Poilievre Calls for End to Lingering Vaccine Mandates to Help Address Nursing Shortage

Syringes with a COVID-19 vaccine in Bidderford, Maine, on April 26, 2021. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

Federal Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre on Wednesday called for an end to remaining COVID-19 vaccine mandates, sharing the story of Sandra Hartman, a pregnant nurse who was facing termination in June from her job after refusing the jab.

“The fastest way to get more of the doctors and nurses we need? End all the discriminatory vaccine mandates blocking them from doing their jobs, so they can work again,” Mr. Poilievre posted on Twitter on June 12.

Provinces across Canada have complained of nursing staff shortages as well as a growing need for more medical doctors.

In June, The Epoch Times reported that Ms. Hartman, a 35-year-old nurse, eight months pregnant at the time, was about to be fired by the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). She had previously been put on unpaid leave for declining a COVID-19 shot. Despite most COVID restrictions being lifted, the hospital had not changed its policy, the nurse said at the time.

London Health Sciences Centre responded July 13 with the following statement.

“LHSC’s staff vaccination policy remains in place,” it said.

“With regards to masking, our guidelines were updated on June 1. Masking is now voluntary in the majority of clinical areas at LHSC, however, we will continue to be a mask friendly organization and masks will be available to those who wish to wear them. To learn more please visit our patient and visitor masking web page.”

Policy

In June, Ms. Hartman asked LHSC chief executive Jackie Schleifer Taylor to reconsider the mandatory vaccine policy.

“At this point, we’re past … needing it,” said the nurse on June 11. “I’m hoping for a change, but that could take time. It could take years. As CEO, I think she would have the authority to change it.”

Ms. Hartman said her union, the Ontario Nurses Association, told her that she should expect to be fired imminently, after 12 years of being employed by LHSC.

An update to Ms. Hartman’s situation has not been provided since, but at the time she said a change in the mandatory vaccine policy would help address a nursing shortage. She said other nurses impacted by the mandatory COVID vaccine policy would be able to return to work.

The hospital’s CEO told the London Free Press in June that there is “special table” of various hospital groups that discuss the policy and the hospital’s guidelines come from public health officials.

“Collective scientific evidence and individual protection of patients and staff are debated regularly,” Ms. Schleifer Taylor said. If a decision was made to change the vaccine requirements, she said that “it will be evidence-informed. There are a number of things at play.”

According to the Ontario Nurses Association (ONA), the province is short more than 24,000 nurses. The union has been grieving the mandatory vaccine policy. In October 2021, the ONA said it “supports education and addressing vaccine hesitancy, not penalizing and terminating nurses when we need them most. ONA also supports regular testing of employees as a measure that ensures safety of everyone, reassignment or other measures.”