May 10, 2005

Raise your voice, fight for fairness

The denial of compensation to the widow of a victim of gas warfare experiments shocked many Canadians

By Greg Weston

If our inbox is any indication, readers across the country are suitably outraged over our recent report that the feds are refusing to compensate widows of Canadian soldiers used as guinea pigs in chemical warfare tests.

One of those seeing red is Winnie Ellerman, still feisty at 77 and hopping mad at her government.

The Saskatchewan widow's late husband was one of about 3,600 young wartime recruits who suffered a lifetime of debilitating health problems after being doused with chemicals, sprayed with mustard gas and forced to breathe toxic poisons during government-run tests at Suffield, Alta., and in Ottawa from 1941-70.

After decades of denying the odious tests ever happened, the government finally announced a compensation program last year, but only if the victim left a will.

As in the case of at least 29 of the gassed and long-suffering vets, Otto Ellerman left his wife of more than 40 years everything but a will, and her request for compensation was denied.

"I was devastated," Winnie told me this week.

Then the ultimate insult: "At the end of the (rejection letter), they said if the family wished, we could still get a certificate of recognition."

Something nice they could frame, perhaps. Perhaps something like: The Government of Canada hereby officially recognizes that we drenched your husband in chemicals, ruining his health and putting his family through 50 years of hell. Too bad. Compensation denied."

Understandably, Winnie Ellerman was livid and appealed the government's utterly dumb decision.

The last she heard was a letter signed by a vice-admiral in the human resources department, saying: "I anticipate that I will be able to more fully respond to your request in the near future."

That was last December. She is still waiting.

Meanwhile, to his credit, Conservative MP Dave MacKenzie (Oxford) has been on this file since last fall, and isn't giving up.

One of his constituents in southwestern Ontario got the same kiss-off as Winnie Ellerman -- and the same offer of a framed certificate.

Stonewalling case

One of MacKenzie's officials says the government has been doing everything possible to stonewall on the case, including blocking the release of documents requested five months ago under the Access to Information Act.

MacKenzie isn't the only one looking for answers -- or at least some sign of government sanity.

A reader in Edmonton writes: "The treatment of these unfortunate victims and their families is despicable. We owe these vets our lives and our thanks."

Lynda J. from Kincardine, Ont. writes: "When our politicians are spending our tax dollars so foolishly, and then deny these widows even this small compensation, we should all be ashamed -- the politicians, for obvious reasons, and the rest of us for putting up with the inanity of our political system."

Like most readers who contacted us, Steven R. says the story made him "infuriated with the present government."

"When they need something done for themselves, or those who support them, there are no legalities stopping them ... What can I do to help?"

Answer: With an election in the wind, if your MP is a Liberal, why not pick up the phone or a pen or bang out an e-mail saying you're not going to take this anymore. No compensation for the widows. No vote for Liberals.

If you are blessed with an MP who is not Liberal, here are some useful phone numbers of ministers who would love to hear from you:

Minister of Defence Bill Graham: 613-996-3100.

Minister of Veterans' Affairs Albina Guarnieri: 613-996-4649.

The Prime Minister's Office: 613-992-4211.

If you have access to e-mail, everyone you might wish to contact, including MPs and ministers, can be found through the federal website at: http://www.gc.ca