The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) sent a warning letter to Employment, Workforce Development, and Disability Minister Carla Qualtrough about how it's illegal to deny Employment Insurance benefits to people fired from their jobs for refusing COVID-19 vaccines. .“The policy is also in violation of the purpose of the Employment Insurance Act and Canadians’ Charter rights,” said JCCF lawyer Cynthia Murphy in a Tuesday press release. .“The government is twisting the meaning of ‘misconduct’ to deny Canadians unemployment benefits if they choose not to take the Covid shots.” .Qualtrough said in October people who've been suspended or fired for being unvaccinated should be unable to receive EI benefits. .Service Canada and the Canada Employment Insurance Commission insisted unvaccinated workers have been suspended because of their own “misconduct.” .The press release said few workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates recognize a natural immunity exemption. These vaccine mandates, said the press release, have been imposed despite the vaccines not preventing contraction and transmission. .It said people have refused COVID-19 vaccines because of medical conditions, religious beliefs, or concerns over the long-term effects. .In many cases, the press release said people with medical or religious exemption requests were not accommodated and have been denied EI benefits, violating freedom of religion and the right to be free from discrimination guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. .The JCCF’s letter warned the Canadian government that it is going beyond its jurisdiction by creating the policy, ignoring previous court and tribunal decisions on misconduct. .“In a free country, citizens get to decide which medical treatment they receive,” said Murphy. .“There is no legitimate excuse for Canadians to be labelled as engaging in 'misconduct' for refusing the Covid vaccine and to be denied employment insurance in order to fulfill a political purpose that is in direct violation with the law.”.The JCCF is representing several British Columbia health care workers who lost their jobs because of vaccine mandates. .The law firm filed a lawsuit in the British Columbia Supreme Court in March, seeking to strike down the provincial government’s orders mandating the COVID-19 vaccine as a condition for employment for select health care workers. .The Canadian government will suspend vaccine requirements for domestic and outbound international travellers, federally-regulated transportation employees, and federal employees effective June 20. ."Today's announcement is possible because Canadians have stepped up to protect each other. We are now able to adjust our policy because we have followed consistently, the best advice from public health authorities," said Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc..The announcement comes after weeks of opposition parties and industry organizations pressuring the Canadian government to lift the restrictions, which have led to massive lines and delays at airports.
