Alberta’s updated bill of rights will include right to refuse vaccination, Danielle Smith confirms
By Isaac Lamoureux, True North Wire
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the fall update to the province’s bill of rights will protect Albertans’ personal medical decisions, including the right to refuse a vaccine.
Smith’s pledge came during a town hall in Bonnyville with over 300 UCP members, where she discussed strengthening residents’ liberties and freedoms, lowering taxes, protecting the province from federal overreach, and improving healthcare.
Smith confirmed the plans in a statement to True North.
“In the fall, we will be introducing legislation to amend Alberta’s bill of rights. Several amendments are being considered to strengthen Albertans’ individual and property rights, including an amendment to guarantee Albertans the right to accept or refuse a medical treatment,” she said.
Before becoming premier in 2022, Smith pledged to amend the Alberta Human Rights Act to prohibit employers from terminating employees based on their vaccination status, but she ultimately scrapped these plans after she was elected.
At the time, she called Albertans losing their jobs for declining to take the vaccine a “human rights violation.”