The Royal Canadian Legion Advocates for the mental
health and wellbeing of Veterans across Canada
The stress and unique circumstances that our military men and women face often make the transition back to
civilian life challenging. Some develop operational stress injuries (OSIs) including invisible wounds such as
PTSD, depression and anxiety, substance abuse, and other conditions that interfere with daily functioning. The
Royal Canadian Legion is advocating for government to improve research, care and access to services and
supports for OSIs.
Primary advocacy position(s) on this issue:
• Mental illness education, counselling and training is desperately needed for Veterans, their families and
their support network.
• Research is needed to understand the causes, impact and treatment of operational stress injuries and
mental illness in the Veteran community.
• Our government must also continue to increase the work currently being done to help eliminate mental
health stigma in the military and RCMP.