Witness Testimony

Don Woodstock testified that he owns JamRock Security in Winnipeg and observed dramatic behavioural changes among clients during the COVID period. While his company nearly tripled in revenue, he stated this growth reflected widespread fear rather than normal security demand. He described late-night calls from clients concerned about neighbours watching them and customers requesting extensive security upgrades without evidence of actual threats. In his view, pandemic messaging fostered neighbour distrust and heightened anxiety, leading some individuals to spend thousands of dollars on home protection while remaining psychologically unsettled.
He testified that vaccination requirements significantly affected his business operations. Initially offering clients the option of vaccinated or unvaccinated installers, he stated that market pressure eventually required all staff to become vaccinated to maintain access to customers’ homes. The company pivoted toward self-install models and remote guidance to adapt to restrictions. He also described contradictions in public health enforcement, citing airline seating practices and retail store freedoms while smaller businesses closed.
Woodstock criticized what he characterized as media-driven fear and government messaging that, in his view, contributed to social division between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. He described adapting to restrictions rather than closing his business, though he stated he felt compelled to vaccinate for economic survival. He concluded that greater public engagement, critical thinking, and resistance to media narratives were necessary to prevent similar societal fragmentation in the future.