Nova Scotia premier says no justification for Veterans Affairs help for murderer
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s premier is questioning the justification for Veterans Affairs Canada’s decision to pay for the PTSD treatment of a Halifax man who murdered an off-duty police officer and used a compost bin to dispose of her body.
In an interview Thursday, Stephen McNeil said he was initially “stunned and shocked” by the department’s help for Christopher Garnier and he made that point in recent conversations with Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O’Regan and with Scott Brison, Nova Scotia’s regional representative in cabinet.
“I don’t believe anyone in their drafting of this policy to look after military families believed that it would be looking after a convicted killer in our province, and I strongly voiced that issue with the federal government and with my colleagues and they will look into it,” said McNeil.
In a statement issued late Wednesday O’Regan said he would be “looking into how and why this decision was made,” but defended Veterans Affairs and its PTSD treatment for vets and their families.