Photo by Whitehorse Star
Yukon Party MLA Stacey Hassard
Government questioned on mandatory vaccines
The Yukon government’s controversial decision to have all public servants be fully vaccinated is still raging in the legislature.
The Yukon government’s controversial decision to have all public servants be fully vaccinated is still raging in the legislature.
On Tuesday, it erupted again during question period.
This time, it was Yukon Party MLA Stacey Hassard raising the issue.
“When the premier made the politically motivated announcement about a vaccine mandate for Yukon government staff on Oct. 15, he told media that they had a breakdown of how many staff are unvaccinated,” Hassard said.
“When the media followed up on this, the premier’s office had to backtrack. They said that, despite what the premier claimed, they only have a sense of vaccination levels and that the Yukon government had not undertaken any efforts to confirm the vaccination status of any public servants,” Hassard added.
“Can the minister responsible for the Public Service Commission confirm that the premier was incorrect when he told media that they know how many staff are unvaccinated?”
John Streicker, the minister responsible for the commission, responded quickly.
“I can say that the premier did announce two Fridays ago that — alongside the acting chief medical officer of health — the recommendation was that we introduce vaccine requirements for public service staff,” Streicker said.
“As the Yukon’s largest employer, Yukon Government has a duty to lead by example and do our part to keep Yukoners safe.”
Hassard noted that Streicker had not answered the question.
“Actually, the question was about the premier providing accurate information, but again, we don’t get an answer.”
That brought Premier Sandy Silver into the fray.
“I don’t necessarily agree with the way that the members opposite are phrasing the questions. Again, when we did speak in the press conference, we talked about anecdotal information about certain things, but that was about it,” Silver said.
“I will have to go back and take a look at the transcripts. If I did say something at that time that was off from the Public Service Commission, then I will definitely apologize for that.
“But again, I believe that we were talking about anecdotal information at that time.”
Recommendations, including ones on vaccines, come from the chief medical officer of health, Silver noted.
“They come out as soon as possible, and then we work on the logistical challenges from there on.”
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Comments (29)
Up 4 Down 9
The ship has sailed on Nov 2, 2021 at 10:46 am
@Adam Smith, I think Jonas’s petition is a little late. Where was he when all the restaurants, airlines, etc. were all told to get vaccinated? Does he really think they can roll back a federal backed vaccine passport? I guess if we want to lock ourselves down and not travel we could become an island on our own. You cannot get on a plane, you cannot do any activities in any other province without a proof of vaccine. This has only come to a head since YTG employees have been mandated to get vaccinated to which we’ve already seen Silver walking back on. How about all the people who have complied already?
Up 6 Down 4
yukong on Nov 2, 2021 at 9:49 am
So it's been more than two weeks since YG's BS announcement about vaccine passports within the Yukon.
Where is the plan??????
What is the end date for the vaccine passport mandate? Where do we need to show our papers? Crickets. Seriously, this government is a circus.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/proof#required
Up 8 Down 7
TheHammer on Nov 1, 2021 at 9:47 am
Gerry@ 'smoke all you want, drink alcohol, do drugs, eat fast food etc." Do you mean carry on being Canadian?
Up 24 Down 2
Groucho d'North on Oct 31, 2021 at 1:36 pm
Perhaps the Premier could hold up a hand or stuffed animal when he is speaking anecdotally just so we know when he is stating facts or something else entirely.
Up 14 Down 6
TheHammer on Oct 30, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Josie@ "Where there is risk there needs to be a choice?" Where there is choice there's always a risk. Try lateral thinking and get out of the tunnel vision.
Up 10 Down 17
TheHammer on Oct 30, 2021 at 2:22 pm
Wanker@ "Who gives thumbs down to freedom?" Who gives thumbs up to the rising right wing extremists trying to impose their idea of freedom on everyone else?
Up 30 Down 19
Adam Smith on Oct 29, 2021 at 10:33 pm
For anyone interested, Jonas Smith is leading a protest in front of the legislature on Monday. There is a petition going around as well to end vaccine passports and mandates which will be presented to the legislature by Currie Dixon the same day.
I encourage all YEU members to attend as well given that Steve Geick has also come out against these attacks on basic human rights. With the YEU and Yukon Party both coming out against this vaccine BS, we should be able to stop the Liberal government in its tracks.
Up 4 Down 8
TheHammer on Oct 29, 2021 at 6:11 pm
YukonFreedom@ Tibetan Yogi on the Chinese idea of liberation of Tibet. "We know the true meaning of freedom." So who are you trying to kid?
