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To send kids to school without vaccinations, parents in Ontario must first attend a class of their own.

Conducted one-on-one or in groups as large as 50 at their local health units, the mandatory “vaccine education” sessions for parents pursuing exemptions consists mainly of a video screening, with a nurse on hand to answer any questions. The 25-minute government-prescribed film features a cheery musical soundtrack, footage of smiling families and animated characters — kids playing soccer, dogs, a rainbow — along with information to counter popular myths among “anti-vaxxers.”

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But since it was introduced in 2017, thousands of mothers and fathers have dutifully watched the video, collected their “Vaccine Education Certificate” — then continued to duck the shots.

As one public health manager put it: “We had a zero percent conversion rate.”

Parents found it insulting to have the government force them to be 're-educated'

That’s not only a colossal waste of time and money, some health policy experts say, but the education sessions may actually entrench resistance among parents claiming exemptions based on religious belief or “conscience.”