Canada Has No Plans To Lift Vaccine Mandates & Feds Say Setting A Date Would Be 'Irresponsible'

Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says that there is no set date for the end of federal vaccine mandates in Canada and that to set one right now would be "irresponsible."

Appearing before the federal health committee on Monday, March 21, Duclos was asked several times by members of the committee what it would take for Canada to drop vaccine mandates for travellers and federal employees.

When asked by Conservative MP Stephen Ellis if there was a plan or timeline in place to end the pandemic measure, the health minister replied, "I think it would be irresponsible to say yes or no."

"To be responsible means you have to follow the evidence, the science and the precautionary principle and analyze the policies as things evolve," said Duclos.

However, he did confirm that the health policies are reviewed weekly and sometimes more often than that.

The health minister said that officials consider certain key indicators such as hospitalization rates, long-haul COVID-19 numbers, deaths, economic costs and "many others" to determine the next actions.

"We want to apply the least disruptive measures to protect the health and safety of Canadians and the conversation will evolve as the situation evolves," he said.

In response, Ellis told the minister, "I find that quite shocking that there's not an answer to be given, that it's much too complex for the health committee and for Canadians to understand."

Nearly every province in Canada either has a plan in place for when they are getting rid of vaccine and mask mandates or has already scrapped them, including Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C.

While vaccine requirements remain in place for travel on federally regulated planes, trains and cruise ships, the federal government has axed the need for pre-arrival testing for fully vaccinated travellers as of April 1.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.