Trudeau says COVID-19 vaccine passport 'to be expected' for Canadians

As vaccinations continue to roll out across Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a COVID-19 vaccine passport is possible for Canadians.

Trudeau says certifications of vaccinations were a part of international travel pre-COVID-19 and are “naturally to be expected when it comes to this pandemic and the coronavirus.”

During a Tuesday afternoon press conference, Trudeau responded to reporters, saying the federal government is currently working on aligning with “partners and allies around the world” when it comes to needing certification of COVID-19 vaccination to travel.

Last spring, Canada closed its US land and sea borders to tourists in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

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A new publication launched by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) argues for the introduction of a non-mandatory, decentralized vaccine passport in order to “return to a better quality of life in the near future.”

“The sacrifices the population has been asked to make are enormous, and they lose their legitimacy when they can be safely eliminated. This is exactly what is occurring with the vaccination campaign that’s now in high gear,” says Miguel Ouellette, Director of Operations and Economist at the MEI. “Countries like Israel have already put in place a vaccine passport, and many others, including those in the European Union, are about to follow suit.”

Ouellette says it will likely be impossible for Canadians to travel outside the country without one.

The MEI report says the most feasible way to decentralize COVID-19 vaccine proof is through mobile apps that will provide proof of immunization using smartphones.

Trudeau concluded Tuesday’s press conference by saying the government is currently focused on “getting through this pandemic and being prepared to come roaring back once we’re through it,” he said in French. “We still have a lot to do to get through this third wave.”