Children In 'real Crisis' On Petawawa Military Base:

Marin said while conducting his investigation, which began March 1, he met children who admit they hate to be called to the principal's office at their school because they are afraid they will be told their mother or father has been killed overseas. Others hide in their homes with the lights off, so that they can't be found if a military official comes to tell them their parents are dead. A mental health crisis has erupted at the Petawawa military base, where children are "on the brink of suicide," Ontario's ombudsman said Friday as he released a damning report on the state of Canada's military children. In anticipation of the report's release, the Ontario government has already pledged $2 million to help tackle the problems at CFB Petawawa, near Ottawa, Ombudsman André Marin said. Ombudsman André Marin told reporters in Ottawa Friday that children from Petawawa hate being called to the principal's office because they're afraid they'll be told a parent has died in Afghanistan. He said children at the base are coping with particularly devastating losses — 20 Petawawa soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan in total, 16 of them killed since last summer. Another 80 Petawawa soldiers have been injured in Afghanistan battles. Related:http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2007/03/01/petawawa.html http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2007/04/13/children-ombudsman.html

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