On Sept. 19th, hold a rally in front of your country’s legislature to raise awareness and demand justice.
Link to Mefloquine Veterans Rally 2019 Facebook Page
On September 19th, Marj Matchee along with a dedicated group of veterans and their advocates, will for the third year in a row hold a rally in front of the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa.
Marj has been a tireless advocate for mefloquine awareness for over two decades. Her husband, Clayton Matchee, was a member of the Canadian Airborne Regiment in 1992 and deployed to Somalia. While there, he was involved in an incident that would forever change his life, an incident that without a doubt was attributable to mefloquine toxicity.
https://onecalgaryvoter.com/2019/02/26/stolen-honour/
Read the story of Clayton Matchee’s mission in Somalia here.
Tired of unsuccsessfully lobbying the government for answers, Marj decided that the time had come to take things to the next level, and so three years ago she organized the very first Veterans Mefloquine Rally. It would be held in Ottawa on September 19th, marking the day in 2016 that Canadian veteran Claude Lalancette began his first of two hunger strikes on Parliament Hill.
The purpose for the rally
For Marj Matchee, the purpose of holding these rallies is to accomplish a number of things.
Mefloquine Awareness
The primary objective at the moment is to raise awareness of this drug first among veterans, current CF members, and those who are or will be planning a trip to a malaria zone, followed in turn by the general public.
Government Accountability
Reopening the Somalia Commission of Inquiry
The Canadian Government ordered a commission of inquiry into the Somalia affair, however it was shut down before evidence could be heard pertaining to mefloquine and the effect it had on the soldiers deployed to Somalia. Marj and an ever growing number of Canadians want the inquiry reopened.
Doing so would go a long way toward exonerating her husband and another soldier, Kyle Brown. These men had their lives and reputations ruined by mefloquine and it is my intention to have both of their names cleared in the historical record.
Admission Of Wrongdoing On The Part Of Government
Somehow, I just don’t see Justin Trudeau offering up platitudes and crocodile tears over this issue, nice as that would be. For years, the Government of Canada and the Department of National Defense have done all they could to keep things hidden or otherwise out of public view. While I don’t see such an admission coming in the near future, I still plan on holding them to account by reminding them, and the Canadian public, of what they did to a large number of our soldiers.
Government Funding For Research Leading To A Treatment Or Cure
Since they bear the responsibility for poisoning thousands of their own troops, it is incumbent upon them to find a way of treating them medically and if possible developing a cure. Whether or not this has even been conceived of yet remains unknown.
Make awareness the top priority
I wouldn’t expect people in Germany to rally at the Reichstag for Clayton Matchee, although they are certainly more than welcome to. The priority in every country right now has to be on awareness and education, because the more people who hear the message, the more lives can be saved. This has to be number one.
Demand answers of your governments, demand that your voices be heard, and sound out an alarm that will be heard by all. Veterans, humanitarian volunteers, and the travelling public all need to be made aware of the dangers posed by mefloquine and tafenoquine. Your efforts could help save the lives of many thousands around the world.
Mark September 19th on your calendar.
Whether you are in Rome, Berlin, Paris, Copenhagen, Madrid, Canberra, Amsterdam, Washington D.C., London, or Dublin, you can make a difference on September 19th. Even if you stand in front of the seat of your government by yourself, you will be making a difference, and standing in solidarity with the people who started it. On September 19th, stand with Marj Matchee, and help carry her message around the world.
D.B.
The Advocate-Equalizer 