Witness Testimony

Marc-André Paquette, a kindergarten teacher and former medical student, testified that he became concerned early in the pandemic about the impact of public health measures on children’s social and emotional development. He described observing that many relational behaviors he fostered in his classroom became restricted after the first lockdown. He took unpaid leave to avoid enforcing measures he considered harmful and organized or participated in parent and educator collectives advocating for children.
Paquette detailed extensive email exchanges with pediatricians and public health physicians, including members of the Association des pédiatres du Québec (APQ). He asserted that pediatricians initially supported positions minimizing harm to children but later became publicly silent or altered their stance. He described submitting questions regarding RNA vaccination of children to multiple experts and stated that he received no substantive answers addressing concerns about precautionary principles and informed consent. He also cited an internal APQ notice questioning masking and vaccination policies for primary school children, which he said was not publicly disseminated and that he later circulated independently.
He argued that media silence and lack of visible expert dissent contributed to stricter implementation of measures in schools and childhood environments, reinforcing fear and limiting debate. He concluded that the measures imposed on children were disproportionate and harmful, and expressed hope that public examination of these events would encourage greater professional courage and earlier intervention in future public health crises.