Premier Doug Ford has announced Ontario will not require hospital workers to have mandatory COVID-19 vaccines in an effort to not interrupt the delivery of care for millions of Ontarians..In October, Ford sent a letter to hospital CEOs and other medical organizations asking for their input on mandating vaccines for medical staff..On November 1, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said after consulting with hospitals and healthcare groups across the province, they were still waiting for responses from some hospitals in order for the government to make its decision..In Wednesday’s statement, Ford said he was “not prepared to jeopardize the delivery of care to millions of Ontarians,” and confirmed the province would take a “flexible approach by leaving human resourcing decisions up to individual hospitals.”.Ford highlighted the “high vaccination rates among hospital workers and robust infection prevention and controls” and said the “small number” of COVID-19 outbreaks in Ontario hospitals is not worth enforcing a provincial vaccine policy..Ford also pointed to the situation in British Columbia where over 3,000 healthcare workers have been terminated for not adhering to the province’s mandatory vaccination policy resulting in cancelled surgeries and diagnostic tests..“Quebec has now abandoned theirs altogether because of the significant risk an abrupt loss of thousands of health care workers poses to delivering critical services,” said Ford in the statement..Ford said they will continue to monitor the situation in provincial hospitals.The Ontario Medical Association has been calling for a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers since July..Alberta Health Services has also brought in a mandatory vaccination policy for their staff..“This is definitely a step in the right direction,” said lawyer Derek From, with WKA Lawyers in Airdrie, who represents a number of clients fighting mandatory vaccination policies in their workplaces..“Ontario is a bit different in that they have a three-way relationship — employer, worker and union,” said From adding the mandates fall under labour laws rather than the Charter of Rights and Freedoms..“Although Ford is no longer mandating the vaccine, many of the hospitals still are, so it isn’t really helping a lot of medical workers in Ontario at this point.”.“In Alberta, you’ve got Alberta Health Services — which is a government body, the employer, the worker and the union,” said From..“Because the (COVID-19) vaccines have been mandated by the government in Alberta, it’s subject to the Charter.”.“Ford’s decision to remove mandates in Ontario may or may not be precedent-setting for other provinces, but it certainly becomes politically persuasive,” said From..The Wildrose Independence Party said the Ontario and Quebec moves should mean Alberta follows in their wake..“This is exactly what Wildrose has been fighting for all along. The health freedom of workers cannot be thrown under the bus in the name of vaccine mandates. Let us not ever forget that Jason Kenney’s UCP government explicitly promised such mandates would never be allowed in Alberta,” said WIP leader Paul Hinman..“Now that Canada’s two most populous provinces have stated their intention to cancel the mandates for healthcare workers, will the government of Alberta finally accept that all Alberta workers have the right to make their own healthcare choices?”.…more to come.Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
Premier Doug Ford has announced Ontario will not require hospital workers to have mandatory COVID-19 vaccines in an effort to not interrupt the delivery of care for millions of Ontarians..In October, Ford sent a letter to hospital CEOs and other medical organizations asking for their input on mandating vaccines for medical staff..On November 1, Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott said after consulting with hospitals and healthcare groups across the province, they were still waiting for responses from some hospitals in order for the government to make its decision..In Wednesday’s statement, Ford said he was “not prepared to jeopardize the delivery of care to millions of Ontarians,” and confirmed the province would take a “flexible approach by leaving human resourcing decisions up to individual hospitals.”.Ford highlighted the “high vaccination rates among hospital workers and robust infection prevention and controls” and said the “small number” of COVID-19 outbreaks in Ontario hospitals is not worth enforcing a provincial vaccine policy..Ford also pointed to the situation in British Columbia where over 3,000 healthcare workers have been terminated for not adhering to the province’s mandatory vaccination policy resulting in cancelled surgeries and diagnostic tests..“Quebec has now abandoned theirs altogether because of the significant risk an abrupt loss of thousands of health care workers poses to delivering critical services,” said Ford in the statement..Ford said they will continue to monitor the situation in provincial hospitals.The Ontario Medical Association has been calling for a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers since July..Alberta Health Services has also brought in a mandatory vaccination policy for their staff..“This is definitely a step in the right direction,” said lawyer Derek From, with WKA Lawyers in Airdrie, who represents a number of clients fighting mandatory vaccination policies in their workplaces..“Ontario is a bit different in that they have a three-way relationship — employer, worker and union,” said From adding the mandates fall under labour laws rather than the Charter of Rights and Freedoms..“Although Ford is no longer mandating the vaccine, many of the hospitals still are, so it isn’t really helping a lot of medical workers in Ontario at this point.”.“In Alberta, you’ve got Alberta Health Services — which is a government body, the employer, the worker and the union,” said From..“Because the (COVID-19) vaccines have been mandated by the government in Alberta, it’s subject to the Charter.”.“Ford’s decision to remove mandates in Ontario may or may not be precedent-setting for other provinces, but it certainly becomes politically persuasive,” said From..The Wildrose Independence Party said the Ontario and Quebec moves should mean Alberta follows in their wake..“This is exactly what Wildrose has been fighting for all along. The health freedom of workers cannot be thrown under the bus in the name of vaccine mandates. Let us not ever forget that Jason Kenney’s UCP government explicitly promised such mandates would never be allowed in Alberta,” said WIP leader Paul Hinman..“Now that Canada’s two most populous provinces have stated their intention to cancel the mandates for healthcare workers, will the government of Alberta finally accept that all Alberta workers have the right to make their own healthcare choices?”.…more to come.Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
