Witness Testimony

Devon Sexstone testified that he served 16 years as an Army reservist while working in the civilian freight industry, becoming a unit manager at a major Canadian courier company shortly before COVID began. He described high stress during the pandemic as freight demand surged while policies constantly changed. In October–November 2021, he was informed that both his civilian employer and the Canadian Armed Forces would require disclosure of vaccination status. He testified that he disclosed under financial duress but ultimately refused vaccination. In January 2022, he and approximately 1,032 others were placed on unpaid leave. His Record of Employment was coded as a suspension, rendering him ineligible for Employment Insurance despite years of contributions.
Simultaneously, the Armed Forces informed him that refusal would result in removal from training and eventual forced release (5F). His military release occurred in June 2022. As the sole income earner for his wife and four young children, he described the period as financially and emotionally crushing, stating he felt he had failed his family. He testified that many affected employees faced severe hardship, including loss of housing, and that 215 employees launched legal action. He characterized denial of income and EI access as an attempt to economically coerce compliance.
Sexstone stated he is not opposed to vaccines generally, noting prior deployment vaccinations without incident, but developed distrust based on political messaging and prior military pharmaceutical experiences. He now works as a truck driver, earning similar gross income only by working significantly longer hours and at approximately $10 per hour less than his former wage, with loss of career advancement and pension benefits from his civilian role. He testified that he has not been formally contacted regarding mandate reversals and remains reluctant to return given what he described as violations of employment rights and dignity.