A now-deleted ticket page for the event reads, “Ask yourself, how can we help Albertans put a stop to COVID shots that kill children?”
Peter Smith
Canadian Anti-Hate Network
Alberta’s United Conservative Party says they are gathering “world-class experts” to discuss the issue of COVID-19 vaccination safety in children. However, panelists include those whose public claims have previously been questioned or shown to be false.
Dubbed “Injection of Truth,” the event website states its experts will “present the medical and scientific case for stopping COVID mRNA injections in children.”
As of Wednesday, the Eventbrite page for the event has been removed. A cached version of the page reads, “Ask yourself, how can we help Albertans put a stop to COVID shots that kill children?”
“Working with an all-star cast of Doctors, and scientists, ‘An Injection of Truth Town Hall’ will provide current scientific data, victim statements and regarding the negative impact of the COVID mRNA injections on children,” the cached site continues.
Held at Southside Victory Church in Calgary on June 17, the event is being organized by the Calgary-Lougheed Constituency Association. A website for the event says that donations to offset the costs are tax deductible.
The events listing claims that since “2021 excessive deaths for children are up 350 per cent” in Alberta, though it does not cite a source for this claim.
While excess deaths—deaths above the predicted death rate—in young people were reported to rise during the first year of the pandemic, the Canadian Anti-Hate Network could not find statistics confirming this number. We have reached out to Calgary-Lougheed MLA Eric Bouchard, the event’s organizer, for more information about this claim and will update the article accordingly.
Available figures from Statistics Canada, show little to no increases between 2021 and 2022 among young people. There was a reported increase in the estimated amount of excess deaths in 2023, though did not offer estimates on how these figures impacted children or Alberta specifically.
Source: Statistics Canada
The event also asks for individuals whose children had been “killed or injured by a COVID shot” to come forward and speak.
“Do you have a story to tell? You should be heard," the event description tells readers.
A discussion around potential issues of vaccine safety and the impact on children is an important issue that affects families inside and outside of Alberta. This particular event however appears to have stocked its panel with several medical professionals that have previously spread misattributed or false information, faced issues of professional misconduct, or more.
The event’s “all-star medical panel” will include Calgary Lougheed MLA Bouchard and constituency President Darrell Komick, both event organizers, who will appear alongside Dr. David J. Speicher, Dr. Eric Payne, Dr. Chris Shoemaker, Dr. Byram Bridle, Dr. Jessica Rose, and Dr. William Makis.
Many of these individuals, like Dr. Speicher—who holds PhDs in Microbiology and Virology—were vocal advocates against vaccines and public health measures during the pandemic. Speicher spoke during the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” blockade protests in Ottawa and is listed as a candidate with the People’s Party of Canada for Hamilton Centre. He runs a blog where he discusses his own research and shares content from other like-minded medical professionals. His chief claim is that the COVID-19 vaccine contains traces of DNA, which leads to an increased risk of cancer.
Investigations into claims by Speicher and others show that Health Canada was previously informed of potential residual DNA traces by vaccine manufacturers before approval. There is currently no clear connection between the presence of this DNA and cancer.
Former Bancroft, Ontario doctor Mark Trozzi had his medical license revoked for “professional misconduct” stemming from “misleading, incorrect or inflammatory statements about vaccinations, treatments and public health measures concerning COVID-19.” This included, according to the National Post, a letter on his since shuttered website claiming the disease did not make people sick and was an “evil strategy” by China.
Calgary pediatric neurologist Dr. Eric Payne and three other doctors told the CBC they were suing Alberta’s health authority for requiring COVID-19 in the workplace, claiming Alberta Health Services were engaged in a conspiracy to commit assault.
Another panelist, physician Dr. Chris Shoemaker, previously claimed during a speech that “80 Canadian doctors between the ages of 25 and 55 in Canada have died in the last 60 days” after receiving the vaccine. This claim has been widely debunked and Shoemaker had his license suspended by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in 2023 for engaging “in disgraceful, dishonorable or unprofessional conduct.”
Dr. Byram Bridle, a viral immunologist at an Ontario veterinary school, sued the University of Guelph for $3 million in damages for treatment over his views on COVID-19. The school has asked for the lawsuit to be thrown out. Bridle achieved some notoriety early in the pandemic for publicly stating the vaccines were toxic.
Dr. Jessica Rose is a researcher with a PhD in immunology who has been accused of peddling questionable analysis of Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) data.
Also in attendance will be MLA Shane Getson and host Shaun Newman, delivering a “hard-hitting Town Hall with relevant data, research and victim statements.”
CAHN reached out to the Alberta Government and Bouchard for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
"We have had several successful town halls about issues my constituents care about and they have all been incredibly well attended and well received," Bouchard told CTV. "We always welcome diverse viewpoints and open dialogue because it's important for people to listen to different ideas and perspectives, even if they disagree."
Previous events include a March 9 town hall titled “Let Kids Be Kids,” which focused on discussion around “Alberta Parental Rights Legislation,” and included Kim McBride from Action4Canada (A4C) as a speaker. A4C is a national organization which advocates against marginalized groups from the 2SLGBTQ+ community to Muslims while pushing a range of conspiracy theories. The group and its founder, Tanya Gaw, were banned from attending school board meetings in Mission, BC, after using delegation time to “spread hate propaganda.”
A previous investigation by PressProgress uncovered alleged links between Bouchard and Take Back Alberta, a right wing organization with ties to Premier Danielle Smith and the UCP. It is widely believed that TBA wields considerable influence over Alberta politics. According to CBC, the group’s leader, David Parker, takes credit for installing Danielle Smith as premier, and putting half of the UCP’s board under TBA control, as well as ensuring United Conservative Party candidates are aligned with TBA.
Elections Alberta is currently investigating Take Back Alberta over its political donation practices.
Premier Danielle Smith told the news outlet she was not involved in the event and does not plan to attend.
"As Premier, I represent and govern on behalf of all Albertans, and I take my direction from all Albertans. As part of the grassroots party process, our members put forward and vote on policy at our party's AGM," she reportedly said in a statement.
"Minister of Health, Adrianna LaGrange, will continue to work with public health experts to review the international evidence and the safety and efficacy of all vaccines. It is important to note that the COVID-19 vaccine for children is not mandatory, and parents have the choice to decide what’s right for their own family.
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