Canadian Military Expected to Suspend Vaccine Mandate This Summer: Report

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre arrives on Parliament Hill prior to a cabinet meeting in Ottawa on Nov. 23, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is looking to follow the federal public service and suspend their vaccine mandate, the Ottawa Sun reported Thursday.

The newspaper obtained a leaked copy of a new draft COVID-19 directive from the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Wayne Eyre.

It states that members of the CAF will no longer need to attest of their vaccination status, nor will new recruits be required to be fully vaccinated.

But like for public servants and the federally regulated sectors, it appears the policy is only suspended and not completely abolished.

Unvaccinated public servants were allowed back to work on June 20, but Ottawa said the vaccine mandate could be brought back if it deems it necessary.

“Suspending the requirement for CAF members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will require significant administrative effort to address the files of members who were not compliant with the CDS directives on CAF COVID-19 vaccination,” the draft reportedly says.

An unidentified spokesperson from the Department of National Defence (DND) told The Epoch Times it would not comment on “leaked documents or speculative plans.”

“The current, existing directive will continue to apply until otherwise stated.”

The leaked draft suggests that unvaccinated CAF members won’t be completely scot-free. It reportedly says that those who went through administrative reviews and have future release dates will still be discharged.

Other disciplinary procedures will be stopped, but they will leave a mark on the members’ files.

The new policy also says that members who were dishonourably discharged under the 5(f) mention, “Unsuitable for further service,” will be allowed to re-enrol, but only with approval from the CDS.

Reactions

“This is a good step in the right direction for the CAF and the federal government’s disgraceful treatment of our active duty military members,” says Andrew MacGillivray, spokesperson for Veterans for Freedom (V4F), a civil liberties advocacy group composed of former CAF members.

“I’m unsure if they will ever rid the stain of this which will no doubt, amongst other things, have a negative impact on recruiting.”

MacGillivray wonders if discharged members who have cashed out their pensions, taking sometimes huge losses, will be able to buy back in.

And “how about a written apology from the CDS or the MND [Minister of National Defence]?” he asks.

The Epoch Times previously reported on the stories of several CAF members who were ousted for refusing COVID-19 vaccination and reached out to them for reactions.

“I think it’s a win for current serving members and veterans released under 5(f). It’s an opportunity for CAF members to continue their career if they choose to do so,” says Nicholas Collins, who served four years as a vehicle technician before being released under 5(f).

But Collins says it doesn’t entirely “fix the problem that the government created.”

“There will be lots of veterans that were released for not getting the COVID shot that will choose not to re-enlist, including myself. The trust is broken and it can’t be repaired.”

Former logistics officer Natasha Lis, who served 18 years and was released voluntarily to avoid a dishonourable discharge, believes the rapid suspension of the mandate less than a year after its implementation is a sign it was political rather than based on an operation requirement.

She also cautions about the suspension, which doesn’t mean a full repeal.

“Any unvaccinated members who are able to re-enrol will have to worry about reimplementation of the mandate, continuation of the Remedial Measure and Administrative Review processes, and retaliation and discrimination from their chain of command and peers,” she says.

“Why would anyone want to rejoin and be subject to that? An apology is due and all of the unethical policy actions taken need to be walked back.”

Sandra Carmichael, who served for 25 years and worked in the communications branch, echoed Lis’s comments.

She says she wouldn’t consider joining back unless the mandate is fully repealed and there’s an acknowledgement that such policies should not be implemented.

Carmichael said the CAF needs to “recognize that they can’t do that.”

“For me that’s clear, it’s not respecting my rights and I don’t have to subject my body to anything that the government or the CAF, or anybody, tells me.”