Edda started researching vaccine safety issues after her daughter's severe reaction to MMR vaccine in 1977. In response to the 1982 passage of Ontario's Immunization of School Pupils Act, she and a group of concerned parents formed the Committee Against Compulsory Vaccination (CACV) in protest of the unconstitutionality of the new legislation which failed to provide comprehensive vaccine exemptions. Following a two year lobby effort, in 1984 the CACV won an amendment to the Act which, to this day, guarantees all families the legal right to exempt their children from vaccination for reasons of conscience or sincerely held belief as well as for religious reasons. No child in Ontario can be deprived of education if they have not received any or all of the "required" vaccines. Edda West is co-founder and past president of Vaccine Choice Canada (formerly VRAN), a not-for-profit educational society which advocates for voluntary and informed consent prior to vaccination through its website, social media presence on X, Instagram and Telegram as well as its acclaimed newsletters: www.vaccinechoicecanada.com