Lambton County Council has adopted a COVID vaccination policy for its members.
In a recorded 14-3 vote Wednesday morning, council overwhelmingly supported a motion requiring members to be vaccinated against the virus by October 31.
Warwick Township Mayor Jackie Rombouts, Oil Springs Mayor Ian Veen, and Councillor Margaret Bird voted against the motion.
Rombouts said everybody in Ontario should have the right to do their own risk versus reward calculation when it comes to the COVID vaccine.
"If you trust that this vaccine is a good vaccine and it is there to help protect your health and keep you from being hospitalized or in the ICU, then you should have no problem with anybody else because you have protected yourself," said Rombouts. "There are breakthrough cases and there are times, but the odds of that are so slim. I just think to force people to do things against their will to protect somebody who has already protected themselves using the vaccine does not make sense."
Rombouts added that history will look down on every politician who tries to force their will over the people that they are governing.
"For you as a council to sit here and say that you know better than the mom of four or you know better than the people driving the snowplow about their health is disgusting."
Last month, Acting Lambton Medical Officer of Health Dr. Christopher Greensmith recommended the county adopt a COVID immunization policy for councillors and staff. The county announced an updated vaccination policy for staff a few weeks later.
Councillor Brian White said council should stand in solidarity with county staff.
"Me getting vaccinated, if that keeps me out of the hospital, that allows a bed to remain open for somebody else who needs it -- the cancer patients, the terminally ill, those who are in accidents who require our healthcare providers to not only provide a bed, but to not be burnt out by the time that there is an emergency for somebody in my family or somebody in your family."
Council members who do not provide proof of vaccination by Halloween will be asked to either undergo rapid antigen testing, at their costs, no more than seven days prior to attending a county facility, or participate in meetings electronically.
Councillor Mike Stark said he plans to continue to attend council meetings online, once council starts meeting in-person again, unless every councillor is fully vaccinated.
"Because I will not attend any meeting with anyone who is not double vaccinated."
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said one of the primary obligations of elected people is to protect the public health.
"And we are mandated in the worst public health crisis in 100 years to do everything we can. And the county policy gives options -- it gives options to people vaccinated or not vaccinated. So, it doesn't exclude anyone."
Plympton-Wyoming Mayor Lonny Napper said he's dismayed by what's being made around the topic of vaccinations.
"What happened to good old common courtesy? You tell me your vaccinated and I'll decide where I want to go and when I want to go -- it may not be this venue, it may be some other venue, but I just think it's common courtesy."
Also on Wednesday, the federal government announced it's making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all federal employees.
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