Canada to require coronavirus vaccine for federal employees, most train, ship passengers

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Canada will soon require all federal employees as well as rail travelers between provinces and ship passengers to be fully vaccinated for the coronavirus, the government announced Friday.

“After months and months of deploying these vaccines literally into millions of Canadian arms, we see how effective they are," Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said at a news conference. "We also see what other workplaces and other public service agencies around the world have done."

“It is very much a continuation of our government’s efforts to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to protect the health and safety of Canadians,” said LeBlanc, adding that "this is a mandatory requirement" and those who refuse risk losing their jobs if they are not vaccinated by the end of October.

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, who was at the news conference, said Canadians deserve to feel safe.

"Canadians deserve to feel confident when traveling that the environment around them is safe,” said Alghabra. “We need to regain public confidence in travel.”

Alghabra was asked how he thought the public service employees would feel about mandatory vaccinations.

“My sense is that public servants are supporting and applauding this commitment and they all want to be sure they have a safe workplace," he said. "Of course, there will be some requirements for accommodation based on legitimate reasons and those will be worked out.”