Canada not likely to mandate national vaccination passport, Trudeau says
Posted January 14, 2021 3:14 pm.
Last Updated January 14, 2021 4:23 pm.
As provinces legislate harsher restrictions to try and stamp out a rise in COVID-19 cases, the Prime Minister appears to be ruling out the idea of a national vaccination passport.
It comes as officials talk about a significant ramp up of inoculations in the months ahead.
With vaccination programs underway across the country, there has been provincial talk of creating some sort of system to prove if someone has received their shot; similar to what some European countries are doing.
In early Dec., Ontario’s minister of health said the Ford government plans to eventually provide people that get vaccinated some form of documentation that would allow them to travel or enter certain businesses, such as movie theatres.
But in an interview with Reuters, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is not considering any type of national vaccine passport.
“I think it’s an interesting idea but I think it is also fraught with challenges,” Trudeau said.
RELATED: Canada expected to receive around 6-million doses of Pfizer, Moderna vaccines by end of March
The comments come as officials say as of this week, 929,000 vaccine doses will have been distributed to provinces, however, that number will rise significantly in April when Canada starts receiving more than a million doses each week.
“They will be brought into the country and put into the mix,” Maj. Gen. Danny Fortin said.
Fortin adds that is only based on the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and it could grow if more candidates are approved.
Trudeau, meantime, also mentioned he hopes to meet with President-elect Joe Biden as soon as possible after his inauguration, and on his political future, he hopes to serve as Prime Minister for many more years.
“One of the things that a lot of the traditional allies and friends of the United States are looking forward to is a re-engagement on some of the big themes, whether it’s freer trade, climate change, protecting democracy or coordinating against some of the rises of authoritarianism we’re seeing around the world,” Trudeau told Reuters.
“I am looking forward to a number more years of serving Canadians.”
