By Western Standard

October 25, 2021

-Western Standard

 

It’s obviously the government’s prerogative to change its mind.

Back in 1996, the federal health department said mandatory vaccination programs were illegal, says Blacklock’s Reporter.

Fast forward to today and the Liberals now say such orders are legal.

Threatening unvaccinated federal employees with loss of pay, health benefits or their jobs is constitutional, says legal counsel with the Department of Health.

An October 6 cabinet order is “consistent with the Constitution,” said Alexander Beattie, spokesperson for the department.

The order claimed federal employees would be punished unless they took an oath stating they were immunized against COVID-19.

“The Government of Canada’s position is the recently announced federal vaccination mandates are consistent with the Constitution,” said Beattie.

“A mandatory vaccination policy does not mean that employees will be forcibly vaccinated.

“Employees have the right to determine what medical treatment, including vaccination, they choose to receive. However, if employees refuse to comply with the policy there will be administrative employment-related consequences.”

The health department stated the opposite in a 1996 Canadian National Report On Immunization.

“Unlike some countries, immunization is not mandatory in Canada. It cannot be made mandatory because of the Canadian Constitution,” it said.

An October 8 Treasury Board memo said no unvaccinated employee would be fired. The policy also granted managers wide powers to interpret the policy including exemptions on religious grounds.

“How does a manager decide whether to approve

accommodation for religion? The manager must be satisfied the employee holds a sincere religious belief that prevents them from being fully vaccinated,” said the memo.

“The requirement is to focus on the sincerity of the individual belief rooted in religion, not whether it is recognized by other members of the same religion. The belief must be religious in nature, not a personal moral belief, and the employee must explain the nature of the belief and why it prevents vaccination.”

Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien said Friday his office received numerous complaints from federal employees regarding the policy and investigations are underway, he said in a statement.

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