MPS AND VACCINATION

Re Tories Object To Mandatory Vaccination Policy For House Of Commons (Oct. 21): According to Erin O’Toole, Justin Trudeau is using this policy as a “political wedge.” This sounds incomprehensible. Does he even know the extent of damage that could be done by such irresponsible viewpoints?

If our main political parties are reluctant to follow the rules toward vaccination awareness, how do we expect the public, especially those who are hesitant about vaccination, to follow rules and restrictions? It should be a matter of embarrassment for our politicians.

Leaders should not play politics on a serious matter of health. In this situation, collective health emanates out of science. It goes with facts and reasoning and should never be based on the will of the people.

Anas Khan Beaumont, Alta.

The decision to bar MPs from the House of Commons based on vaccination status should not be allowed to stand. Preventing democratically elected MPs from accessing their workplace not only robs them of the ability to do their jobs, it robs their constituents of proper representation – the very backbone of Canadian democracy.

If protecting people is the objective, the Board of Internal Economy could have done this by means other than forcing MPs to do something they do not want to do, with regular rapid tests being the most obvious.

It’s one thing to keep unvaccinated Canadians from enjoying a night out at a restaurant or taking in a Maple Leafs game. But preventing Canadians from participating in our government? It feels like a slap in the face of the electorate and contempt for democracy itself.

Ryan Mans Smithville, Ont.

Given the devastation wrought by COVID-19, there seems no rationale to accommodate the peccadillos of Conservative MPs reluctant to reveal their vaccination status. Surely our political leaders should model behaviour which clearly and dramatically reduces virus risk.

If there are MPs who decline vaccines, I think they do not belong in the House of Commons.

Paul Thiessen MD, Vancouver