(Ottawa) At least one member of the Conservative caucus has been uncomfortable entering a parliamentary building surrounded by an unknown number of his colleagues who are not vaccinated against COVID-19.
Upon his arrival at the Sir John A. Macdonald building on Wednesday morning, Quebec Senator Claude Carignan told reporters that he was going to keep his mask on and “keep his distance” from his colleagues during their weekly caucus meeting this that day.
Mr. Carignan also reiterated the importance of vaccination and that, according to him, to enter Parliament, it would be necessary to accumulate screening tests in addition to the full vaccination against COVID-19.
The Conservatives argue that everyone in their caucus – MPs and Senators – are either fully immunized or have medical exemptions that prevent them from getting their two doses.
But the Liberals questioned the number of exemptions given to the Conservatives. If it is greater than one, it is statistically impossible, they have been arguing since the beginning of the week. The Conservatives still refuse to disclose this number of exemptions.
In this regard, Mr. Carignan, who is fully vaccinated, said he was “obliged to trust the system”. He noted that his colleagues’ exemptions were granted by doctors who cannot hand out “tickets of convenience.”
The immunization status of the conservatives is under scrutiny, especially since one of theirs contracted COVID-19 in the last days.
Beauce MP Richard Lehoux was in Ottawa last week for two days of meetings with all of his colleagues in person. The conservative team announced on Saturday that Mr. Lehoux had contracted the virus, even when fully vaccinated.
Official Opposition Whip Blake Richards then announced that all MPs and their staff would follow public health guidelines.
These provide that unvaccinated people must self-isolate immediately. Vaccinated and unvaccinated people should be tested more than seven days after their last exposure to the person who contracted the virus.
The caucus having ended last Thursday, the Conservative MPs should in principle all take a new test on Thursday.
Charlesbourg-Haute-Saint-Charles MP Pierre Paul-Hus confirmed to reporters that this is what he was going to do.
It was not possible to know if all the elected Conservatives will undergo a new screening test after seven days or why some who are not vaccinated are not in the process of self-isolating.