'It's illegal': Hundreds protest against mandatory vaccine policies

Windsor, Ont. -

Close to 1,000 people gathered along Windsor’s riverfront protesting mandatory vaccine policies Saturday.

“They’re trying to coerce people to get medical injections. It’s illegal,” says protestor, Currie Soulliere. “It violates the health care consent act in Ontario.”

The rally comes a few day after the City of Windsor announced the mandating of vaccines or regular testing among staff.

CTV News also learned this week the province will unveil a vaccine passport system next week which will be required to enter non-essential settings, like restaurants and movie theatres.

“Elected decision makers who are pushing any kind of vaccine mandate or passport, step down now. Step down from your position. You don’t deserve it,” adds Soulliere. “You’re breaking the law, you’re violating all the people. You’re threatening us, it’s not acceptable.”

Dr. Peter Juni, head of the Ontario Science table, predicts the vast majority of those who remain unvaccinated will be infected with the virus in the next 6-12 months.

“I think we have two different populations. One that will stubbornly stay in this spiral of conspiracy theories,” he tells CTV Windsor. “I don’t think we can do much about those people who are really just in this rapid haul of conspiracy theories.”

According to the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, 71.6 per cent of the 12 years and older have received both doses and roughly 80 per cent of new confirmed COVID-19 cases are among those not double-dosed.

“We can call it the pandemic of the unvaccinated,” says medical officer of health, Dr. Wajid Ahmed. “We’ve got a pretty significant number of unvaccinated people and unfortunately, many of these unvaccinated people are engaged in very high risk activities.”

“People need to start understand those theoretical concerns about vaccine safety stand against the very practical and real concerns about the risk of an infection that results in you experiencing COVID-19,” adds Dr. Juni.

But Soulliere says she and many others at the rally are not worried about catching COVID-19 telling CTV Windsor, “I keep up with my vitamins and my health, the survival rate is very high and I think everyone here is going to decide for themselves what they’re worried about.”

According to the senior government source Premier Ford will meet with this cabinet next week to finalize vaccine certification plans.