Just days after the funeral of a Canadian veteran who died of suicide on Christmas Day, her husband received a letter from Veterans Affairs saying the family must repay a portion of her monthly disability cheque.
The letter, dated Jan. 9 -- a day after retired Cpl. Leona MacEachern鈥檚 husband publicly revealed that her death was in fact a suicide -- expresses condolences to the family while asking for a repayment of $581.67.
In an email to CTV News, Tom MacEachern called it 鈥渁 slap in the face.鈥�
鈥�(I) didn鈥檛 know whether to laugh or cry鈥as breathless actually,鈥�
The letter from Veterans Affairs begins with: 鈥淲e have recently been advised of the death of Mrs. MacEachern. Our most sincere sympathy is extended to you and your family at this time.鈥�
It goes on to say that 鈥淓arnings Loss benefits paid under the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act are payable up to the day of Mrs. MacEachern鈥檚 death.
鈥淭herefore, an overpayment of $581.67 has been created for December 2013.鈥�
The letter says the family will be contacted by the 鈥淥verpayment Unit in the near future.鈥�
On Tuesday, the office of Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino that the decision to collect the money has been reversed.
鈥淢inister Fantino has directed the department to not collect any money from the estate or the family of Mrs. MacEachern,鈥� it said in a statement.
鈥淗e sends his deepest condolences to MacEachern family during this difficult time.鈥�
After learning of the reversal, Tom MacEachern said that if the condolences 鈥渃ount as an apology, then I guess we will have to accept it at face value.鈥�
鈥淥f course it鈥檚 a very small amount of money considering a life was lost that should have been saved,鈥� he said in an email.
MacEachern, a 20-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, when she intentionally drove her car into an oncoming transport truck on the Trans-Canada highway near Calgary.
The 51-year-old mother had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Her husband and family were critical of the services offered to MacEachern to treat her PTSD, and said that she had slipped through the cracks of a system that barely exists.
The letter from Veterans Affairs about the $581 repayment 鈥渟hows Canadians how this department trivializes the humanity of these situations,鈥� her husband said.
Liberal veterans鈥� affairs critic the letter "only shows the callousness of this government.
鈥淭hey should be ashamed of themselves. I'm just horrified.鈥�
With a report from CTV's Richard Madan
