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Editor's Edition: Vaccine campaigns move from carrot to stick

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, governments in Canada are trying new strategies to increase vaccinations.

On Jan. 15, the federal government implemented a policy requiring that truck drivers entering into Canada be fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated foreign truckers can no longer enter Canada, while unvaccinated Canadian drivers will have to test and quarantine upon entry into the country. Backlash to the policy has emerged this week, as truckers and protesters from across the country head to Ottawa for a rally against the vaccine mandate. In Quebec, Premier Francois Legault is looking at a so-called "vax tax." Legault said he plans on tabling a bill in early February that would force individuals who refuse to get vaccinated to pay a “health contribution", adding that unvaccinated Quebeckers are a significant burden on the province’s healthcare system.

On this episode of Editor's Edition, Alicja Siekierska and the Public Policy Forum's Sean Speer dig into the new and proposed vaccination policies, and the response to these approaches. They also take a look at Ontario’s reopening plan and the latest report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

If you have any policy-related questions, or feedback about the show, please email alicja@yahoofinance.com.