7.2.4 The Impact of COVID-19 Measures on the Military

Introduction

The Commission heard from current and former members of the Canadian military, as well as a lawyer who represented hundreds of current members and veterans who were disciplined or dismissed as a result of the COVID-19 mandates.

Based on the testimony, the Canadian military placed the uptake of vaccines ahead of the safety of members of the Armed Forces, which served to destroy morale and has the carryover effect of weakening Canada and the defence of our nation.

Dr. Matthew Tucker (Truro, NS)

Devon Sexstone (Winnipeg, MB)

Michel Gagnon (Winnipeg, MB)

Catherine Christensen (Red Deer, AB)

Josée Belleville (Québec City, QC)

Terry LaChappelle (Truro, NS)

Impact of Pandemic Measures on the Canadian Armed Forces

Members of the Canadian forces are required to receive a large number of vaccines during their service. The Commission heard from several former members who had consented to receiving multiple vaccines in the past, often stating, with pride, that they had received more vaccines than anybody else in the room. Despite this history, the requirement to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was not acceptable to many.

The Commission heard testimony that many members were coerced into taking the vaccine in order to keep their jobs. Additionally, many former members testified personally about their experience in being discharged due a refusal to receive the vaccine. These included: Devon Sexstone, Michel Gagnon, and Josée Belleville. Additionally, Terry LaChappelle, a veteran and civilian contractor on the CFB Trenton base, lost his job.

Michel Gagnon testified that there were very few members of the services who were capable and trained to fly military planes like he was. He estimated that the total cost to train him was approximately $2 million. The removal of him as a pilot is a costly loss to the Canadian Armed Forces.

Dr. Matthew Tucker, who worked as a family doctor for members of the Canadian Armed Forces, testified that during the pandemic, he experienced an increase in patient visits for mental health issues, which he attributed to the pandemic restrictions. During this time, he also worked as an emergency doctor at a civilian hospital. He did not treat a single patient for COVID-19 until January 2022.

Dr. Tucker testified that there is a crisis in the military in terms of morale and that many are leaving the service. As a result, he is concerned about the security of our country. Mr. LaChappelle estimated that 800–900 military personnel were dishonourably discharged as a result of refusing the vaccine. Some were called back, but many refused to return.

Ms. Christensen testified that the Canadian Armed Forces lost an estimated 3000 to 5000 personnel due to the mandatory vaccination policy, out of a regular force of 68,000. She estimated that this included personnel who were discharged as well as those who experienced vaccine injuries. This is the highest loss of personnel since World War II. Ms. Christensen stated that the cost to the Canadian Armed Forces exceeds $3 billion in loss of training, experience, and expertise. This does not include costs to the members. She further discussed the toxic environment that was promoted and created within the Canadian Armed Forces against the unvaccinated, which she claimed was ongoing.

Implementation of the Vaccine Mandates

At first, the Canadian Armed Forces did not implement a mandate; they simply applied pressure to members to “do the right thing.“ However, in the fall of 2021, the military announced that it would “show leadership“ and “set an example“ by having a 100 per cent vaccine rate within its ranks.

Implementing a mandate in order to set an example does not support the position that the mandate had anything to do with the health of the members of the Canadian forces. The job of the Canadian military is not to set an example to the rest of Canada about their personal health choices. Moreover, the members of the military are an unusually healthy subset of the population, who were at very low risk of negative outcomes from COVID-19.

The Armed Forces can order soldiers into life-threatening situations. Ms. Christensen‘s testimony was that this power was abused when implementing the mandate. Soldiers are expected to rely on their superiors to look out for them, and only order them to make sacrifices on good principle. This covenant was broken by the vaccine mandates.

Because the COVID-19 vaccines were new, experimental products with no long-term safety data, the military mandate had the effect of causing Canada‘s military personnel to be treated as guinea pigs. The vaccines carried the risk of injury and death (albeit small), meaning that the mandate put soldiers in danger—but not for the purpose of defending the nation. Notably, the Commission heard that there had been zero deaths in the Canadian Armed Forces from COVID-19.

Avenues of Recourse for Members of the Canadian Armed Forces

Interestingly, the vaccine mandate was implemented by way of a directive, instead of an order. Ms. Christensen described the difference between an order and a directive.

An order could be: Take control of a particular hill. Directives would then follow that determined how to take the hill. There is no appeal for a soldier who fails to follow a directive. The Commission heard testimony that if the mandate had been made by way of an order, then the military would have had to accommodate requests for exemptions, such as religious exemptions. Ms. Christensen believes that the mandates were implemented by way of directive in order to avoid this process, and ensure that no exemptions were given—as part of meeting the stated goal of 100 per cent vaccinated.

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have grievances about their employment are not entitled to apply to a court. Thousands of members filed complaints about the mandates. The problem is that complaints went to the Chief of Defence Staff for review. The Chief of Defence Staff, however, is the one who implemented the mandate in the first place. Thus, members were left with no avenue or recourse within the services.

Trust among the ranks has been seriously eroded.

Members were gagged from speaking out against the mandates.

Members of the Canadian forces are prohibited from speaking out against the military, or their chain of command. Any members who do speak out publicly are disciplined.

It is for this reason that Canadians have not heard about the crisis in the Canadian Armed Forces that has resulted from the vaccine mandates. The Commission also heard testimony that members who were injured or disagreed with the mandates (whether vaccinated or not) were afraid to speak up. The Commission watched a video of members who were involved in fighting the mandates, and many of the faces were obscured or blurred to protect their identities.

Testimony Concerning Vaccine Injuries in the Armed Forces

Ms. Christensen testified that service members who became vaccine injured were told that their injuries were not service-related. This meant that injured members were not entitled to either a medical release from the services or compensation for their injury.

Recommendations

The fact that a citizen has put on a uniform and vowed to serve and protect Canada should not strip them of all rights and leave them with no legal avenues. The Commission makes the following recommendations:

1. Grievances by service members should be outside of their chain of command and to an independent reviewer, such as the Office of Inspector General.

2. Whistleblower legislation should be strengthened to allow soldiers to report on abuses within their chain of command without fear of discipline or retaliation.

3. Comprehensive healthcare should be provided to all injured service members, for as long as necessary.

4. An apology should be issued for implementing the vaccine mandate.

5. Where a medical product is provided to members of the Armed Forces, mandatory monitoring and reporting of injuries and sickness should be performed.