Edmonton MLA David Shepherd — Alberta’s NDP health critic — said his party would have discussions around mandatory vaccines for the province..As first reported by True North, Shepherd made the comments Monday in a Facebook Live video update where he heavily criticized the United Conservative Party’s (UCP) response to the pandemic..On Friday, Canada’s health minister Jean-Yves Duclos commented in a press conference that provinces might soon have conversations around making vaccines mandatory for Canadians..Shepherd was asked whether the NDP would support forced vaccines for Albertans..“Certainly, we have put forward a number of critiques regarding the UCP government’s decisions on how it has rolled out vaccinations,” Shepherd said..“Certainly, we have proposed a number of things that this government could be doing to increase uptake of vaccinations.”.Shepherd said Alberta has one of the lowest vaccine uptake rates for those aged five to 11 in Canada and said he feels “that is deeply concerning.”.“Certainly, we have called for vaccine clinics in schools and access to be there for it to be as ridiculously easy for Albertans as possible to access the vaccine,” said Shepherd..“I think those are steps we need to take first and then the other discussions would take place after.”.The Western Standard contacted Shepherd for comment and received an automated reply stating: “Due to MLA Shepherd’s critic portfolio, we have an unusually high number of inquiries, which impacts our office’s ability to respond in a timely manner.”.No further communication was received before publication..Calgary lawyer Katherine Kowalchuck with Getz Collins and Associates and a volunteer with Lawyers 4 Truth said forced vaccinations are discriminatory and “wrong, plain and simple.”.“The Alberta Bill of Rights, Canadian Bill of Rights and Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms codify principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the Rule of Law,” said Kowalchuck..“Our rights are inalienable and derived from God, not from our governments or government bureaucrats.”.Kowalchuck said each individual has the right to “choose what enters or is placed into or on their body..“Covid hysteria has blinded these politicians from seeing the ramifications of these mandatory policies, which clearly abridge an individual’s rights and are discriminatory. Mandatory vaccination is wrong, plain and simple.”.Shortly after Duclos made his statement Friday, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney affirmed his party’s stance on vaccine mandates in the province..“Alberta’s Legislature removed the power of mandatory vaccination from the Public Health Act last year and will not revisit that decision, period,” said Kenney in a tweet..“While we strongly encourage those who are eligible to get vaccinated, it is ultimately a personal choice that individuals must make.”.Melanie Risdon is a reporter with the Western Standard.,.mrisdon@westernstandardonline.com
