Canada's top COVID bureaucrat blamed 'racism' for 'stressful' pandemic
Dr. Tam criticized 'armchair epidemiologists' during the pandemic, contradicting her assertion that diverse opinions are 'part of the scientific process.'
Canada's $324,000-a-year chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, objected to what she considered mockery disguised as public criticism during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tam described the pandemic as "extremely stressful" for public health officers, emphasizing the pressure they faced on the pace and extent of their recommendations.
As Canada's top COVID bureaucrat, Dr. Tam faced daily criticism regarding her appearance, race, accent, and advice, which she found challenging given the coronavirus's origins, according to Public Health Agency Access To Information notes.
While discussing her annual report on Monday, Dr. Theresa Tam said “colonialism and racism” were to blame for how COVID-19 impacted Canadians. Does that make sense to you? #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/DrIcbUqe81
— Juno News (@junonewscom) December 14, 2021
At the time, Tam became a prominent figure through weekly televised briefings, clarifying that her role was advisory, not solely decision-making, and that public understanding of this distinction is helpful. “My leadership position isn’t one of power — in fact I have very little power — but one of support and influence in decision making.”
In April 2020, then-Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland likened her and other chief public health officers to "rock stars." That followed remarks from prime minister Justin Trudeau, who claimed Canada was “among the best-prepared countries in the world."
Trudeau suggested his government was “grounded in science and data” and attributed Ottawa's COVID-19 management to following the advice of public health offices, which encouraged widespread vaccination “through every means we could.”
Dr. Theresa Tam, and other pandemic managers, would not disclose information that "may embarrass" cabinet on their pandemic response.
— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) May 5, 2025
Report by @WestCdnFirst: https://t.co/dYyMMfBdSx pic.twitter.com/MmMY7Oj9EA
University of Toronto criticisms of lockdowns suggest they were a "policy overreaction," as Canada's COVID-19 death rate (135.2 per 100,000) exceeded that of several industrialized nations.
“Social media has amplified the spread of misinformation, hampering public health responses, creating confusion and distrust,” said Tam’s notes for a 2024 conference.
The Public Health Agency said that without lockdowns or health mandates, "20 times more Canadians" would have died in the COVID pandemic than in World War Two.
Health Canada, citing a "what could have happened" study by Dr. Tam, claimed lockdowns and vaccine mandates may have saved up to 800,000 lives. This contrasts with approximately 53,000 COVID-19 deaths in Canada, compared to 44,000 Canadian deaths in WWII.
In 2023, Freeland championed Canada’s COVID-19 response. "Broadly, Canada did pretty well. We did well because we had a real Team Canada approach."
Canada's 2006 pandemic plan anticipated upwards of 58,000 deaths in a future coronavirus outbreak.
Theresa Tam, who has never treated patients, leads the Public Health Agency of Canada. During a panel on Canada's information environment focused on misinformation, Tam predicts the next pandemic will be harder to address due to public distrust of new tech like the… pic.twitter.com/ZrRESPQMY1
— Tamara Ugolini 🇨🇦 (@TamaraUgo) January 22, 2025
A 2024 Leger poll indicated that 36% of Canadians believe governments overreacted to the COVID-19 pandemic, with men (41%) and those under 55 more likely to hold this view.
The results have implications for future pandemic planning, according to the National Post.
“Everyone is an armchair epidemiologist,” Tam told a 2020 videoconference, contradicting her claim that diverse opinions are "part of the scientific process."
Audits revealed "limited public health expertise" and rapid turnover at the Public Health Agency with four presidents in 28 months, according to Blacklock's.
Health organizations criticized Canada's unprepared pandemic response. A lawsuit against the response was dismissed, and the government avoided a public inquiry despite internal audits revealing "critical weaknesses."
'All Canadians were my patients,' Dr. Tam says in @GovCanHealth notes, details resentment of criticism that strayed into cruel mockery of her accent and ethnicity: 'Overnight I was in the public eye.' https://t.co/pNARNK8oC0 #cdnpoli #cdnfoi pic.twitter.com/AHoKuI8ge7
— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) May 16, 2025
Secret oaths bound Canadian pandemic managers, including Dr. Tam, to conceal information deemed "embarrassing" to cabinet, with managers from various agencies pledging to uphold ethics codes.
“As an employee of the Government of Canada I acknowledge I have read and understood the Values And Ethics Code For The Public Sector,” said the pledge. “I remain bound by my oath.”
During the pandemic, Canada entered into $8 billion in undisclosed vaccine contracts. Despite concerns over higher vaccine prices compared to other nations, these contracts remained secret, citing potential embarrassment and jeopardized supplier relations.
Millions were spent on unused and faulty ventilators, and web pages detailing billions in COVID contracts were abruptly removed. Canada also discarded millions in pre-pandemic medical supplies.
Alex Dhaliwal
Journalist and Writer
Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.
Help fund Alex's journalism!
Featured Stories
13:21
21:28
COMMENTS
-
Fran g commented 2025-05-21 18:40:31 -0400I agree S M and thanks for that amazing Follow the Silenced. Tam is one of those many monsters that should be put into solitary confinement the rest of their lives. -
S M commented 2025-05-19 22:17:42 -0400FOLLOW THE SILENCED: THE OFFICIAL MOVIE
https://thehighwire.com/ark-videos/follow-the-silenced-the-official-movie/ -
Bruce Atchison commented 2025-05-19 21:25:40 -0400Advisory eh? That’s how globalists like Tam get around accountability. When they blow it, it’s always the fault of those who believed them. And those who cry “racism” are often guilty of it themselves.
-
Anthony Salotti commented 2025-05-19 09:15:34 -0400Yup , just throw that gold ol’ race card out there when you got nothing else to back your garbage theories up .
-
S M commented 2025-05-18 21:14:37 -0400Blame shifting your way out of accountability;
RACISM, WTF? look at what you and the government did to all Canadians, threatened, coerced, manipulated, discriminated and continue to this very day without accepting any accountability.
I can not take ANYTHING seriously that comes outa their twisted corrupt mouthes, you the Government poisoned Canadians, have absolutely no accountability, in many other countries you would have all received the death penalty long ago for your actions. If for one second you think racism is the culprit for your stupidity then maybe you all should take a trip to “Ground Zero,” yah that’s Wuhan and China who still to this day refuses responsibility and accountability, right up there with the Canadian government and who was in the background all along with Trudeau, Carney…..
Your logic tells me you really are “vaxed,” I guess the covax was successful after all , just look at the last election. Tam should be in the forefront to answer questions for a Crimes Against Humanity trial along with many others, the data and real science will be their preverbial death sentence.
Does Tam think Canadians are really that stupid, I guess so……… the election results would indicate so. -
Crude Sausage commented 2025-05-18 20:13:47 -0400Yep, racism. The contradictions and hypocrisy had nothing to do with why we didn’t take her seriously.
