Local health-care workers divided on mandatory vaccinations

OTTAWA -

The Ford government could soon announce mandatory vaccinations for health-care workers.

Sources told CTV News Toronto that the premier will meet with his cabinet Monday night to discuss the plan. 

This follows the federal government’s mandate for government employees.

Suzanne Lanthier works in health-care; she is fully vaccinated and thinks all other health-care workers should be too.

“You have to save your family. You have to save everybody really,” says Lanthier. “I’m for the shots. I am. But for people who don’t want it, it’s not for me to talk to them because I respect their wishes. It’s each person is it’s own.”

Mandatory vaccinations have already been announced for federal workers, and the Ontario Medical Association is calling on the Ontario government to mandate them for all education workers too.

Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru says refusing to get a vaccine when it is mandatory for your job might get you fired.

“The only time at this point that a mandatory vaccine clause can be legal is if it’s mandated by the government, instead of imposed unilaterally by the employer,” says Samfiru. “For all other employees, who don’t have a medical reason not to get vaccinated, they’re going to risk losing their job. They don’t get any severance because they’re deciding not to get vaccinated. As well, they’re not going to qualify for any government benefits in that situation. And of course it is also going to be difficult for them to get re-employed.”

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau was asked if government employees should be fired if they refuse the vaccine.

“We know that the goal is not to punish people who don’t want to get vaccinated,” says Trudeau, “but it is to protect Canadians from being infected from people who are unvaccinated.”

The issue of mandatory vaccinations is divisive even among health-care workers.

Miriam Baquiran is a health-care worker who fully disagrees with the soon to be rule.

“If you are going to make it mandatory in Canada, then we might as well have a communist country,” say Baquiran.

Other health-care workers support the idea, but also support freedom of choice.

“We are dealing with very vulnerable, sick patients,” says health-care worker Nadia Lauzon. “I do not want to be the one who brought it in and caused an outbreak, but I also believe in the element of personal choice.”

“Absolutely,” says Jennifer Luypaert. “Why? Because we’re working with vulnerable populations. I think it is our responsibility as health-care workers to protect not only ourselves, our co-workers but also our patients.”

“I see where the government is coming from,” says health-care worker Glenn. “They’re trying to keep everyone safe and this is their way of making sure to keep a safe environment. However, I feel that it shouldn’t be forced upon someone.”

But there is good reason why many health-care workers that have dealt with COVID-19, like Suzanne Lanthier, are in favour of mandatory vaccines.

“I’ve been in those ICUs and I’ve seen (patients) on ventilators,” says Lanthier. “I’ve seen everything. It is real and it is very sad.”