Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remarked during a Q&A Monday that he had “never forc[ed] anyone to get vaccinated,” despite both he and his government pushing multiple vaccine mandates during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trudeau spoke at the University of Ottawa with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier Monday for a “conversation on democracy,” according to a recording of the discussion. Trudeau’s talks “misinformation” and used COVID-19 vaccines as an example, saying that he combatted misinformation during the pandemic by “never forcing” vaccination but “encouraging” people to get vaccines. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Call For Healthcare Worker Vax Mandate Repeal)
“The idea that people can fly in the face of science, well, individuals are allowed to make their own choices… but I make a distinction and I always have between someone choosing for personal reasons… and someone deliberately using misinformation to mislead and scare other people with so-called facts,” Trudeau said. “Therefore while not forcing anyone to get vaccinated I choose to make sure that all the incentives and all the protections were there to encourage Canadians to get vaccinated.”
New: Justin Trudeau claims he never “forced” anyone to get vaccinated.
“There are potential side effects… While not forcing anyone to get vaccinated, I chose to make sure all the incentives…were there to encourage Canadians to get vaccinated.”pic.twitter.com/g3fTwTyXt8
— Michael P Senger (@michaelpsenger) April 24, 2023
Trudeau’s record, however, shows a history of pushing for vaccine mandates and disparaging comments about the unvaccinated. In October 2021, Trudeau announced that all “federal public servants in the Core Public Administration, including members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police” would be required to show proof of vaccination by Oct. 29 or be “put on administrative leave without pay.”
All employees of “federally regulated air, rail, and marine transportation sectors” would also need to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine by Oct. 30, and the Prime Minister noted that a mandate for the Canadian Armed Forces would soon follow. Trudeau also implemented a travel ban in or out of the country on unvaccinated individuals.
After the ban was put in place, Trudeau continued to criticize those who remained unvaccinated during a campaign event for George Chahal on Aug. 21, 2021.
“If you don’t want to get vaccinated, that’s your choice but don’t think you can get on a plane or a train … we need to put people first, which we have always done,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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