Witness Testimony

Joe Behar testified that he is a federal civil servant from Baie Verte, New Brunswick, with 20 years of service and managerial experience. He stated that during the federal vaccine mandate announcement in fall 2021, he was working remotely under a secondment agreement and was not required to attend a physical workplace. He declined vaccination and requested accommodation, offering masking and testing at his own expense. He testified that accommodation was denied and that he was placed on leave without pay effective November 17, 2021.
Behar described being locked out of all government systems before the end of his final workday, including loss of access to personal contacts, leave balances, and HR documentation. He filed a grievance through his union after the union initially declined representation but later agreed to proceed on a case-by-case basis. He testified that grievance timelines outlined in the collective agreement were not respected and that more than a year later he had received no final resolution. He estimated his lost income during the leave period at approximately $60,000–$70,000 and described depleting savings before securing a lower-paying temporary contract position.
He further testified that vaccine passport policies restricted his ability to fly to visit his elderly mother in Ontario or his daughter in the United States. He described social ostracism in his small community, strained family relationships, and a loss of trust in institutions. He stated that the experience left him alarmed about the state of constitutional protections and that, for the first time, he contemplated leaving Canada.