The House of Commons is dropping its COVID-19 vaccine mandate on June 20, the same day that other federal vaccination requirements will be lifting.
On Thursday, Government House Leader Mark Holland moved the motion to suspend the vaccination requirement, and it got unanimous backing from all parties. A House-imposed mask mandate remains in effect.
Members of Parliament had been discussing the potential of lifting the mandate this week, after the federal government announced its COVID-19 vaccination requirements for the public service and for domestic and outbound Canadian travellers will be ending on Monday.
A vaccine mandate requiring anyone entering the House of Commons precinct to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 has been in place since the first day of the 44th Parliament in November 2021.
The decision to impose the mandate was made by the Board of Internal Economy -- the cross-party committee of MPs that oversees the workings of the House of Commons -- at a time when considerable attention was put on the vaccination status of MPs.
While the House of Commons' Speaker later found the board overstepped in imposing the mandate on MPs, the policy was upheld through a motion backed by the Liberals and NDP.
In a statement announcing that the board has also decided to suspend the requirement for individuals such as staff and journalists to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to be able to enter the precinct, House Speaker Anthony Rota said that "the health and safety of all individuals entering the House of Commons precinct remains a priority."
While resisted by the Conservatives—the only caucus on the Hill to not disclose the vaccination status of their MPs—the policy included a limited exemption.
Under the mandate, individuals who could prove a valid “medical contraindication” to COVID-19 vaccines were asked to provide proof of a recent negative rapid antigen test in order to be able to enter the buildings that are part of the House precinct. The Senate has its own, separate vaccination policy.
The House of Commons is scheduled to adjourn for the summer on June 23, though it would not be uncommon that MPs agree to adjourn early. Set to expire at the end of the last scheduled sitting day of the month, are the remaining hybrid sitting provisions that have been in place for the better part of the pandemic.
The current rules allow MPs to participate in House debates and committee meetings, virtually. The House has also set up a remote-voting application that lets MPs vote virtually from anywhere in Canada.
In the House on Thursday, Conservative House Leader John Brassard expressed some optimism that "we have moved beyond the hybrid Parliament system, and that we are going to return this place in a normal fashion, and return back to normalcy."
