Wednesday, April 1, 2026
ADVT 
National

O'Toole says unvaccinated must be accommodated

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 06 Jan, 2022 01:09 PM
  • O'Toole says unvaccinated must be accommodated

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole says those unwilling to be vaccinated against COVID-19 should be accommodated through measures like rapid testing, as health experts warn the lightning-fast spread of the Omicron variant threatens to overwhelm hospitals.

Ontario is reporting an uptick in hospitalizations and days ago made the decision to keep school-aged kids learning from home for at least two weeks, which Doug Ford's government said was to take pressure off the health-care system.

Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliot says of the 319 patients in intensive care, 232 of them are not fully immunized against COVID-19 or have an unknown status, while 87 are double-vaccinated.

O'Toole came out as opposed to vaccine mandates during last year's election campaign and today accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of fuelling vaccine hesitancy by attacking those who haven't received their shot.

Trudeau on Wednesday said Canadians are angry at those who refuse to be vaccinated because they are filling up hospital beds, causing cancer treatments and elective surgeries to be put off.

The Conservative leader says he refuses to criticize people who aren't vaccinated and believes "reasonable accommodations" should be provided to those who work in the trucking industry in order to avoid service disruptions.

MORE National ARTICLES

649 COVID19 cases for Friday

649 COVID19 cases for Friday
There are 5,106 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 193,325 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 365 individuals are currently in hospital and 143 are in intensive care. 

649 COVID19 cases for Friday

Hot coffee allegedly thrown by woman on the face of a Tim Horton's employee: VPD

Hot coffee allegedly thrown by woman on the face of a Tim Horton's employee: VPD
A woman entered the Tim Hortons near Pender and Abbott streets on October 20 around 10 a.m. and ordered a coffee. Surveillance footage shows the female employee handing the woman a cup of hot coffee, which the suspect then threw back in her face.

Hot coffee allegedly thrown by woman on the face of a Tim Horton's employee: VPD

Defence vows review of extremism in foreign troops

Defence vows review of extremism in foreign troops
The study this month out of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., found that members of Centuria have worked with and accessed training from Canada, among other NATO countries.

Defence vows review of extremism in foreign troops

Mom convicted of daughter's murder loses appeal

Mom convicted of daughter's murder loses appeal
Surrey, B.C., resident Lisa Batstone was convicted of second-degree murder for smothering her daughter, Teagan, in December 2014. Batstone, who was 41 at the time, was sentenced in 2019 to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 15 years.    

Mom convicted of daughter's murder loses appeal

Canada lifts global non-essential travel advisory

Canada lifts global non-essential travel advisory
Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, said the government would be providing more specific information about the severity of COVID-19 in various countries to help Canadians decide where they should consider travelling.

Canada lifts global non-essential travel advisory

Canada mulls donation for unused COVID-19 vaccines

Canada mulls donation for unused COVID-19 vaccines
Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam says provincial and federal governments are working to figure out how many doses will be needed in Canada so that everyone can be fully vaccinated, and get a booster if they need one.

Canada mulls donation for unused COVID-19 vaccines