Envoys’ health issues ‘visible’

PM defends support given to ailing diplomats who served in Cuba

OTTAWA— Canadian diplomats who have taken ill after time spent in Cuba have “visible and real” health impacts, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.

Speaking a day after five diplomats and their family members launched a $28-million lawsuit against the federal government, Trudeau insisted that his government has taken seriously the evolving health crisis that has left diplomats and family members struggling with concussion-like symptoms.

“We have taken very seriously the situation in Cuba. There is no question that the health impacts on diplomats in Cuba have been visible and real,” Trudeau said Thursday during a morning visit to Vaughan.

But the lawsuit accuses Ottawa of a slow-footed response as American and Canadian diplomats and family members posted to Havana began to report mysterious health problems two years ago.

“Throughout the crisis, Canada downplayed the seriousness of the situation, hoarded and concealed critical health and safety information and gave false, misleading and incomplete information to diplomatic staff,” states the lawsuit, which was filed in Federal Court Wednesday.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

The lawsuit says the department failed to provide “reasonable or appropriate” medical support to diplomats and their families suffering an array of symptoms that have left them struggling to return to work and normal life.

It alleges that Global Affairs had medical evidence in the spring of 2017 that diplomats and family members were suffering health problems, yet failed to act.

In some cases, the onset of health symptoms such as headaches, chronic fatigue, vision and balance problems were accompanied by strange noises and sensations of pressure.

Global Affairs has said that the lengthy investigation has yet to turn up a cause, though the lawsuit claims officials privately suspected it was some form of sonic or microwave attack, “potentially by a hostile foreign power.”

“We are continuing to work with local authorities and work with the RCMP to determine what is the source of these sounds or this issue they are facing,” Trudeau said.