by Eliana Silver, Daily Mail
It was two days before Christmas when David Baltzer, a physically healthy man in his 30s, was offered medically assisted death by a Veterans Affairs Canada caseworker.
A former soldier who had served two tours in Afghanistan, Baltzer had been receiving psychological treatment for PTSD and suicidal thoughts.
He relied on veterans’ benefits to survive after struggling to reintegrate into civilian life, so he was shocked when he received a letter informing him that his benefits had been cut.
Upset and looking for answers, he called Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC).
But rather than receiving the help he was seeking, Baltzer claims the caseworker instructed him to end the call and provided him with a different number to contact.
During that subsequent conversation, he says the caseworker reviewed his file and suggested he consider another option.
‘He looked at my file and said, “I can see the therapy you’ve done. It doesn’t seem like much has helped. I’d like you to keep an open mind and think about this.”‘
‘”Have you ever given any thought to medical assistance in dying?”‘
Baltzer is among several Canadian veterans who have told the Daily Mail they were offered euthanasia in connection with their mental health struggles and disabilities.