Ottawa ON
Canada
Today, Guy Parent, Canada’s Veterans Ombudsman, informed the Minister of Veterans Affairs of his intention to act as an observer to the team conducting the audit of Sunnybrook Hospital.
“Recent allegations regarding the treatment of Veterans at Sunnybrook Hospital are of great concern to me. I welcome the Minister’s call for an audit of the facility. That said, as Veterans Ombudsman, I want to ensure that the audit to be carried out by Veterans Affairs Canada is as thorough as necessary to fully identify and address issues of concern.”
A formal observer role will enable the Veterans Ombudsman to follow the progress of the audit. “I plan on meeting with Veterans who reside at the facility and their families, and I want to make sure that any concerns they may raise are reflected and considered in the audit.”
This is consistent with the mandate of the Veterans Ombudsman to make certain that Veterans are treated fairly and with dignity. Mr. Parent will be seeking the Minister's assurances that he has full access to the audit team and process.