Witness Testimony

Madison Peake, a psychology student at Nipissing University during the implementation of COVID-19 mandates, testified about the personal and family impacts of institutional vaccine requirements. She stated that her university required vaccination for campus access, prompting her to apply for and receive a religious exemption. She noted that many other students were not granted accommodations and described a campus environment that she perceived as lacking open discourse and scientific transparency.
Peake described the broader effects of mandates on her family. Her father, employed remotely by a private company, was subject to a workplace vaccine mandate and was denied a religious exemption, placing his employment at risk for several months. She testified that this uncertainty caused severe stress within the household, contributing to mental health challenges for multiple family members. She stated that she began taking antidepressants, her mother experienced a severe anxiety episode requiring medical leave, and she withdrew from a university semester to help care for her family.
She also described the loss of community supports, including church attendance and extracurricular activities for her siblings, which she said contributed to emotional distress and social isolation. Peake concluded by expressing a desire for greater institutional openness, scientific justification for mandates, and compassionate treatment of individuals, particularly youth, during public health crises.