More than 2,500 federal workers were suspended for refusing to show their vaccination status, says Blacklock’s Reporter..Employees stripped of salary and benefits included 66 at the Department of Health and Public Health Agency that spoke against coercive vaccination..“The federal government violated human rights knowing few people can afford to sue,” said Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu (Sarnia-Lambton, Ont.), who requested the data in Parliament..Gladu noted most federal employees were assigned to work from home at the time..“At the beginning of the pandemic there was a significant threat from COVID-19 and extreme measures may have been needed at the time,” said Gladu. “But when people began working from home there was no reason for these suspensions.”.Cabinet in an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons disclosed 2,560 federal employees were suspended without pay under its Policy On Covid-19 Vaccination. Enforcement dated from last November 15..“I do think reasonable accommodation could have been put in place,” said Gladu..Data showed 95% of 282,999 employees affected by the policy were already vaccinated when the order was enforced..Suspended workers included 487 at the Canada Revenue Agency, 307 at the Department of National Defence, 299 at the Department of Employment, 185 at the Department of Public Works and 172 at the Department of Fisheries..The federal prison service suspended 122 employees for declining to show proof of vaccination. A total 69 were suspended in the RCMP, all civilian employees. Staff said the total 2,560 did not include undisclosed suspensions among uniformed police or soldiers, sailors and air crew in the Canadian Armed Forces..“Clearly there are thousands more who were affected,” said Gladu..“That is a problem.”.The number of suspensions did not include employees at Crown corporations. Conservative MP Damien Kurek (Battle River-Crowfoot, Alta.) on Tuesday told the Commons he knew of three Canada Post employees in his riding who were suspended without pay “because of the government’s absurd mandate.”.“Two of the three are postal agents who work alone,” said Kurek..“One is now not even allowed to enter the building of the business she worked so hard to build. This needs to end.”.The Public Health Agency never advocated suspension of unvaccinated workers. The health department in a 1996 Canadian National Report On Immunization said vaccine mandates were unlawful..“Unlike some countries, immunization is not mandatory in Canada,” said the report. “It cannot be made mandatory because of the Canadian Constitution.”.Federal employees who declined to comply with the policy complained they were harshly treated..“As federal public servants, we have had our livelihoods stripped from us,” Feds for Freedom, an advocacy group, said in a January 28 statement. “We have endured unprecedented amounts of stress and hardship.”.“We have been harassed, mocked and had hatred and violence incited against us. This type of abusive behaviour cannot and will not be tolerated.”
