TORONTO – Ontario Liberal Leader, Steven Del Duca issued the following statement:
“We have all sacrificed so much during this pandemic, and now we need a plan to prevent a fourth wave and keep Ontario open.
It’s time for Ontario to require mandatory vaccination for any frontline worker in healthcare or education, while ensuring the mandate adheres to the Ontario Human Rights Code. This is about protecting our most vulnerable, keeping schools open, and keeping our economy open.
It’s important that we continue educational efforts, working with workers, employers and unions to help communities – particularly racialized communities struggling to increase vaccination rates – overcome vaccine hesitancy, and not simply give up on protecting them from COVID-19.
I do not believe employees should lose their jobs. We need to show leadership and focus on overcoming vaccine hesitancy, which punitive firings would do nothing to support.
We also need a secure and accessible tool to provide proof of vaccination. This would help businesses and organizations develop fair policies should they require clients to be vaccinated, making us all safer as we continue to enjoy the re-opening.
Doug Ford’s reopening plan is to have no plan at all. He’s jeopardizing Ontario’s reopening by not planning ahead to prevent a fourth wave.
Ontario Liberals are the only party putting in the work to plan for a safe and permanent reopening that rewards those who made the responsible decision to get their vaccine.”
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