Surrey Board of Trade asking for COVID-19 vaccine passports

SURREY (NEWS 1130) — Fearing another wave of shutdowns due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, the Surrey Board of Trade has started putting pressure on the federal and provincial governments to implement a proof of immunization system.

However, the idea is not without controversary.

France is coming off a weekend of nation-wide protests as lawmakers work to install a system where in order to visit any public venues, people have to prove they’re fully vaccinated, or at least produce a recent negative test.

PROOF-OF-IMMUNIZATION MODEL NEEDED SAYS SURREY BOARD OF TRADE https://t.co/CU5NXGqPfm @SBofT @SurreyNowLeader @tomzytaruk @NEWS1130 @martinmacmahon @CKNW @JanetBrown980 @OntarioCofC @CdnChamberofCom @PerrinBeatty @redfmvancouver @VancouverSun pic.twitter.com/RzFW6XnhDB

— Anita Huberman (@anitahuberman) July 26, 2021

Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman has written a letter to federal and provincial leaders and health ministers, calling for a consistent, centralized proof-of-immunization system — as a temporary measure to help businesses to fully reopen, and stay that way.

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Speaking to NEWS 1130, Huberman says we need to be innovative in the face of economic crisis.

“All we’re saying is that this is a short-term measure, so we can fully get out of this pandemic,” she said.

Many people have concerns about the implications for privacy, equality, and human rights.

“Certainly I can appreciate those privacy concerns. But we’re also talking about driving the economy forward,” Huberman said.

Huberman is worried that without proof of immunization, COVID-19 lockdowns and protocols will keep businesses from moving forward.

“This is about the economy. This is about ensuring everyone has the confidence to be able to be safe.

We cannot afford another lockdown.”