Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Oct. 21 that all citizens of Canada will be required to present a COVID vaccine passport when traveling by air, sea or train beginning October 30. The country's new COVID vaccine passport system will be used both domestically and internationally.
"We are very confident this proof-of-vaccination certificate that will be federally approved, issued by the provinces with the health information for Canadians, is going to be accepted at destinations worldwide," Trudeau said at a news conference.
According to the Canadian government, the country's vaccine passport is a reliable way to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination history while traveling.
"This proof was developed by provinces and territories, with support from the government of Canada," the government said in a statement. It is a recognized, trusted document that has been shared with our international partners."
The vaccine passport, a sample of which can be seen on the government's website, includes the name of the individual, date of birth, the COVID-19 vaccine dose administered and the date of vaccination and a QR code. It can be printed out or downloaded onto a smartphone.
The unveiling of this national vaccine passport comes only a few weeks after the announcement of unprecedented COVID-19 vaccination mandates for federal workers and the ban on travel for unvaccinated individuals.
Trudeau confirmed that the COVID booster shots are in the works, as are the vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11. He emphasized that the government is working "as quickly as possible" on the COVID-19 vaccines for kids, which will be delivered once Health Canada gives its approval. He also assured that Canada will have enough doses to ensure that all eligible children can receive the vaccine.
Vaccination requirements brought into question by advocacy group
All COVID-19 vaccines with emergency use authorization in Canada have been made with cells derived from aborted babies. They have also been associated with severe side effects like blood clots, rashes, miscarriages and health diseases, which is why the advocacy group Justice Center for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) questioned the need for vaccines in the first place.
The group said that the vaccine passports are "an affront to democracy and a violation of the Charter rights of every Canadian." (Related: Canada is turning into a "COVID Police State," warns constitutional lawyer.)
JCCF President John Carpay said that the COVID-19 is not like the Spanish flu of 1918 and does not warrant the permanent violation of Charter rights and freedoms. "The mRNA vaccine, which has not been subjected to any long-term safety testing, does not stop the spread of viruses," he said.
Carpay also pointed out that since the vaccine does not prevent or reduce the spread of any virus, there is no medical or scientific justification to force its use on anyone, including the Members of Parliament.
This is in connection to the recent announcement of the federal government, saying that they will ban democratically elected Members of the Parliament and staff who have not had their COVID-19 vaccinations. All public servants, including those who are working remotely from home, have until the end of October to get their vaccines. Those who fail to comply will be put on unpaid leaves and will not be eligible for unemployment benefits.
Allison Pejovic, an attorney with the JCCF, said that Trudeau is ignoring studies and data, which clearly show that both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals can catch and spread the COVID-19 virus. Hence, even a plane full of vaccinated people is not 100 percent safe from the virus.
Pejovic also stated that the new measures are "a clear breach of Canadians' Charter-protected rights." She noted that the right to freely enter and leave Canada is one of the most fundamental Charter rights.
Some provinces, including Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador have already started using the national standard for a proof-of-vaccination certificate.
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