Witness Testimony

Stéphane Hamel, a computer scientist and founding member of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), testified regarding his political involvement and subsequent removal from his role as president of the Laval-des-Rapides riding association. He stated that early in the pandemic he attempted to raise internal discussion within party meetings about the proportionality of public health measures but encountered what he described as a culture of silence discouraging debate. According to his testimony, party executives emphasized message unity and discouraged questioning government decisions.
Hamel participated in the provincial “Je contribue” initiative and volunteered in CHSLD St. Jude in Laval, where he worked directly with residents. He recounted incidents involving denied outdoor access to residents and alleged neglect in care, including delayed hygiene assistance. After submitting a complaint on behalf of a resident to the regional health authority (CISSS), he stated that party leadership contacted him and indicated he had acted inappropriately. He described this as the first of three “strikes” within the party.
The final incident occurred in July 2021 after he posted on a private Facebook account opposing the proposed health passport and stating he would resist its implementation. He testified that he subsequently received a formal letter from the CAQ executive removing him from his position for failing to support party solidarity. Hamel argued that he had opposed a government directive rather than party principles and expressed broader concerns about diminished political debate, media silence regarding dissent, and what he characterized as a decline in democratic discourse during the pandemic.