Desmond inquiry: Lionel Desmond’s case manager at Veterans Affairs begins testimony

PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. — An inquiry examining why a former soldier in Nova Scotia killed his family and himself in 2017 is hearing today from his case manager at Veterans Affairs Canada.

Marie-Paule Doucette worked with former infantryman Lionel Desmond between October 2015 and January 2017, helping him overcome barriers to his reintegration into civilian life.

She spent much of the morning explaining the details of her qualifications and workflow, saying the case manger’s job had the kind of workload “that never goes away.”

Doucette says the goal of Veterans Affairs was to have each case manager handle about 25 veterans, but her caseload grew to between 35 and 40 by January 2017, which is when Desmond killed three family members and himself.

The inquiry has heard that after the Afghanistan war veteran was medically discharged from the military with PTSD in 2015, it took Veterans Affairs six months to appoint Doucette to oversee his complex case. 

As well, the inquiry has heard that Desmond received no therapeutic help in the four months before he killed his wife, mother and 10-year-old daughter in their home in Upper Big Tracadie, N.S.

That gap has become a focus of the inquiry, which started hearings in January 2020 but has been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2021.

The Canadian Press