ABOUT

Our story

Our story began in August 2021 after an unpleasant— though not completely unexpected — announcement landed in our founder’s inbox. Manitoba post-secondary institutions rolled out a new policy that students failing to provide proof of vaccination would be barred from their studies and attending campus. No further explanations and no exceptions. To thousands of students, this was clearly and profoundly wrong. To our founder, it was a turning point - the final straw over the past two years - that finally motivated her to muster the courage to do something. And so, Students Against Mandates (S.A.M.) was born.

Our Mission

Education for All.

We are a community of proud critical thinkers who support decision making backed by data. We oppose divisive vaccine mandates, discriminatory vaccine passports, and the tyranny that makes these unjust things possible. We believe in liberty and the freedom to make our own informed, personal health decisions — with zero coercion. We are committed to the elimination of vaccine mandates across all college and university campuses.

Our efforts

Peaceful Protests

S.A.M. believes in exercising our fundamental right as Canadians to peacefully protest. You will always find us at anti-mandate rallies, where we connect with our community and like minds.

Opening Up.

S.A.M. is committed to transparency. Our Opening Up. video series focuses on the people seriously affected by the policies and “mainstream” media narrative. We give a platform to those who have been censored by the media or had their concerns sadly dismissed by employers, family, and friends. Each unique story needs to be heard — we believe that when we are fully informed, we can make more effective decisions for ourselves and those we love most.

Community

The trauma of this prolonged isolation — from both a physical (social distancing) and psychological perspective — is an experience we sadly all share. Fortunately, we know that the only way past this is through supportive community. We organize social events and gatherings — from outdoor activities, potlucks, and dinners to toastmaster events and relaxed board game nights in. We’re social creatures who need one another — now, more than ever.

Legal Activity

The pandemic has left an indelible mark on all of us but government overreach certainly shouldn’t. Students who have chosen to keep their private medical status — well, private! — have been unjustly deregistered from their courses or barred access to the education services they have paid for and are entitled to. Our schools are acting as agents of medicine — with no meaningful data to support their decision making. Coming from academic institutions, this is shockingly unbalanced and illogical. In response to this clear infringement on students’ rights and freedoms, we have chosen to fight fire with fire — we are taking legal action against The University of Manitoba to set a precedent for all Canadian universities and colleges that have jumped on board the injustice train. Together, our pockets are deep and we’ll make sure this plays out in the courts. Welcome to Accountability 101.

Speaking Engagements

We strongly believe that our voice is the most powerful tool we possess. And in times such as these, it is our duty and privilege to use it. S.A.M. is committed to getting truthful, evidence-based messages out and frequently speaks at in-person or virtual anti-mandate events across the city.