'We urge all of our employees to get vaccinated'
Select employees working for the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) have been ordered to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 30.
The GNWT said in a statement the mandate will apply to employees "who provide services to vulnerable members of the public in the healthcare, education and corrections sectors, and employees travelling to remote communities on duty travel."
The government has yet to specify which workers are covered by the mandate, but it said in a statement that it’s already coordinating with the Union of Northern Workers, the NWT Teachers Association, Indigenous Governments, and other relevant organisations to develop the policy. On concerns of data privacy, the government said personal information of employees will be protected under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek said vaccinating employees who interact with vulnerable sectors will help protect residents and communities and will allow GNWT workers to continue providing their services and support.
"As the NWT's largest employer, the GNWT is committed to playing a leadership role in its response to COVID-19 by making decisions that protect the health and safety of the territory's public servants and the communities in which they live," she added. "Although this policy applies specifically to employees and contractors providing services to vulnerable members of the public, we urge all of our employees to get vaccinated.”
Various areas across the country have begun mandating vaccinations for employees under select sectors, including British Columbia and Toronto. In August, Canada implemented a sweeping vaccination mandate that covers all federal employees.
