Attorney General David Lametti yesterday predicted soon-to-expire federal vaccine mandates will be upheld by courts..According to Blacklock's Reporter, numerous legal challenges have been filed against mandates on employees and contractors now set to expire June 20..“We are on solid legal footing,” Lametti told reporters. “That is the analysis that I do.”.“Has the government done the legal analysis that it knows will stand up in court?” asked a reporter. “I give my advice to cabinet so I’m not going to give it to you,” replied Lametti. “I’m not giving you a legal opinion. I give my legal opinions to cabinet.”.“I always believe that when we promulgate a law we’re on solid legal footing,” said Lametti. “That’s part of my job.”.“But the mandates weren’t a law,” said a reporter. “We’re confident whether it’s a law, whether it’s a regulation that we promulgate or a rule that we promulgate, we’re confident that we’re on solid legal footing,” replied Lametti..No federal judge to date has ruled on whether the federal government had the legal authority last November 15 to suspend employees or contractors without pay for failing to show proof of vaccination..At least 2560 workers were suspended, by official estimate. Another 1573 military resigned, were discharged or faced discipline for declining to show proof of vaccination..“During the pandemic, is it reasonable for public health purposes for governments to require the disclosure of this information? The question is not as clear-cut as it might seem,” then-Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien told reporters last December 9. “We are investigating and therefore I cannot provide a definitive conclusion but we will in the context of the investigations we’re conducting.”.“There is no question the disclosure of medical information including vaccine information is an exceptional measure,” said Therrien. “If it were not for the pandemic, obviously we would not have to.”.The privacy commissioner in a May 19, 2021 statement said no current federal law permitted governments to mandate COVID vaccinations. “There must be clear legal authority for introducing use of vaccine passports for each intended purpose,” wrote Therrien..Department of Health lawyers writing in a 1996 Canadian National Report On Immunization went further in describing vaccine mandates as unlawful..“Unlike some countries immunization is not mandatory in Canada,” said the report. “It cannot be made mandatory because of the Canadian Constitution.”
