Witness Testimony

Garry Bredeson testified that his three sons were enrolled at different universities when COVID-19 restrictions began in 2020. He described sudden campus closures and the shift to online learning, requiring his family to quickly retrieve his youngest son from university residence and relocate him back to Alberta. He stated that online instruction negatively affected educational quality, particularly for lab-based courses, and significantly limited social development, especially for first-year students attempting to build academic and peer connections.
He further testified that in 2021, federal travel restrictions prevented his unvaccinated son from boarding a previously purchased flight home for Christmas. Attempts to arrange alternative air travel, including charter options, were unsuccessful due to airport policies. Ultimately, his son returned by rental car, navigating damaged road infrastructure. Bredeson characterized these travel measures as discriminatory and disruptive.
Bredeson also described significant business impacts resulting from cross-border trucking mandates, stating that his freight logistics company lost contracts when trucks were restricted from crossing the border. He testified to additional social consequences, including strained personal relationships due to differing views on vaccination. He emphasized the importance of personal responsibility and critical inquiry into government mandates, urging citizens to independently verify information and hold elected officials accountable.