Trudeau moving ahead with COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal public servants
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reaffirming his pre-election pledge to make vaccination against COVID-19 mandatory for federal public servants.
"We're going to ensure the federal public service is vaccinated," the prime minister said while speaking at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Ottawa on Tuesday. "There is a clear requirement of vaccination for anyone who works for the federal government."
The federal government announced in August that it intends to make COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for all federal public service workers and Canadian Armed Forces members. The federal public service is Ottawa's largest employer.
"[F]or those few who are unable to be vaccinated, accommodation or alternative measures, such as testing and screening, may be determined in each situation, to protect broader public health by reducing the risk of COVID-19," the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat said in a news release on Aug. 13.
Data for the number of public servants who had received COVID-19 vaccines to date was not immediately available but, locally, Ottawa Public Health says 83 per cent of adults 18 and older have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and are considered fully vaccinated.
In a statement Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Treasury Board said that it is assumed public servants are vaccinated at the same rate as the general public.
"We know that 80% of eligible people in Canada are fully vaccinated, and over 85% have had their first shot. While we do not yet have precise numbers on vaccination rates amongst public servants, we do not have reason to believe that the vaccination rate in the public service is different than in the general Canadian population," the Treasury Board said.
What happens to federal workers who refuse to be vaccinated remains unclear. Trudeau told reporters the public service continues to work on its mandatory vaccination plan and he promised additional details in the coming weeks.
"The way through this pandemic, everyone knows, is to ensure as many people as possible get vaccinated," Trudeau said.
Speaking on CTV News Channel's Power Play on Tuesday, Health Minister Patty Hajdu told Evan Solomon that discussions around consequences for unvaccinated employees continue to take place.
"Those are conversations that are happening right now with the federal public service and the unions," Hajdu said. "By and large, people understand we need to protect each other in common spaces, especially workplaces."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. schools turn to artificial intelligence to spot guns as companies press lawmakers for state funds
Kansas could soon offer up to US$5 million in grants for schools to outfit surveillance cameras with artificial intelligence systems that can spot people carrying guns. But the governor needs to approve the expenditures and the schools must meet some very specific criteria.
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Cohen expected to take the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.