Ousted Tory MPP Rick Nicholls returns to Queens Park as an independent

Rick Nichollswillsitas anindependent MPP for the first time this week as the Ontario legislature kicksoff itsfall session.

The Chatham-KentLeamingtonMPP was booted from the Conservative caucus in Augustfor refusing to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

"I'm not an anti-vaxxer," NIcholls told CBC Radio's Windsor Morning,adding that he felt there wasn't enough research done into the long-term effects of the vaccine.

Public health officials in Canada and around the world, however, have repeatedly emphasized that COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective at preventing severe illness, and key to halting the pandemic.

Nicholls said the issue is about personal choice. He anticipatesa crisis in sectors like policing and health-care, where employees have been told to get vaccinated or face termination.

"It's a sad time of our lifetime right now, that we're living in," he said.

Under a new policy ordered by the speaker of the Ontario legislature, Nicholls will need to be tested to get into the building. Nichollstested negative on Sunday, he said.

Nicholls wants to see the testing requirementapply to everyone regardless of vaccination status, since people who are fully vaccinated can potentially catch and transmit COVID-19.

"It could very well be that there are ...double vaccinated people in the legislature who could be carriers of COVID or spreading COVIDunbeknownst to them," he said.

The legislature is reconveningfor the first time since June, eight months ahead of the provincial election.

Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell delivered a speech from the throne on Monday outliningthe government's priorities for this session.

"At the advice of the chief medical officer of health, they will seek to minimize disruptions to businesses and families. The ultimate goal, shared by all, is avoiding future lockdowns," saidDowdeswell.

Nichollshas said he does not plan to run in the next election. In the meantime, he said he willcontinue to work on priorities such as Windsorhospital funding, Highway 3 and the children's treatment centre in Chatham-Kent.