Residents of Canada are faced with a vaccine passport system, allowing only those who are vaccinated against COVID-19 to access sporting events, gyms, restaurants and other social events.  This has effectively created first and second-class citizens, based upon an individual medical choice, violating Canadian Constitutional and Charter rights. Furthermore, these mandates have caused more tension and division than perhaps any other event in recent history.

New medical evidence has shown that these mandates currently serve little to no public health utility, as individuals can still become sick with and spread new variants of this virus even after being vaccinated and boosted. However, the mandates are still in place, and those people who have chosen not to be vaccinated for personal reasons are still being denied access to many dimensions of civil society. (1) This is wrong, and it is certainly the opposite of loving our neighbors.

WHAT WE REQUIRE:

As concerned students, faculty, alum and parents who hold dear our beloved university community, we also believe in the dignity, value and rights of all people, regardless of medical choice. We require that Trinity Western University be part of the solution, and lead the way by ending its institutional enforcement of the provincial vaccine passport system for all campus facilities and events where it currently applies. This is not a “pro or anti-vax” issue, and we support everyone in their own medical decision. Rather this is a human issue, and anyone who is ready for all people to once again be treated equally can show their support by signing this petition.

Trinity Western University is a Christian institution, whose Core Values Statement says: “Christians are to demonstrate God’s transforming power, to be salt and light both individually and socially, and to counter evil and injustice even when opposed by their surrounding culture.” (2)

Unless the university takes a stand, it is likely that many parents will be unable to attend their own children's graduation ceremony this Spring, and that is unacceptable. We are on the right side of history, and justice. It is time to lead, not follow and stop discriminating against our friends and neighbors. We must end our enforcement of these laws.

1.      Bardosh, K., de Figueiredo, A , Rachel, G., Jamrozik, E.,  Doidge, J., Lemmens, T., Keshavjee, S.,  Graham, J., and Baral, S. (2022) The Unintended Consequences of COVID-19 Vaccine Policy: Why Mandates, Passports, and Segregated Lockdowns May Cause more Harm than Good. SSRN.  Available at:  https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4022798 

2.     TWU Core Values Statement Series No. 4 (2000). https://www.twu.ca/about/core-values/transforming-culture