Up 34 Down 6
Anonymous on Oct 29, 2021 at 4:16 pm
@Home in the Yukon
The choice of whether to receive medical treatments has always been an individual’s right in Canada. The Canadian National Report on Immunization (1996) stated “Immunization is not mandatory in Canada; it cannot be made mandatory because of the Canadian Constitution.” Section 2 of The Charter guarantees these fundamental freedoms through the freedom of conscience (subsection a) and the freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression (subsection b). Without individuals having the freedom to choose, we would not have a democratic society.
The Criminal Code contains our country’s Criminal Offences and explains that a person commits an assault by intentionally applying force to someone else without that person’s consent. The Criminal Code further explains that consent is not obtained from a person who submits, or neglects to resist, on the grounds of authority being exercised over them. How then can someone give proper consent to a COVID-19 treatment injection when doing so under the threat of losing their job, freedoms, or livelihood? Canadian courts have already ruled that medical treatment without proper informed consent is an assault.
As Canadians, our constitutionally-protected freedoms precede the government, and may only be temporarily limited if the majority of evidence justifies such infringements as reasonable, provable, and guided by law. If presented with all available evidence in a court, the government implemented mandates would not hold up under scrutiny.
Up 34 Down 8
george on Oct 29, 2021 at 12:31 pm
@at home in the yukon...whooa cowboy, you do realize you can spread covid even if you're vaccinated right? Maybe even higher risk because it appears most vax people ignore safety precautions cause they feel bulletproof and easy to blame un-vaxed. That being said this argument isn't about the efficiency of vaccine, obviously it has positive benefits, the argument is mandates, requiring someone to follow a medical procedure through coercion and discrimination. If you're vaccinated and still scared, stay home, lots of support programs and financial assistance in place for you.
Up 11 Down 45
At home in the Yukon on Oct 29, 2021 at 9:51 am
On "bodily autonomy", what gives you the right to invade the bodily autonomy of your neighbour by spreading your virus to them?
On the safety of the vaccine, nations such as the US, Brazil and Sweden that took a cavalier attitude to COVID have death rates of about 2 in 1000 (2.2, 2.8 and 1.4 per 1000 respectively.) By that estimate, our war against COVID has saved the lives of about 70 Yukoners. (40,000 x 2/1000 = 80, - 10 deaths.) I doubt ANY Yukoners died of the vaccine. Certainly, had 70 Yukoners died, we'd have noticed. Vaccines and other precautions save lives!
Up 63 Down 17
Josie on Oct 28, 2021 at 3:09 pm
These mandates have NOTHING to do with health. Absolutely nothing. I had one family member pass very suddenly a week after his covid injection. I have a friend that suddenly developed unexplained neurological disorder. No amount of tests have explained what has happened.
Where there is risk there needs to be a choice!
Up 41 Down 17
Wankers on Oct 28, 2021 at 2:58 pm
Who gives thumbs down to freedom?
Up 57 Down 6
Gerry on Oct 28, 2021 at 12:55 pm
The chief medical officer has declared that bodily autonomy no longer exists. This is fascinating since bodily autonomy is one of the foundational pillars of medical ethics. If this can be disposed of without so much as the batting of an eyelash, it is truly wondered what other measures of "safety" they will inflict upon the populace. This is shameful. Why bother taking a medical oath? It's obvious that it was just thrown in the trash anyways. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Up 50 Down 6
Gerry on Oct 28, 2021 at 12:50 pm
One commenter on here has equated taking a gene therapy injection with 'love.' Love is now apparently inoculating one's self with experimental pharmaceutical concoctions. Health is no longer about eating right, lowering stress levels, exercising, and staying away from toxins. No. Health is 100% about taking in these so-called vaccines. Who knew? Smoke all you want. Drink alcohol, do drugs, eat fast food. Don't exercise. Stay in a fear-induced state perpetually.
Up 12 Down 31
I said Pardon on Oct 28, 2021 at 12:06 pm
What disgusting games both sides are playing.
Of course the government knows the vaccination levels in the Yukon. Millions have been spent on this effort and the large numbers of personnel have been put to work on this. The liberal government brags about how well they’ve done regarding this. People’s livelihoods are at stake here, and yet the opposition chooses to whine about alleged vaccine numbers which they have full access to. How pathetic. Go back to polishing your pickup, Stacey. You clearly represent no one, but yourself.
