From serving to under-served
Canada's veterans
In 2021, the Canadian census shared that there are nearly half a million Canadian veterans - That's similar to the entire city of Halifax, but we hear so little about them!
The Government of Canada defines a veteran as anyone who was part of the Canadian Armed Forces, who have completed their basic training and were honourably discharged from duty.
Veterans are praised across the nation for their protection and dedication to the safety of our country. But life after discharge seems to be another reality, as veterans face increased rates of unemployment, houselessness, and mental health issues.
How is it that a population that is so heavily praised by the government so severely neglected?
We know! The military-industrial complex is an issue for another post because while we have a lot of feelings about the military, it is important to note that veterans are one of the many neglected populations in our country.
Issues Veterans Face
Physical Health:
Vets have overall higher rates of high blood pressure, chronic pain, and long-term disability.
Exposure to chemicals and other harmful substances for those who have served can result in the worse health over time than the general population.
Mental Health:
About 20% of all veterans have a mental health diagnosis, which 95% of the time occurs in conjunction with a physical illness in veterans.
PTSD: This is one of the most common mental health diagnoses that veterans receive due to the trauma they endure during service or otherwise.
Suicide: Veterans have a far greater rate of suicide than the general population, with females vets experiencing suicide at double the rate and male vets at 50% higher
Issues Facing Veterans
Houselessness:
Research into veteran houselessness has shown that veterans make up a little over 4% of all people experiencing houselessness in Canada.
However, veterans make up about 1.6% of the total Canadian population, demonstrating their overrepresentation in the houselessness population.
It has also been found that homelessness is a long road for veterans, with almost a ten year delay following discharge. This indicates lack of support over a long period of time, leading to progressive break down and decline
Unemployment:
Finding employment after service is shown to be difficult for veterans, especially younger ones.
The veteran unemployment rate is about 8% which is higher than the average Canadian unemployment rate, which is about 5%
So why do veterans experience these serious issues at disproportionately high rates?
Veteran Representation
Who comes to mind when we envision veterans? What images are featured when we talk about veterans? Are you picturing an older white male? Shocker.
This is not an accurate representation of the population or veterans in Canada. And this is especially concerning because the issues faced by veterans become even more exacerbated for veterans with intersectional identities. This leads to increased difficulty in navigating veteran life and increased gaps in the disparities experienced by veterans.
13% of veterans are female - houselessness is far more common in Canadian women than men
8% of the Canadian military is made up of ethnic minorities, who we know face systemic barriers to employment opportunities and support services
Almost 3% of the Canadian military is currently comprised of Indigenous people:
Indigenous veterans have higher mental health needs than non-Indigenous groups, but less access to culturally competent mental health services
Transitioning back to civilian life
Many of the issues veterans face are related back to their transition into regular civilian life following service. Depression, anxiety, decline into homelessness, and unemployment.
“The transition [from military to cilivlian life] is like being on Mars and coming back to earth”
Approximately one third of all veterans reported facing issues during their transition back into civilian life.
Systems failure
All of this points to one main root problem:
The issues faced by veterans show us where the system is failing those who serve in our military
Mental health continues to be a prevalent issue as supports are chronically underfunded and supported. While social support for veterans exists, there is a massive backlog of applicants, leaving many veterans without the social support they need to re-integrate into civilian life.
Not only that but what about the lead-up to these diagnoses? What can be done to help military folks before they are discharged? Or, what can be put in place during military service to help improve mental health during duty?
These are systemic failures by our government.
This Remembrance Day:
Show your Support:
Many organizations work to support vets in their transition to civilian life. Try vtncanada.org
and AVA, which advocates for Indigenous Veterans and active Indigenous members in the Armed Forces: avavets.com/about/
Supporting your local Legion is another great way to show up for veterans in your community! Whether that be through events they host, donations, or more - find out more at: www.legion.ca/support-for-veterans
Contact Your Rep:
Use your voice to write to your elected officials (oncanadaproject.ca/findyourrep) and ask that they do more to support Canadian veterans through social support, mental health services, and preventative actions.
