Bill C-278

Prevention of Government-imposed Vaccination Mandates Act

An Act to prevent the imposition by the federal government of vaccination mandates for employment and travel

Sponsor

Pierre Poilievre Conservative

Introduced as a private member’s bill. (These don’t often become law.)

Status

Defeated, as of Oct. 25, 2023

Subscribe to a feed (what's a feed?) of speeches and votes in the House related to Bill C-278.

Summary

This is from the published bill.

This enactment amends the Financial Administration Act to provide that the Treasury Board may not require as a condition of employment in the federal public administration that a person receive a vaccine against COVID-19. It also amends the Canada Labour Code to provide that regulations may not be made that require, as a term or condition of employment in or in connection with the operation of a federal work, undertaking or business, that a person receive a vaccine against COVID-19.
In addition, the enactment amends the Aeronautics Act , the Railway Safety Act and the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 to provide that no regulation, order or other instrument made under any of those Acts to prevent the introduction or spread of COVID-19 may prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting a person from boarding an aircraft, a train or a vessel solely on the ground that they have not received a vaccine against that disease.

Elsewhere

All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from Parliament. You can also read the full text of the bill.

Bill numbers are reused for different bills each new session. Perhaps you were looking for one of these other C-278s:

C-278 (2021) An Act to amend the Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act

C-278 (2016) Foreign Lobbyist Transparency Act

C-278 (2011) Law Purple Day Act

C-278 (2010) An Act to amend the Access to Information Act (response time)

Votes

Oct. 25, 2023 Failed 2nd reading of Bill C-278, An Act to prevent the imposition by the federal government of vaccination mandates for employment and travel

Debate Summary

This is a computer-generated summary of the speeches below. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.

Bill C-278 aims to amend several acts, including the Financial Administration Act and the Canada Labour Code, to prevent the federal government from imposing COVID-19 vaccination mandates as a condition of employment in the federal public service and federally regulated workplaces. It also seeks to amend the Aeronautics Act, the Railway Safety Act, and the Canada Shipping Act to prohibit regulations that would prevent individuals from boarding aircraft, trains, or vessels solely based on their COVID-19 vaccination status. The bill essentially seeks to prevent future federal mandates related to COVID-19 vaccination for employment and travel.

Conservative

Opposes vaccine mandates: The Conservative party strongly opposes the federal government's imposition of COVID-19 vaccine mandates for employment and travel, viewing them as violations of personal freedom and bodily autonomy.
Government overreach: The party argues that the mandates represent government overreach, dividing Canadians and infringing on their rights to make personal medical choices without facing social and economic consequences.
Supports Bill C-278: The Conservatives support Bill C-278, which seeks to prevent the federal government from mandating COVID-19 vaccines for federal public servants, federally regulated workers, and federally regulated travel, ensuring that such restrictions are not reimposed in the future.
Liberal divisiveness: The Conservatives criticize the Liberal government for using vaccine mandates as a political wedge to divide Canadians and gain political advantage, accusing the Prime Minister of demonizing those who chose not to get vaccinated.

NDP

Opposes bill C-278: The NDP opposes the bill as it restricts the government's ability to set COVID-19 vaccine requirements in the future, regardless of potential virus mutations or new vaccine developments, and believes that public health decisions should be based on scientific evidence and expert advice, not political considerations.
Criticizes Conservative double standards: The NDP criticizes the Conservative Party for supporting health-related freedoms while opposing reproductive health freedoms for women, highlighting the bill as a biased attempt to control access to health care based on partisan ideology rather than evidence.
Supports an independent inquiry: The NDP advocates for an independent inquiry into Canada's COVID-19 response to address issues such as PPE shortages, lack of domestic vaccine production, and inconsistent border controls, emphasizing the need to learn from past mistakes and prepare for future pandemics, and criticizing the Liberals and Conservatives for blocking such an inquiry.

Bloc

Opposes the bill: The Bloc Québécois is voting against Bill C-278, viewing it as a politicization of vaccination and refusing to indulge conspiracy theories. They emphasize the importance of vaccination in saving lives and navigating the pandemic.
Bill spreads misinformation: The Bloc believes the bill spreads misinformation, aligns with anti-vax sentiments, and aims to curry favor with a specific political base. They consider it a denial of the tragedy of COVID-19 and its impact.
Restrictions were justified: The Bloc considers the vaccine mandates to have been temporary and necessary restrictions, even if some measures were unreasonable. They refuse to buy into conspiracy theories surrounding vaccines.
Based on idiocy: One member described the bill as based on “idiocy”, love of inaccurate statements, and being the opposite of reason. Further, that it puts individual beliefs ahead of the public interest.

Liberal

Strong opposition to the bill: The Liberal Party strongly opposes the bill, arguing that it does not respect the will of Canadians and would not achieve its intended purpose. They believe the bill undermines effective measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect public health.
Vaccines are effective: Liberals emphasize the effectiveness and safety of vaccines, highlighting that they save lives and were crucial in managing the COVID-19 pandemic. They criticize the Conservative Party for denying the effectiveness of vaccines and promoting misinformation, and argue that this stance disregards the advice of medical professionals and the safety of vulnerable populations.
Protecting vulnerable Canadians: The Liberal Party argues that vaccine mandates and restrictions were necessary to protect vulnerable Canadians, including children, seniors, and those with underlying health conditions. They criticize the Conservative Party for not prioritizing the health and safety of these individuals.
Following public health advice: Liberals emphasize the importance of following the advice of doctors and public health officials regarding vaccinations. They commend the vast majority of Canadians who got vaccinated to protect themselves and others, and condemn the Conservatives for undermining public health efforts.

Was this summary helpful and accurate?