Like their injured counterparts in the United States, for years Canadians who have been injured following COVID-19 vaccination have endured not only devastating physical injuries, but another painful injustice: being dismissed, disbelieved, silenced, and too often abandoned by the very systems they trusted to help them. Many have been left to navigate life-altering illness, financial hardship, and profound personal loss while fighting simply to have their experiences acknowledged.
This September, the Allison Inquiry seeks to break that silence.
In this episode, Canadian Member of Parliament Dean Allison, constitutional lawyer and inquiry counsel Shawn Buckley, and Teresa Buckley, who is helping organize and coordinate the inquiry, discuss why the Allison Inquiry was created and what they hope will happen when vaccine-injured Canadians finally bring their stories directly to Parliament Hill.
They discuss the failures and frustrations surrounding Canada’s vaccine injury support system, the fear that still keeps some injured Canadians and medical professionals from speaking publicly, what was learned from Canada’s earlier National Citizens Inquiry, and the challenge of getting lawmakers to listen.
At the heart of the Allison Inquiry is a simple but critical truth: there can be no meaningful path forward—and no rebuilding of public trust—without a willingness to have difficult and honest conversations. Ignoring the injured will not restore trust. Listening to them, acknowledging what they have endured, and being willing to confront difficult questions is where that process must begin.
The Allison Inquiry will take place September 8–11, 2026, beginning each day at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, with more than 50 witnesses expected to participate over the four days. The proceedings will be livestreamed, giving people throughout Canada, the United States, and around the world the opportunity to hear these stories firsthand.
00:00 – Why Vaccine-Injured Canadians Feel Abandoned
00:54 – Welcome to the React19 Podcast
01:51 – Meet the Team Behind the Allison Inquiry
02:34 – What Is the Allison Inquiry — and Why Now?
06:29 – How the Inquiry Will Give the Injured a Voice
08:15 – The Enormous Effort to Bring Injured Canadians to Ottawa
11:27 – Why Can’t We Talk About Vaccine Injury?
~17:00 – The National Citizens Inquiry & What It Revealed
21:21 – Why Some Injured Canadians Are Still Afraid to Speak
23:49 – What Makes the Allison Inquiry Different
26:50 – Will Members of Parliament Show Up and Listen?
32:31 – Why Doctors and Politicians Aren’t Talking About Vaccine Injury
38:00 – The Failure of Vaccine Injury Compensation & the Need for Change
51:45 – Is Public Opinion Finally Beginning to Change?
56:53 – What They Hope the Allison Inquiry Will Accomplish
58:31 – When, Where & How to Watch the Allison Inquiry Live
Allison Inquiry
On X:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AllisonInquiry
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@AllisonInquiry
Dean Allison:
https://www.facebook.com/deanallison.mp
Shawn Buckley
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579388468476
Film Discussed:
Why Can’t We Talk About This?