Charlottetown Remembrance Day ceremony lauds veterans with PTSD

A powerful message was deliveredat the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the cenotaph in Charlottetown, as thousands gathered to watch veterans parade, lay wreaths, and honour Canadian veterans both fallen and living.

MC Allan Callard didn't pull any punches in his address, talking openly about post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by many of the 685,000 veterans alive today in Canada, 4,300 of whom live in P.E.I.

• PHOTOS:Remembrance Day in Charlottetown

"For some, returning home does not always mean returning to peace. Injuries are not always obvious, be they physical or mental," saidCallard, an officialwith the Royal Canadian Legion.

"It is beyond time for us to realize there is no stigma in being a casualty as a consequence of mental injuries."

Callard noted there are veterans on parade at the ceremonywith PTSD.

"I admire their courage for coming out," he said.

"They made it their duty to serve Canada, and we must make it our duty to serve them."

'Pretty awesome, that it was mentioned today'

"It was the first year I can ever remember it mentioned," said24-year veteran John MacDonald, who suffered from severe PTSD after participating in the Swissair Flight 111 recovery mission in Nova Scotia, forcing his retirement.

""I think if the guys or gals talk more about it, it'll save some of these suicides that are happening," said MacDonald. Henow belongs to a support group he saidhelps a lot, and is "doing better."

Callard pointed out that Canada lost 158 soldiers during combat operations in Afghanistan, and also lost many to PTSD.

"There are estimates, and we may never know for sure, that during that same period we lost over 180 by their own hand. Men and women, our veterans, who were overcome by their mental injuries," he said.

Callard said recent reports have revealed there were sixsuicides committed in Afghanistan.

"Why were we afraid to talk about suicides in Afghanistan?" he asked.

"There is no shame in being a victim of PTSD. The shame is ours if we are reluctant to recognize it."

Callard pointed out PTSD is not only a combat or military hazard, recalling the mental injuries inflicted by the recovery of Nova Scotia's Swissair flight 111.

"PTSD, operational stress injuries, these are diagnoses to be discussed, not ignored."