National

Military dealing with 900 unvaccinated troops

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Jan, 2022 02:05 PM

OTTAWA - The Department of National Defence says formal proceedings have been launched against more than 900 members of the Canadian Armed Forces for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Chief of the defence staff Gen. Wayne Eyre ordered all military personnel to attest to having been fully vaccinated by mid-October. The deadline was later extended to mid-December.

Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier says reviews had been launched against 100 Armed Forces members by the end of December for repeatedly refusing to get their jabs.

Another 800 had received warnings, orders to attend counselling and other remedial measures, and could also be forced to hang up their uniforms if they would not get the shot.

Le Bouthillier says 44 full-time members of the Armed Forces have volunteered to leave the military rather than get jabbed, along with an unknown number of part-time reservists.

Last month, the Federal Court dismissed a request from several Armed Forces members to stop the military from forcing them to get vaccinated, the latest in a string of legal defeats for federal government employees fighting vaccine requirements.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Pediatrician urges parents to have the COVID talk

A pediatrician who has researched COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among parents in Canada, the United States and Israel is urging people concerned about getting their children vaccinated to talk to a health-care provider as the Omicron variant pushes cases to all-time highs.

Pediatrician urges parents to have the COVID talk

Long-term residents left without visits: advocate

British Columbia's seniors advocate is asking the province to designate one person as an essential visitor for every long-term care resident as the facilities move to stem the spread of COVID-19. Isobel Mackenzie says in a news release that the need to limit visitors has left a majority of long-term care residents without visits from loved ones.

Long-term residents left without visits: advocate

3,223 COVID19 cases for Thursday

There are 31,817 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 238,524 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 324 individuals are in hospital and 90 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

3,223 COVID19 cases for Thursday

Alex Fraser Bridge closed in both directions

With the harsh winter conditions in the Lower mainland, Alex Fraser Bridge has been shut down in both directions. A tweet from Drive BC says to use an alternate route

Alex Fraser Bridge closed in both directions

Opening schools a priority, but safety matters

Provincial health officer for British Columbia Dr. Bonnie Henry said in a news conference Tuesday that schools are "not a major source of transmission." But other experts say schools need to take extra care against the highly transmissible Omicron variant.

Opening schools a priority, but safety matters

Eight Prince Rupert, B.C., firefighters isolating

B.C.'s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry warned earlier this week that businesses, schools and health facilities could lose up to a third of their staff due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.