Allison Inquiry | Jamie R. Daniel | Day 4 September 11th, 2026

Jamie R. Daniel, 36, an advanced care paramedic and practical nurse who has worked in emergency care since she was 18, was 31, working 12-hour shifts, married and raising an 18-month-old daughter, with rheumatoid arthritis that was well managed. She was among the first wave of first responders to be vaccinated and says she was excited. Within hours she had flu-like symptoms, and the next morning severe back and leg pain with weakness. Within one or two days, she says she developed saddle numbness, an ice pick sensation in her spine, overflow urinary incontinence and bowel problems, and had to crawl and use a wheelchair to reach emergency.

She says imaging was normal, a spinal surgeon called it probably a bad day, and she was made to walk out and collapsed. After several visits in which she says she was called a drug seeker and told it was anxiety or arthritis, she was admitted for a week, with catheterization and bowel management. Her neurologist diagnosed MRI-negative transverse myelitis from the vaccine and asked why the hospital had not treated it. She describes yearly relapses, daily pain, post-exertion malaise, planning days of rest around testifying, and PTSD worsened by the way she was treated, for which she has a service dog.

She says her compensation claim was denied in January 2023 as not severe or permanent, that her appeal is unresolved, that she has been off work since February 2021, and that CPP disability leaves her short of her medical costs. MPs ask what should happen after the inquiry.

Recorded at the Allison Inquiry, Day 4, September 11th, 2026. For more information, including the full list of witnesses and experts, go to allisoninquiry.com.

0:00 Swearing in
0:21 Introduction: a paramedic's career
1:57 Excited to be vaccinated
3:17 Flu-like symptoms, then severe pain
4:28 Saddle numbness and spinal pain
5:11 Going to the hospital
5:49 Weakness and crawling
6:31 Transfer and told ""a bad day""
7:47 Sent home after collapsing
9:06 Repeated visits and dismissal
9:47 Admitted for a week
10:30 A neurologist diagnoses transverse myelitis
11:41 Why it was not treated in hospital
12:04 Yearly relapses and daily pain
12:54 Post-exertion malaise
13:15 The cost of testifying
14:33 PTSD and a service dog
16:40 Her infant hospitalized, and a relapse
17:47 A neurologist calls her a drug seeker
18:49 Her rheumatologist intervenes
20:15 Losing faith in the system
22:09 The compensation claim denied
23:24 Income loss and costs
24:44 Support and those who lack it