Should MPs be fully vaccinated to enter the House of Commons?

Photo: The Canadian Press

Conservative leader Erin O'Toole. The Conservatives say all MPs should vote on whether or not they can enter the House of Commons if not fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Conservatives say all 338 members of Parliament should be able to vote on whether they must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter the House of Commons.

Tory whip Blake Richards asked Commons Speaker Anthony Rota on Tuesday to rule that the nine-member, multi-party body that governs the House does not have the authority to impose a vaccine mandate on all MPs.

The complaint from the Conservatives represents the latest chapter in their three-month struggle with mandatory vaccinations in general, which first emerged as an issue during the September election campaign. It has since morphed into a leadership challenge for Erin O'Toole, who has faced calls for his tenure to be reviewed following the party's election loss.

He refuses to say how many of his 118-MPs are double vaccinated against Covid-19 or how many have claimed medical exemptions, saying he respects their right to privacy.

O'Toole is the only federal leader to take that position, which has exposed him to attacks from the Liberals, as well as New Democrats, who accuse the Conservatives of wanting special treatment.

The other parties say all their MPs are fully vaccinated and support mandatory vaccination for admission to the Commons precinct.

Since the mandatory vaccination policy was announced last month, some Conservatives have strongly opposed proof-of-vaccination policies for entering businesses and workplaces. while others have expressed concern that internal strife over the matter has become a distraction.

O'Toole tried to find a middle ground by agreeing to formally challenge the vaccine mandate for MPs while promising that all Conservatives would follow the rules in the meantime.

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