Witness Testimony

Josée Belleville testified that she served 13 years in the Canadian Armed Forces as an aerospace operator and master corporal. She stated that while initially stationed in Nova Scotia, COVID-19 policies were less restrictive, but after a transfer to Ontario in 2021, federal vaccination mandates intensified. After submitting memoranda through her chain of command requesting additional vaccine information and expressing concerns based on prior military medical experiences, she ultimately refused vaccination and was barred from entering her workplace in November 2021. She described administrative discharge procedures extending to June 2022, significant pension reductions, and ineligibility for unemployment benefits.
Belleville recounted emotional distress associated with leaving her military career, describing social isolation on base and public identification of her vaccination status. She began documenting her experience on TikTok as a form of personal expression, which gained a substantial following. She also participated in Freedom Convoy events and described a perceived discrepancy between her lived experience and media reporting. During this period, she reported that her mother passed away and that her eldest daughter became pregnant.
Following the birth of her granddaughter, Belleville testified that Quebec’s Department of Youth Protection (DYP) removed the infant and placed her in foster care. She alleged that her public social media activity and stated opposition to government policies were cited as factors preventing her from assuming care of the child. She further stated that multiple foster placements occurred within months and that complaints she filed with various oversight bodies and public officials did not resolve the matter. She characterized the situation as retaliatory and expressed concern about broader implications for families who publicly oppose government policies.