Canada vaccination | Justin Trudeau
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau unveils COVID-19 vaccine policy for all public servants, would-be travellers
Toronto/IBNS: The government of Canada's mandatory vaccine policy was unveiled during a press conference on Oct 6 by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau requiring all public servants to either get their shots by month's end or be forced into an unpaid leave of absence.
All would-be travellers boarding planes, trains, or marine vessels must also be fully vaccinated by Oct. 30.
Approximately 267,000 employees covered by this policy including federal contractors, like cleaning staff, must report their vaccination status by Oct 29 to gain access to government buildings.
"Two weeks after this date if employees still haven't had their shots or received some sort of accommodation under the Canadian Human Rights Act, they will face disciplinary action that could ultimately cost them their job," a senior government official said at a technical briefing with reporters ahead of Trudeau's announcement, CBC News reports said.
Unvaccinated employees will be barred from going to work both in person or remotely, and would be put on administrative leave and denied pay. It was also said by a senior official that these employees will not qualify for employment insurance (EI) benefits, CBC News reported.
"These travel measures, along with mandatory vaccination for federal employees, are some of the strongest in the world because when it comes to keeping you and your family safe when it comes to avoiding lockdowns for everyone, this is no time for half measures," Trudeau said during a press conference on Oct 6.
"If you've done the right thing and gotten vaccinated, you deserve the freedom to be safe from COVID. To have your kids be safe from COVID. To get back to the things you love," he added.
(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
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