A decorated Canadian soldier who fought in Afghanistan was going to have to pay a $7,000 feel for breaking the mortgage on his house after he was medically discharged from the army, reports the CBC. Master Cpl. Martin Pitre needed to sell his house in Pembroke, in the province of Ontario and move back to his hometown of Woodstock in New Brunswick after chronic injuries made him no longer fit for duty.
The military does pay for final moves, but that doesn’t include what a bank may charge when people break a mortgage contract early. The government cut that coverage for all Armed Forces personnel in 2012.
‘I almost lost my life for the country’
“I don’t understand why the bank and the military can’t work together to make our final move happen without me losing money,” said Master Cpl. Martin Pitre, from Pembroke, in the province of Ontario. “I served this country. I went to war for this country. Heck, I almost lost my life for the country.”
Scotiabank steps up
After his story was made public, the bank apologized to Pitre and waived the fee.
The change in coverage for broken mortgages could affect an estimated 14,500 military personnel who are relocated every year. This is one of several cuts made to services for Canadian veterans. There has been criticism of the government for the cuts, particularly since it is spending millions on war anniversaries at the same time.
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