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During question period on health, members discussed support for Canadians injured by COVID-19 vaccines. Conservatives said injured people who followed government mandates are facing lost income and permanent injuries, described the vaccine injury support program as a failure, noted that of $56 million paid to contractor Oxaro about $36 million went to administration and roughly $20 million to injured people, and asked when the government will provide fuller financial support, citing the tainted blood compensation programs as a comparison. Liberal members said vaccines save lives but that some people were harmed, and responded that the government has brought the vaccine injury program in-house after hearing frustrations with the third-party administration and launched a new program, and will work with all parties to make sure injured Canadians get support.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

7 statements

Lianne Rood

Conservative
“People hurt by COVID-19 vaccines followed government rules, and now they have permanent injuries and high medical costs. The Liberals promised to help them. I want the government to keep that promise.”

  • A repeated line

    “The Liberals are all talk and no results.”

    Said 13 times by 12 members since September 21.

    Every time it was said
Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, Canadians injured by the COVID-19 vaccines do not deserve to be dismissed or left waiting. These are people who followed the government’s advice and mandates and are now struggling with lost income and living with serious permanent injuries and ongoing medical costs. Thousands across many communities have come to me over the years expressing concern over how the government has treated them and those they know and love. They say the Liberals are all talk and no results. Will the Liberals finally fulfill the promise they made to Canadians who were injured by the vaccines they told them to take?

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Maggie Chi

Liberal
“Vaccines save lives, but they also hurt some people. That is why we started a program to help them, and we brought it in-house to run it properly. I will keep working with all parties to make sure these people get support.”
Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, it is a very important question. We recognize that vaccines save lives, definitely, but we also recognize that there are people impacted negatively by vaccines. This is why we launched the vaccine injury program. We have taken that program internally to make sure it is administered properly. We will continue to work with members across the aisle to make sure people are supported through any vaccine injuries.

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Dean Allison

Conservative
“Canadians hurt by COVID-19 vaccines said the support program is a complete disaster. The government paid 56 million dollars to a contractor for it.”
Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, at September’s Allison Inquiry, COVID vaccine-injured Canadians repeatedly described the vaccine injury support program as an unmitigated disaster. Of the $56 million paid to the contractor, Oxaro— An hon. member: Oh, oh!

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Dean Allison

Conservative
“Canadians hurt by COVID vaccines say the support program is a disaster. Out of 56 million dollars, 36 million went to running the program and only 20 million went to injured people. The government had to take the program back because of this bad spending. What is the government doing now to get injured Canadians the money they deserve?”
Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, at September’s Allison Inquiry, COVID vaccine-injured Canadians repeatedly described the vaccine injury support program as an unmitigated disaster. Of the $56 million paid to contractor Oxaro, $36 million went to administration and only around $20 million went to those who were injured. That is one-third. Following revelations of financial mismanagement, the government took over the program. What is the government doing today to ensure that vaccine-injured Canadians receive the compensation they deserve?

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Maggie Chi

Liberal
“We heard people's frustrations with how the old vaccine injury program was run. That is why we brought it inside the government and launched a new program. We will keep working together to make sure it works.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Clarity 46 of 100

    Much of this statement used imprecise wording, lacked details on timing or responsibility, or made broad claims without support.

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Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, our government will always work to ensure that Canadians can make evidence-informed choices about their health. We heard frustrations with the previous administration of the program for vaccine-related injuries, which is why we took the program internally and launched the vaccine impact assistance program. We will continue to work very collaboratively to make sure the program works.

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Dean Allison

Conservative

Linked statement

“Canada gave billions of dollars to people hurt in the tainted blood scandal. Now, Health Canada has recorded about 12,000 serious bad reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, but injured people are still struggling to get help with their medical bills and lost pay. When will the government give them real financial support?”
Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, following the tainted blood scandal, Canada established compensation programs worth billions for those affected with HIV and hepatitis C. Today, Health Canada has recorded approximately 12,000 serious adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination, yet compensation remains limited. At the Allison Inquiry, we heard from Canadians facing devastating medical bills and lost incomes. Why are vaccine-injured Canadians still struggling to receive compensation, and when will the government deliver meaningful financial support?

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Maggie Chi

Liberal
“Our government is now running the vaccine injury program directly instead of using an outside company. We will keep working to make sure it helps people who are injured by vaccines, and we want to work with all parties to make it work.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 47 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

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Official Hansard

Madam Speaker, our government has taken the vaccine injury program internally from the previous administration, from the third party. We will continue to work hard to make sure the program works for vaccine-injured individuals. We are looking forward to working with members across the parties to make sure it works.

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