The mother of a Canadian soldier who died by suicide says she’s furious after receiving a letter from Canada’s top general that she believes suggested her son didn’t deserve two medals awarded to him for his service.
Sheila Fynes' son, Cpl. Stuart Langridge, 28, was found dead in his Edmonton barracks in 2008. Two years later, the Afghanistan war veteran was given the Sacrifice Medal and a Memorial Cross.
The Sacrifice Medal is awarded to soldiers who die "as a result of military service or are wounded by hostile action."
The Memorial Cross is granted to the loved ones of Canadian Armed Forces personnel who "died in service or whose death was attributed to their service."
But in a four-page letter sent to Fynes on June 22, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Tom Lawson wrote that a board of inquiry report concluded that "Langridge's death was not attributable to military service."
"This would normally have precluded his eligibility for the Sacrifice medal and any other benefits," Lawson wrote in the letter.
"As you know, the Sacrifice Medal and the Memorial Cross were presented almost one year before (the board of inquiry) final report was approved by Gen. Natynczyk," he added.
Fynes believes that Lawson was implying that her son was mistakenly awarded the medals before there was adequate evidence surrounding the cause of his death.
"He was saying we shouldn't have got the medals. Plain and simple," Fynes told CTV News.
"Every time I think they can't possibly do one more thing to possibly hurt – they do."
On Tuesday evening, Lawson tried to clarify his letter in a voice message left for Fynes.
"The medal that was given to your son and the cross to you, they were given with full honours and full respect ma'am and I certainly hope that's the way you see it," Lawson said on the recording.
However, Fynes' lawyer says that it's too late for apologies.
"The damage has been done. It's a gallon of acid that's been thrown in the memory of Stuart Langridge," said retired colonel Michel Drapeau.
The soldier's family has been locked in a lengthy and public battle with the Canadian military over questions surrounding Langridge's suicide.
In March, an independent commission concluded the military botched its probe into the case due to inexperienced and negligent investigators.
And some veterans' advocates believe that the Canadian Armed Forces made another mistake with last month's letter to Fynes.
"I really have to question whether this letter was in the best interest of that family. To be reminded of it in this fashion just seemed somewhat pointless to me," said Lt.-Col (Ret.) Chris Linford of Wounded Warriors Canada.
Fynes said that Lawson's letter has voided her son's Sacrifice Medal of any of its original symbolism, and she is so infuriated that she's considering giving it back.
With a report from CTV News' Omar Sachedina
