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Doug Ford opposes mandatory shots and proof-of-vaccination documentation

Thestar.com
July 16, 2021

No documentation of vaccination required.

That’s the message from Premier Doug Ford when asked if Ontario would require proof-of-vaccination certificates as the province emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“No, we aren’t doing it -- simple as that,” Ford told reporters Thursday in Etobicoke.

“We aren’t going to have a split society,” he said, referring the dividing vaccinated and unvaccinated Canadians.

But the premier stressed it would be Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision if Ottawa wants to see proof that people coming into Canada have been vaccinated.

“Now, if it’s ... getting across the border, that’s up to the federal government. We’ll see what they decide to do,” said Ford.

He added that the Ontario government would not foist mandatory vaccinations on anyone, including health-care workers.

“No, I think it’s our constitutional right to take it or not take it. No one should be forced to do anything.”

Having said that the premier said everyone should get their shots.

“We encourage them to do it. I’ve been up here for months begging, pleading everyone to get it,” he said, adding “individual private companies” should implore employees to voluntarily get their shots.

“I’m not in favor of a mandatory certification … neither is the chief medical officer (of health, Dr. Kieran Moore.)”

Labour Minister Monte McNaughton echoed that.

“For the record, I am not pursuing mandatory vaccines in the workplace,” McNaughton told the Star.

But the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario is recommending that all health-care workers be forced to get vaccinated.

“Ontario, Canada and many places around the world are facing highly contagious COVID-19 variants,” said Morgan Hoffarth, president of the association.

“The best defence to beat this virus is to get vaccinated and encourage everyone around you to receive both doses of the vaccine,” said Hoffarth, calling on Queen’s Park “to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for all health-care workers.”

Ontario is entering the next step of reopening Friday.

Moore has said if the province can get 80 per cent of everyone 12 and up with one shot and 75 per cent fully vaccinated then almost everything could be open by Aug. 6.

As of Thursday afternoon, 78.9 per cent of eligible Ontarians have had the first shot and 57.5 per cent had both.