Witness Testimony

Scott Stephen Spidle testified that he contracted a severe illness in early February 2020 that his family physician and an emergency physician believed was COVID-19. After initial flu-like symptoms, he developed worsening shortness of breath and chest pain lasting approximately four to five weeks. He reported multiple emergency visits and self-treatment with vitamins and tonic water containing quinine. Months later, he experienced recurrent symptoms and was diagnosed with a fully collapsed lung requiring chest tube placement and subsequent transfer for bilateral lung surgery.
He described alleged lapses in hospital care during his admission, including limited personal care, a reported incident in which a chest tube was disconnected during transport for imaging resulting in re-collapse of the lung, and delays in transfer for surgery. He testified that a surgeon later told him the condition had significantly reduced his lung capacity long-term. He stated that compared to prior hospitalizations for ulcerative colitis, the level of care during this admission was markedly different.
Spidle testified that he declined COVID vaccination, citing belief in natural immunity and concerns about vaccine safety. He stated that two acquaintances died shortly after vaccination, which increased his apprehension. He characterized vaccine mandates as extreme violations of rights and described participating in the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, where he stated that his experience differed significantly from media portrayals. He also testified that he assisted others in locating information regarding religious exemption applications.