OTTAWA — Conservative MP Dean Allison announced a new initiative Thursday aimed at collecting the experiences of Canadians who say they suffered adverse health effects following COVID-19 vaccinations.Speaking on Parliament Hill, Allison said the project is intended to give affected Canadians an opportunity to share their stories and ensure their experiences are documented.“When people come forward with concerns about their health, their first response should never be dismissal, it should be listening,” Allison said.“The individuals sharing their experiences through projects such as the Allison Inquiry are not statistics. They are mothers, our fathers, our sons, our daughters, our friends and our neighbours.”Allison argued Canada has lagged behind other democratic countries in reviewing the effects of pandemic-era policies.“Canada has increasingly become an outlier among democratic nations when it comes to reviewing what happened during the pandemic,” he said, noting that countries including the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand have undertaken public reviews or inquiries..While stopping short of calling for a national public inquiry, Allison said the initiative would provide a more immediate way for Canadians to tell their stories.“What we are proposing is something more immediate and accessible. An opportunity for Canadians to share their experiences, tell their stories and ensure that their voices are heard.”.Asked by the Western Standard whether the initiative had the support of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Allison said he had discussed the project with both Poilievre and members of the Conservative caucus.“Oh absolutely, I talked to Pierre about this, I talked to caucus about it,” Allison said.“The amazing thing about it is that every single member of Parliament I have talked to have heard these same stories.”Allison added that Poilievre regularly encounters Canadians raising similar concerns.“If you asked Pierre, he is out and about working hard. I know that he hears these stories all the time.”Allison also pointed to federal data showing more than 58,000 adverse events have been reported following COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada, including more than 11,000 classified as serious. The government data cut off was on January 5th, 2024. He noted that the federal Vaccine Injury Support Program has received more than 3,500 claims, with over 3,000 deemed eligible for review.“The government acknowledged that people have been injured and yet only over 250 people have been compensated,” Allison said.Allison concluded his remarks by asserting his belief that vaccine injured Canadians deserve to be compensated“Whether one supports or opposes government pandemic policies, I believe Canadians agree in one principle. If people have been harmed, they deserve compensation, support, transparency, and timely assistance.”
