Learn about the NCI's History and Development!

April 2020 – May 2022

A Democratic Reaction to Unprecedented Times…
The desire for a public inquiry has been building amongst Canadians since 2021. With governments enacting ever-unprecedented policies, there was an increasing desire to independently and critically examine the precedents that were being set. That early groundswell has clearly reached far and wide across Canada as there are now nearly weekly new calls for an inquiry from the media and politicians – including even Government Members of Parliament.

In May 2022, the Reclaiming Canada Conference brought together civil rights advocates, medical and legal experts, and grassroots organizations to thoughtfully examine the status of Canada’s democracy. Both during and after the Conference, various visions for an inquiry began taking shape.

June 2022 – October 2022

Citizen-Led Accountability When Governments Stayed Silent…
These aspirations began taking the form of limited initiatives, such as A Citizen’s Hearing and Reclaiming our Voice – A Conversation in Ottawa, along with thousands of hours of interviews of experts or Canadians impacted by the COVID-19 policies through independent media outlets and/or established podcasters.

Over the past few months, hundreds of Canadians from coast-to-coast began focusing their efforts in the development of a collaborative, transparent, and truly independent national inquiry. Their efforts led to the National Citizens’ Inquiry, a completely citizen-led and citizen-funded initiative through Citizens Inquiry Canada, a newly created not-for-profit organization.

November 2022 – Present

The National Citizens’ Inquiry is Launched!
The NCI was launched on November 2, 2022 from the Parliament of Canada, right in our nation’s capital. The historic announcement was made by the former Leader of the Official Opposition and Member of Parliament, Preston Manning. The NCI’s announcement was a testament to the civic dedication, commitment, and hope of tens of thousands of Canadians who contributed to its development and ultimate realization.

The NCI is now actively seeking nominations for Commissioners, as well as applications from experts and ordinary Canadians who wish to share the story of how their governments’ COVID-19 policies impacted them.