MONTREAL — There were more suicides in the Canadian Forces since 2002 than combat deaths during Canada's Afghanistan mission, according to a report obtained by QMI Agency.

In the 12 years that Canadians fought in Afghanistan, 158 Armed Forces members were killed. According to records obtained from the Department of National Defence, there were 178 Canadian Forces suicides in the same period.

Due to standard military practice to issue only the numbers of suicides of full-time male soldiers — so the military can compare those statistics with the same age in the general population — previous numbers did not include female soldiers or reservists.

This has allowed the government to state that the suicide rate of a full-time male members of the Armed Forces is no different than that of the average Canadian from a similar demographic.

"I think the problem is much bigger than the numbers show," military lawyer and retired Col. Michel Drapeau said. "Many suicides occur after the person has left the Armed Forces and those numbers aren't included in the totals.

"Often, the ones who have just left the Forces are the most desperate."

Defence Minister Rob Nicholson has ensured the "Forces have taken great strides in recent years to make sure that more attention is being paid to mental health issues, whether they are deployment related or not," Ministry of National Defence spokesman Johanna Quinney told QMI Agency.

"We have augmented the military budget by $130 million, including an increase of $11.4 million for mental health initiatives, raising the total to $50 million. We now have 29 mental health clinics across the country."

The father-in-law of one young soldier who committed suicide says the military still needs to work on the basics.

Marc Tardif said if not for the Army's mistakes, his daughter-in-law, Anne Crevier, may still be alive today.

Crevier, 19, joined the forces in May 2011. On her final exercise of basic training, she was hit in the eye by a paintball. Crevier was wearing goggles, but not a full face mask.

The military transferred her for treatment to Valcartier in Quebec -- far from her family, friends and basic training mates.

"She was really left all on her own," Tardif said.

Crevier told Tardif that she was harassed while at Valcartier, and told that she was better suited to "work in an office."

Nine months after the paintball accident, Crevier committed suicide. "She lost all hope," Tardif said.

Two and a half years later, the family still waits for the results of the inquiry to Crevier's suicide.

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Suicides in the Canadian Armed Forces (2004 to March 31 2014):

2014 (March 31) :

Male - regular forces: 5

Female - regular forces: 0

Male and female reserves: 3

Total: 8

2013

Male - regular forces: 9

Female - regular forces: 1

Male and female reserves: 3

Total: 13

2012

Male - regular forces: 10

Female - regular forces: 3

Male and female reserves: 4

Total: 17

2011

Male - regular forces: 21

Female - regular forces: 1

Male and female reserves: 3

Total: 25

2010

Male - regular forces: 12

Female - regular forces: 0

Male and female reserves: 1

Total: 13

2009

Male - regular forces: 12

Female - regular forces: 2

Male and female reserves: 8

Total: 22

2008

Male - regular forces: 13

Female - regular forces: 1

Male and female reserves: 1

Total: 15

2007

Male - regular forces: 9

Female - regular forces: 1

Male and female reserves: 2

Total: 12

2006

Male - regular forces: 7

Female - regular forces: 1

Male and female reserves: 3

Total: 11

2005

Male - regular forces: 10

Female - regular forces: 0

Male and female reserves: 1

Total: 11

2004

Male - regular forces: 10

Female - regular forces: 0

Male and female reserves: 3

Total: 13

-- Source - Department of National Defence