The Canadian government announced on Wednesday the entry into force of the mandatory vaccination for federal officials and travelers from October 29, two months after announcing the measure.

Federal officials have until October 29 to present the vaccination certificate at their workplace, on pain of being discharged without pay.

"Anyone who has lied about this certificate will face serious consequences," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned during a news conference.

Exceptions will be made in particular for employees who cannot be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons.

"Exceptions, whether medical or otherwise, will be extremely limited and difficult to obtain," he anticipated. A "personal conviction" will not be enough to skip the measure, he insisted.

"As the nation's largest employer, we want to make sure the Canadian government leads by example," explained Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.

The federal public service has about 300,000 employees.

Travelers will need to present proof of vaccination or a negative covid test as of October 30 to be able to board planes or trains.

Starting November 30, only fully immunized Canadians will have access to these services.

More than 81% of Canadians over the age of 12 are fully immunized and 87% have received at least one dose, according to Canadian government figures.

SOURCE: AFP