Up 68 Down 14
T on Oct 28, 2021 at 7:19 am
If someone came up to you on the street and said, "Here, take this injection. I won't tell you what's in it and it has not been tested for long-term side effects. It also has a chance of causing immediate permanent injuries. Also, if you get injured, you can't sue me and no one can be held liable for it. By the way, you lose your job if you don't take it." Would you take it? I would call the police.
Up 69 Down 9
Lex on Oct 28, 2021 at 6:39 am
How come the government is not focusing on getting better healthcare and more staff, rather than firing the limited amount of staff that already exists for not being vaccinated .
I have heard absolutely nothing about hiring more staff or free education to train more nurses or doctors - what’s up with that?
Up 64 Down 12
bob on Oct 28, 2021 at 12:25 am
This will end up in court...clear cut case of discrimination...employers be warned that they are legal liable for wrongful dismissal.
Up 64 Down 10
Salt on Oct 27, 2021 at 11:12 pm
Dr Bonnie Henry just opened up the booster shot to the entire public. She states herself that the vaccines effectiveness significantly declines after 5-8 months. What was once blasphemy is now passed off as just the next step because the data is out there and obvious. Over 75-80% vaxxed areas are seeing some of their worst numbers and in the UK the vaxxed are making up the majority of new cases in all age groups over 30. These vaccines will never lead to herd immunity. It is indisputable at this point. Mandates serve no medical purpose.
Up 12 Down 36
Yukoner32 on Oct 27, 2021 at 8:24 pm
Wait, what is this guy doing asking questions in the legislature? I thought after all the gross texts, Curry kicked him and Wade Istchenko out of shadow cabinet and told them to take sensitivity training? Am I missing something here?
Up 61 Down 13
Max Mack on Oct 27, 2021 at 7:53 pm
Deferring to the CMoH is simply a cop-out. Vaccine mandates and passports are political decisions -- NOT scientific decisions.
Apartheid Yukon.
Up 10 Down 49
At home in the Yukon on Oct 27, 2021 at 6:27 pm
I believe in vaccinations. I believe that refusing vaccination is being destructive to your neighbours.
But I wonder, how hard we should push people to love their neighbour? And should we hold government employees to the high standard of obligating them to be loving? Maybe we should allow people, even government employees, to be a**h***s. Hopefully with a little explaining how mean they are being they will get to the loving decision on their own.
Up 59 Down 10
Pro-Choice and double vaxxed! on Oct 27, 2021 at 6:27 pm
The European Union has just come out against vaccine mandates and passports declaring that they are violative of fundamental human rights. The right to decide what goes into ones body is a fundamental freedom that should be inviolate. In a civil society this incursion into the right of the security of person cannot be and should not be tolerated… Even in Canada where the Liberal government continues its full court press into the right to dominate and control what you do and what you say.
Anyone who is against freedom of choice on this matter should be voted onto an island away from those who believe in choice - GTFOH! Go visit a herbary if you cannot cope with your own fear but don’t you dare try and put that shyte on me!
Especially now that we know that they will just keep making this crap up even though the vaccine has been proven to be virtually useless against infection and transmission.
Vaccine mandates kill democracy with fascistic oversight… Sheesh, what a maroon!
Signed,
Pro-Choice and double vaxxed.
See:
https://rumble.com/vo3ymp-breaking-eu-parliament-opposes-vaccine-mandate-agenda-22102021.html
Up 5 Down 36
BnR on Oct 27, 2021 at 5:16 pm
Joe, you're out of your depth here.
Up 50 Down 11
Dougls Martens on Oct 27, 2021 at 4:21 pm
We are living in very odd times indeed when people actually seem to think the government exists to keep us all safe... which, of course is phsically impossible in the first place. What a bumbling display of global cowardice this has been!
"Keeping us all safe" was never asked of any government. It is an exercise in futility which needs to stop, now.
Up 52 Down 9
Rick S on Oct 27, 2021 at 4:07 pm
To Yukon business owners: You're all essential. Don't let Sandy and his gang of bullies tell you otherwise. Like all bullies they'll crumble if you stand together and refuse these mandates.
Up 44 Down 18
Yukonfreedom on Oct 27, 2021 at 3:51 pm
Please sign the petitions at
yukonfreedom.com/petitions
Instructions are listed on that page and info to coordinate delivery or pickup of the petitions.
Need to get originals of the signatures to present to legislature
Up 138 Down 54
Joe on Oct 27, 2021 at 3:24 pm
Drop the mandates on recreational and non-essential services. Let the public decide on its own. Its discriminatory and divisive.