It was November 14th, 2009 when life as North Bay veteran Michael McNeil knew it, changed forever.
He sustained a traumatic brain injury while on duty in Afghanistan.
“On the 30th day I hit a 300-pound IED (improvised explosive device),” said McNeil.
“I’ve got the helmet at home where the 70-pound door slammed down on my head after the 300-pound shock wave went through me. They gave me the Sacrifice Medal in 2012 for traumatic brain injury. But I couldn’t get the benefits I got the medal for, until 2017.”
McNeil can be found most days standing in front of Nipissing-Timiskaming Federal Liberal candidate Anthony Rota’s campaign office, sign in hand, trying to draw attention to his plight.
“Any government that thinks it is okay to say that we’re asking for more than they are able to give right now to a veteran doesn’t deserve to be in power. I have reached out to Liberals and I’ve asked for help, and all I got in return was threats to have my benefits reduced or removed,” said McNeil.
“So, I’m out here protesting because I don’t think this is right to say to anybody that fights for your country and your freedom.”
McNeil says he wants the government to keep promises made to veterans.
“He (Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau) went out in 2015 and he made a ton of promises to veterans. I want them to uphold all their promises, “said McNeil.
“We shouldn’t have to fight for the coverage we were told we would get if we got injured, that we would be looked after. I had to fight longer against the government than I did against the Taliban.”
McNeil is dealing with a whole host of other injuries.
“I use a cane because something is wrong with my hips, my back, my neck. I’ve got nerve damage all through my body. My brain rewired itself. I am going to a neurologist. I started suffering seizures nine months ago,” said McNeil.
“The last one I had was six months ago and it happened in front of my kids. They thought I had died…I bought my anti-seizure medication out of my own pocket. They reimbursed me last week because I had to fight them for it.”
Federal Liberal candidate for Nipissing-Timiskaming Anthony Rota says he can’t speak to McNeil’s personal situation.
“What I can say is Mike has gone through a lot. He was in Afghanistan, that is common knowledge and he continues to suffer. He is welcome to stand outside my office. He can stand anywhere he wants in this country. He put his life on the line and whatever comforts him, I am willing to work with him,” said Rota who says steps have been taken to help Canada’s veterans.
“Overall we’ve increased the number of people working at Veteran’s Affairs by close to 500. We’ve opened the nine offices that were closed by the previous government. We continue to work with veterans, and we’ve introduced a lot of measures like lifelong pensions,” said Rota.
“We’ve also put in place training for veterans for education and allowing them to receive up to 90 per cent of their salary while they are being trained for their next career. So, there are a lot of things that have been put in place.”
