Witness Testimony

Linda Adshade testified that she worked for the Nova Scotia Health Authority and, during the pandemic, supervised a remote team responsible for notifying individuals of negative PCR COVID-19 test results. She stated that she received full provincial spreadsheets each morning containing both positive and negative test results. After isolating positive cases from the data, she concluded that the totals she observed did not match publicly reported figures, estimating that public case counts were approximately 25 percent higher than the data she reviewed.
Adshade testified that her role was entirely remote and that she had no in-person contact with patients or clinical settings. When vaccine mandates were introduced for NSHA employees, she declined vaccination based on personal research and concerns about the speed of vaccine development. She also testified that her supervisor, who attempted to reassure her by receiving the vaccine, later reported experiencing facial paralysis following vaccination, which reinforced her decision.
She stated that after informing management of her refusal, she was advised she would be placed on unpaid leave and potentially terminated. Her system access was removed effective December 1, 2021, prior to the stated policy implementation date. She elected to take early retirement three years before full benefits eligibility and testified that she and her husband now rely solely on his income.