After appearing to support use of livestock dewormer last year, Niagara West MP endorses call for banning Covid vaccinations
Niagara West MP Dean Allison has once again found himself ensnared in controversy after the Conservative presented a citizen’s petition in the House of Commons on March 2 that aims to outright suspend Covid-19 vaccinations for all Canadian “pregnant women, children, youth, and adults of child-bearing age.”
The petition, created by University of British Columbia neurology professor and vaccine opponent Dr. Steven Pelech, was signed by some 33,000 Canadians between December and January. It calls for the banning of vaccinations “until the ongoing short- and long-term safety trials are fully completed and published in peer-reviewed journals.”
However, several peer-reviewed articles on mRNA vaccine safety already exist, and have been widely available for more than a year.
In addition to his tenured position as a UBC professor, Pelech is also president of Kinexus, a Vancouver-based biotech firm.
In an identical statement provided to other media outlets, Allison did not directly clarify to the Voice why he supported a petition that would suspend vaccinations after 81 percent of the country’s total population has already received at least two doses.
“The goal of all Canadians during this very difficult pandemic has been to save lives. I am certain of this,” the statement read. “Whether it’s through vaccines, antivirals, therapeutics, or other methods, my goal and top priority has and will always be to advocate for the best, the safest and the most effective ways to save lives.
“This also means having honest and sometimes difficult conversations about all possible avenues to get there. It also means asking tough questions about these avenues to ensure that all bases are covered, and Canadians continue to receive accurate, and most up-to-date information possible regarding the government’s methods of handling this pandemic. Whether the data is showing none, mild or severe side effects from inoculation, or kids faring poorly or well when infected, and even Omicron’s strength compared to other strains, these are conversations that must be had, and tough questions must be asked.”
Allison has been participating in parliamentary business remotely, and has apparently received a vaccination medical exemption. He was criticized during last year’s election cycle for promoting the use of Ivermectin — a livestock medication with limited recommended human use against parasitic worms — to treat Covid-19.
St. Catharines Liberal MP Chris Bittle called the petition Allison submitted “scientifically inaccurate and easily disprovable,” and criticized his neighbouring MP’s behaviour throughout the pandemic.
“It’s all part of a continued narrative from Dean in terms of being on the wrong side of information during the pandemic,” Bittle told the Voice. “And it’s disappointing when lives are on the line.”
Allison’s social media channels have waded into polemical territory of late, including blanket support for the Ottawa trucker convoy, heavy criticism of both law enforcement and media, and a March 4 retweet of a right-wing news website article hinting at a conspiracy theory involving the Canadian government and the World Economic Forum.
The Voice asked Bittle if he believed Allison was playing politics in a Niagara West riding where the far-right People’s Party of Canada (PPC) captured more than seven percent of the vote in the last federal election.
if facts are absent and conspiracy theories are prevalent, it is creating a dangerous place in our society
“Perhaps, but if you’re going down a dangerous wormhole where you’re chasing conspiracy theories, what are you doing as a party or a politician?” Bittle said. “But it’s also troubling, the silence from the leaders of the Conservative Party, whether it was Erin O’Toole or Candice Bergen. The Conservative Party is a major political party in this country, and lending legitimacy to dangerous conspiracy theories gives these theories credit. And even having to have [Niagara Medical Officer of Health] Dr. Hirji come out and criticize it, elevates the conspiracy theories.”
Bittle was referring to Hirji being asked repeatedly about Allison’s petition last week.
“The safety of mRNA vaccines was carefully studied through multi-phased clinical trials before being licensed for use in children over the age of 12,” Hirji told the Voice in a statement. “That safety has been confirmed through the experience of tens of millions of children around the world who are vaccinated. Public Health Ontario has published a comprehensive summary of all the research on fertility which has identified no link between mRNA vaccinations and infertility. This is research from peer-reviewed journals as the petition requests.”
Bittle says Allison is helping create a “dangerous” situation.
“Dean has a platform, as we all do as elected officials, and we have to be responsible in using that,” the MP said. “And if facts are absent and conspiracy theories are prevalent, it is creating a dangerous place in our society.”
