COVID-19 Vaccination Mandates ‘Stripping Canadians of Their Dignity’: Tory MP

Conservative MP Jeremy Patzer rises in the House of Commons on April 27, 2021 in Ottawa. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

A Conservative MP is speaking up for Canadians across the country who have lost their jobs as a result of the vaccine mandates.

MP Jeremy Patzer said during the parliamentary sitting on Wednesday that thousands of front line workers across Canada—from members of the military to first responders, nurses, and educators—have already lost or are facing the loss of their jobs as a result of the vaccine mandates.

“These are our neighbours, our colleagues, our fellow citizens—many have sacrificed and given so much to build up our country, and many who have served us throughout the worst of this pandemic,” Patzer said.

“Yet now in the blink of an eye, these same individuals that we once praised as heroes are being treated as second-class citizens for a decision that every Canadian should have the freedom to make for themselves.”

Patzer also criticized the federal government for denying these front line workers employment insurance (EI)—which they have long contributed to—if they refuse to comply with the vaccination mandates.

“It’s a disgrace to see how this Liberal government is intent on stripping Canadians of their dignity and sending a rift of division from coast to coast,” he said.

Employment and Social Development Canada has published guidelines to help employers fill out records of employment (ROE)—a document needed to apply for the EI benefits—when an employee is suspended or terminated from work for refusing to comply with the mandatory vaccination policy.

Patzer said he will “continue to stand” for his constituents and other Canadians who have lost their jobs because of vaccine mandates, “and for this country, the true north, strong and free.”

‘Fully Vaccinated’ to Be Redefined?

Patzer’s comments come amid suggestions that authorities may redefine “fully vaccinated” to include a third booster shot in the face of the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.

Some indications of this were evident in the comments and publications from federal health agencies in early December, such as the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).

“While the term ‘booster dose’ is used in this guidance, NACI continues to monitor the emerging scientific data on whether this dose is indeed a booster dose … or should be considered part of the primary series,” the agency said in a publication dated Dec. 3. “NACI will adjust the terminology as required.”

An update on COVID-19 projections (pdf) released Thursday by Ontario’s Science Advisory Table also added to the speculation, claiming that maintaining vaccine effectiveness against Omicron would require an “aggressive booster campaign.”

“Increasing vaccination is not enough to slow this wave. Circuit breakers with strong additional public health measures (at least 50 percent fewer contacts) and strong booster campaigns (250,000 per day) could blunt the Omicron wave,” the Science Table said.

According to a United Kingdom study, a booster shot is at best 70 to 75 percent effective against the COVID-19 variants.

“A moderate to high vaccine effectiveness of 70 to 75 percent is seen in the early period after a booster dose. With previous variants, vaccine effectiveness against severe disease, including hospitalisation and death, has been higher than effectiveness against mild disease,” the study says.

“It will be a few weeks before effectiveness against severe disease with Omicron can be estimated, however based on this experience, this is likely to be substantially higher than the estimates against symptomatic disease.”