it reflects current military ideology and is relevant to the context of war today. 

However, some people claim that Remembrance Day appears to be acting as war propaganda: 

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Harper's crocodile tears for fallen soldiers
By
Jesse McLaren
| October 27, 2014

Harper claims his "thoughts and prayers" are with the family and friends of Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Corporal Nathan Cirillo, the two Canadian soldiers tragically killed last week. Then why is he sending troops to kill or be killed in Iraq, while cutting pensions to veterans amidst rising suicides? If they "gave their lives so that we can live in a free, democratic and safe society," why is Harper using their deaths to further restrict our civil liberties and make us less safe?


Highjacking tragedy

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rabble news

PTSD on the rise: The hidden casualties of Canada's war in Afghanistan

Photo: Truthout.org / flickr

Afghanistan veteran Yan Berube was handling a gun and planning to kill himself when he was arrested at this home in 2010. The incident was attributed to his diagnosed case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

In 2008, Cpl. Stuart Langbridge, also a veteran of Afghanistan, hanged himself at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton. His family said he had PTSD. On September 10, Greg Matters was shot dead during a confrontation with RCMP officers. Matters had served with the Canadian Forces in Bosnia and had recently sought treatment for PTSD. 

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Tags:
health Afghanistan Canadian politics war PTSD

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