A majority of city councillors say they would not support requiring proof of vaccination at city facilities.

City administration presented the Governance and Priorities Committee of council with a memorandum detailing its proposal Nov. 1, citing increased staff and public safety along with the ability to increase capacity limits as its goals.

City manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett called the proposed vaccine mandate SA国际影视传媒渁 clear path forwardSA国际影视传媒� and said the goal was to protect city employees and facility patrons while allowing as many people in as possible.

She advised while the city could apply for a capacity restriction exemption from public health, it would only allow for a comparatively small capacity increase due to the high risk of transmission during recreational activities.

Chairing the meeting, Mayor Rebecca Alty said the only other ways weSA国际影视传媒檝e been told to protect ourselves and community from the virus outside vaccination SA国际影视传媒� masking and staying six feet apart SA国际影视传媒� just arenSA国际影视传媒檛 possible when playing soccer or hockey, for example.

She told the committee 87 per cent of Yellowknifers over 12 years old are fully vaccinated.

Coun. Robin Williams said he would be SA国际影视传媒渦ncomfortableSA国际影视传媒� barring any resident from a city-run facility SA国际影视传媒渢hat their tax dollars paid for.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 disappointed this is something weSA国际影视传媒檙e even talking about,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Coun. Steve Payne called the proposal SA国际影视传媒渘on-inclusive in natureSA国际影视传媒� saying vaccine-mandated access to city facilities created SA国际影视传媒渁 two-tier class systemSA国际影视传媒� and would SA国际影视传媒渃ontribute to kids being bulliedSA国际影视传媒� for not being vaccinated.

On Oct. 8 the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission issued a statement advising that requiring proof of full vaccination in order to access a business or service or as a condition of continued employment is not a violation of oneSA国际影视传媒檚 human rights.

Read: Statement on Mandatory Vaccine Policies and Passports

Coun. Julian Morse said he agrees that community division is an unfortunate outcome of a vaccine mandate but disagrees as to its source and pointed to those spreading misinformation about vaccines as the root cause.

Coun. Rommel Silverio told the committee while he, himself, has three shots and is a health care professional he wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 support the proposal because he believes all taxpayers should have access to all public facilities.

Coun. Niels Konge told the committee SA国际影视传媒渨eSA国际影视传媒檙e pretty low on the totem poleSA国际影视传媒� as far as public-health decision-making is concerned.

He shared that his nephew chose to be vaccinated against his parents wishes and that has caused division in the family.

SA国际影视传媒淗is parents arenSA国际影视传媒檛 vaxxed,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 difficult.SA国际影视传媒�

He said he would only support the mandate if there was a blanket exemption for children under 18.

SA国际影视传媒淚t hurts and ISA国际影视传媒檓 angry about it,SA国际影视传媒� Konge said of the division.

He continued, likening barring unvaccinated individuals from city facilities to segregation policies where there were SA国际影视传媒減eople who werenSA国际影视传媒檛 allowed to sit at the front of the bus.SA国际影视传媒�

Coun. Shauna Morgan said she was SA国际影视传媒渇eeling nauseousSA国际影视传媒� about comments conflating discrimination faced by people of colour under segregation polices to the consequences of choosing to not be vaccinated.

SA国际影视传媒淚t is profoundly disrespectful,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

She told committee members society already mandates actions that limit personal freedoms for the greater social good: like vaccines kids have to get before starting school, for example.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is not something thatSA国际影视传媒檚 unprecedented,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 see this as an obvious thing we need to do.SA国际影视传媒�

She said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 heard from parents who are scared to take their unvaccinated kids under 12 to public recreation facilities for fear theySA国际影视传媒檒l contract the virus.

She said she would support the mandate when council votes, Nov. 8.

Coun. Stacie Smith boiled the decision down to fairness saying it was discriminatory and favoured SA国际影视传媒渢he havesSA国际影视传媒� over SA国际影视传媒渢he have-nots.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 opposed to going forward with this,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淓veryone should have access.SA国际影视传媒�

Alty told the committee she heard SA国际影视传媒渕any complaintsSA国际影视传媒� from people who couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 access city recreational facilities last winter because of capacity caps.

She reminded the committee that city administration is legally obligated to provide a safe workplace for its staff.

Alty echoed MorganSA国际影视传媒檚 position that limiting personal freedoms in favour of the greater social benefit is not unprecedented, citing seatbelt laws as an example of when someoneSA国际影视传媒檚 non-compliance with safety rules can negatively effect others.

When someone doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 wear a seatbelt and an accident happens, they can become a projectile and harm others as theySA国际影视传媒檙e thrown around the vehicle, she said.

City council will vote on whether to introduce a proof-of-vaccination policy for city facilities at its next meeting, Nov. 1.