Councillor wants advice on whether vaccine mandates represent 'oppression' of unvaccinated
Suggesting vaccination mandates could be perceived as oppression against the unvaccinated, Councillor Michael Van Holst wants his council colleagues to refer the issue to the Diversity, Inclusion, and Anti- Oppression Advisory Committee (DIAAC) at city hall.
"I think it would be worth having DIAAC consider those (mandates) and under what circumstances that would be a reasonable thing to do," he tells CTV News.
In a letter to council’s Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC), Van Holst recommends getting a preemptive opinion about the potential oppression of three groups:
- those concerned about long term safety,
- a scientific control group,
- those seeking medical privacy
His letter states that with regard to mandating vaccination, “some will claim it to be an act of coercion and potentially oppression.”
"We’ve never been in a position where a medical treatment might be mandated by the city or a business," he adds.
City hall has not mandated vaccination to access municipal services or facilities in London.
Dr. Chris Mackie, Medical Officer of Health for London and Middlesex County has expressed support for requiring vaccination in high risk settings— with exemptions on medical, religious, or philosophical grounds.
Mayor Ed Holder rejects the premise of Van Holst’s letter.
"Dying is discriminatory because it limits everything else that you can do!" Mayor Holder fired back when asked about the letter. "I think what has to happen, as we have said consistently over the last months get your shot, (then) get your second shot."
Councillor Shawn Lewis says he also won’t vote refer the matter to the advisory committee— suggesting it’s a misleading distraction.
"Absolutely not. This is a health decision," explains Councillor Lewis. "This is a big red herring. I want to see as many Londoners vaccinated as soon as possible so we can take off these masks and get back to life as normal."
Regarding his personal opinion about vaccination Van Holst says, "I am comfortable with the idea of informed consent. So if people make the decision, that’s great so long as they have the information given to them about the consequences."
Van Holst’s letter is on the July 28 agenda of the SPPC meeting at city hall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole Porsche and ran over its owner
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Woman shot by B.C. police was Colombian refugee with young daughter, advocate says
Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.
3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area mosque
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Kamala Harris tells Oprah any intruder to her home is 'getting shot'
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Thursday issued a warning to any potential home intruder: 'If somebody breaks in my house, they're getting shot.'
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
On the trail of the mystery woman whose company licensed exploding pagers
What Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, 49, the Italian-Hungarian CEO and owner of Hungary-based BAC Consulting, says she hasn't done is make the exploding pagers that killed 12 people and wounded more than 2,000 in Lebanon this week.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Video released of person of interest after cat is allegedly set on fire in Orillia, Ont.
Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.