TORONTO — Justin Trudeau is holding fast to the federal government’s announcement that all air, interprovincial rail and cruise ship passengers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of October.

The Aug. 13 update from Transport Minister Omar Alghabra and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc was one of many new policies handed down before Parliament was dissolved Aug. 15, triggering the election campaign.

As reported by Global News, when asked yesterday on the campaign trail about the COVID vaccination mandate for air, rail and ship passengers, Trudeau said: “Canadians know that the way to get through this pandemic is for everyone to get vaccinated. So unless people have a medical exception, they will not be able to board a plane or a train in Canada if they are unvaccinated.”

Trudeau added: “This is about protecting our young people. It’s about protecting Canadians. We are absolutely unequivocal on that because this is how we get through this pandemic.”

As announced on Aug. 13, the mandatory COVID vaccination policy applies to all commercial air travellers as well as passengers on inter-provincial rail services and ships with overnight accommodations, including cruise ships.

Days earlier the federal government confirmed it is moving ahead with a pan-Canadian, secure system of proof of vaccination certification that can be used for international travel.