Alberta premier outright refuses federal suggestion of mandatory COVID-19 vaccines
Premier Jason Kenney quickly rejected the idea Friday that Canadian provinces should consider making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory.
The suggestion came from federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, who said healthcare capacity is being spread "too thin" under a rising fifth wave driven by the Omicron variant.
“PPE, physical distancing, tests… these are all very important tools, but what will make us move through this crisis and end it is vaccination,” he said at a media briefing on Friday.
“I'm signalling this as a conversation which I believe provinces and territories, in support with the federal government, will want to have over the next weeks and months.”
Kenney responded on Twitter about an hour after the story broke, and a spokesperson for the premier declined further comment to CTV News Edmonton.
"Alberta’s Legislature removed the power of mandatory vaccination from the Public Health Act last year and will not revisit that decision, period," he wrote.
"While we strongly encourage those who are eligible to get vaccinated, it is ultimately a personal choice that individuals must make."
Alberta set all-time highs in recorded new COVID-19 cases in early January and hospitalizations increased 50 per cent over the last two weeks, according to the provincial data.
The hospital patient count reached 498 Thursday, including 64 persons in intensive care units. That was an increase of five from seven days prior, but those numbers were expected to rise with higher case counts.
Citing the example of his home province of Quebec, Duclos said 50 per cent of hospitalizations are due to people being unvaccinated.
He thinks mandating COVID-19 shots, going beyond a vaccine passport system limiting access to certain spaces and activities, should be considered.
“What we see now is that our healthcare system in Canada is fragile, our people are tired. And, the only way that we know to get through COVID-19, this variant and any future variant, is through vaccination," Duclos said.
But Duclos added provinces will have the final say.
Kenney initially refused to bring in a vaccine passport system, as other provinces did.
He eventually approved a Restrictions Exemption Program, which restricts access to unvaccinated Albertans at participating non-essential businesses.
Some European countries have passed mandatory vaccination laws based on age, and others are considering it.
With files from CTV News' Rachel Aiello
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.