John Cummins, M.P. Delta-South Richmond

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 1999

Mr. Charles J. Keliher
Bureau of Pensions Advocates
P.O. Box 7700
Charlottetown, P.E.I.
C1A 8M9

Dear Mr. Keliher:

It is interesting that you should enquire about my presentation to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in the Matchee case -- the Board refused to allow me to make a presentation, indicating that, even though it had no medical evidence, it did not wish to receive any!

The Matchee family had asked me to act on their behalf because of the extensive evidence I had assembled on the case since 1994.

As you know, the Entitlement Review decision findings were that mefloquine could cause emotional problems only with respect to the drug's use for the medical treatment of malaria, and would not do so if taken as a preventative as was the case in Somalia; that there was no indication that Matchee suffered any ill-effects from using the drug, or that he contacted a doctor about any such problem; and that his "suicide attempt" was wilful.

At Appeal, the Entitlement Review findings were reviewed and reaffirmed. The Board found that there was no evidence Matchee had even taken the drug or experienced any side-effects; nor that the drug was a factor in the suicide attempt. They found that the "suicide attempt" was a wilful act, unrelated to the mefloquine administered by the Department of National Defence.

The Board has now admitted that it made its findings without the most basic information, namely:

• the evidence and findings of the Somalia Inquiry with regard to the effects of mefloquine on soldiers deployed to Somalia;

• that the Canadian Forces failed to systematically monitor either efficacy or adverse reactions, as required by the Food and Drug Act, for each soldier who received mefloquine in the Somalia deployment;

• that the problems resulting from mefloquine use in the deployment to Somalia were reported in the October 1993 CF medical report entitled, "Medical Operations in Somalia, Surgical Section", in particular the finding that the Matchee suicide attempt may have been mefloquine-related;

• that the day mefloquine was administered in Somalia was referred to as "psycho Tuesday", a day and night of serious problems for the men;

• that the 1991 Canadian Forces protocol for administering mefloquine expressed concern over the potential central nervous system side-effects, citing lingering concerns in the US Army over central nervous system side-effects, inadequate data and lack of experience with the drug in the Canadian Forces;

• that the problems resulting from mefloquine use in the relief mission to Somalia were reported in detail in the January 1993 CF medical report entitled, "Medical Post-Op Report-Op Relief";

• that problems resulting from mefloquine use in the deployment to Somalia were reported in the April 1993 CF medical report from HMCS Preserver entitled, "Post Deployment Report Op Deliverance 16 November 1992 - 7 April 1993"; and

• that the suicide death in 1994 of a Canadian soldier deployed to Somalia and then to Rwanda was found both by the Canadian Forces and the United Nations, to have been mefloquine related.

The Board claims that it was aware that the drug was acquired through a clinical study and was not licensed for general use. It has not said if it was aware that the drug was acquired and administered illegally and without any consideration for adverse effects.

I have sought a medical opinion on the role of the antimalarial drug in the Matchee suicide attempt from an internationally recognized expert and have assembled a great deal of medical evidence, which the Board did not have when it made its earlier decisions. The Board has refused to hear any of the evidence now available. In fact the Board refused to allow me to make any presentation on behalf of the Matchee family. I was never even informed that a meeting had been convened in Moncton to make a final disposition of the case.

The Canadian Forces in January of 1995 officially acknowledged that mefloquine was a contributing factor in the suicide death in Rwanda of a Canadian soldier who had previously been in Somalia. However, the Board, long after the inquiry into the suicide death in Rwanda, has made a finding of fact on the role played by an illegally administered antimalarial drug known to cause depression, paranoia, and suicidal ideation -- but without any medical evidence on which to base its decision.

As a result of my dealings with the Board on behalf of the Matchee family, I have developed a new respect for the difficult task faced by veterans and Pension Advocates as they seek to present the facts of their case before the Board.

Veterans are not well served when their Pension Board cavalierly refuses to hear the available medical evidence. The Board had an opportunity, together with a legal and moral duty, to hear the new evidence. It refused. Canadian veterans deserve better.

It is my hope that the Board will re-consider its refusal to hear all the available medical evidence in the Matchee case. It is important to the Matchee family that any finding of attempted suicide reflect all available evidence. The spurious finding by the Board of disability due to a wilful "suicide attempt" is offensive to a family that has suffered enough. Clayton Matchee languishes in hospital indefinitely. His daughter, wife and parents do not need this unwarranted insult. It is up to the Board to set the record straight and only they can do it.

Yours sincerely,

John Cummins, M.P.

cc. Hon. George Baker, P.C., M.P., Minister of Veterans Affairs

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For more information, please contact:
John Cummins, M.P.
(613) 992-2957 or (604) 940-804