Records show cabinet allocated more than $199 million to enforce vaccine mandates on Canadian government employees, despite 95% of them being vaccinated, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “Total authorities available for the Policy On COVID-19 Vaccination for the core public administration including the RCMP were $85.7 million and $112.9 million in 2021 and 2022 respectively,” said Treasury Board President Anita Anand in an inquiry of ministry tabled in the House of Commons. Anand admitted spending included $19.2 million for “procuring, warehousing and distributing COVID-19 rapid tests across the core public administration.”“This allocation also included funding for legal services,” said Anand. The figures were disclosed at the request of Conservative MP Ted Falk (Provencher, MB), who asked for the total costs associated with implementing the vaccine mandate for Canadian government employees. The Treasury Board ordered RCMP, military and Canadian government employees to show proof of vaccination under threat of dismissal or suspension without pay effective 2021. The order applied to 275,983 employees. Cabinet has not explained why the vaccine mandate was costly. “The vast majority of the funds will be held centrally,” said Treasury Board spokesperson Genevieve Sicard. Opposition MPs questioned the expense as exorbitant. “Treasury Board officials told us it was for rapid testing purchases and distribution,” said Conservative MP Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West, AB). McCauley pointed out the Treasury Board website shows there are about 3,400 unvaccinated employees. That works out to be about $24,000 per employee for rapid testing. “At $24,000 per employee, who is providing these rapid tests?” said McCauley. “Is it SNC-Lavalin?”The Canadian government suspended its vaccine mandate for domestic and outbound international travellers, federally-regulated transportation employees and public servants in 2022. READ MORE: Federal government to suspend vaccine mandates for travellers, federal workers next week“Today's announcement is possible because Canadians have stepped up to protect each other,” said Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc. “We are now able to adjust our policy because we have followed consistently the best advice from public health authorities.”
