Last month, Western University announced that not only were they reinstating their vaccine mandate for the Fall academic year, they were also going to require that all students, staff, and faculty get at least one booster. This was the first such “booster” mandate in Canada at a post-secondary institution.

In stark contrast to Summer 2021, civil society immediately pushed back. Western University students created the #enoughisenough campaign and drew support from independent media, professors, scientists and doctors, even politicians and various public figures.

In particular, Canada’s freedom organizations, including TBOF, immediately rallied to the aid of Western students. TBOF Advisor, Dr. Julie Ponesse gave an impassioned speech at a protest on Western’s campus (Dr. Ponesse is herself an ethics professor at Western that was let go on account of refusing to be coerced into disclosing her vaccination status).

Among other efforts, TBOF partnered Vaccine Choice Canada, the Canadian Covid Care Alliance, the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, and countless other organizations to write an open letter to Western University calling on them to immediately rescind their vaccine and booster mandates (we also wrote Queens, Toronto, Guelph, Ontario Tech, Seneca, Waterloo and York universities and colleges).

You may view our open letter here: Open Letter Queen’s 08.30.22V2

Facing incredible national and international backlash, including even from legacy media, Western University announced on September 6 that they are delaying the mandate until January 2023. They cited the ridiculous justification that because Health Canada announced new boosters, students should have more time to get the booster (are they implying that the current booster, which they were dead-set to mandate a week ago, is ineffective or unsafe?).

Our read is that Western’s administration refuses to capitulate at this time and embarrassingly admit they instituted this policy maliciously, recklessly, and without any regard to the actual science, morality, ethics, or the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Instead, it seems they will rag the puck and quietly end the policy in a way that looks like “they are in control”.

Regardless, although TBOF and other organizations see this as an important victory, we will not settle for anything less than a complete revocation of Western’s policy. A “delay” will not cut it.

This small victory could not have been possible without the support, advocacy, and donations from millions of Canadians like yourself.

We push forward!