Manitoba politician out of cabinet over messaging on vaccines, premier says
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson says she replaced a former cabinet minister because of his comments on COVID-19 vaccines.
Ron Schuler was removed from cabinet last week, after serving as minister for infrastructure and emergency measures.
Schuler had refused to discuss his vaccination status, and Stefanson said all her caucus members had met a requirement to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 15.
A day after the deadline, Schuler said he is not against vaccines, that people should listen to their doctor and that the decision comes down to individual rights.
In her first public comments on the matter, Stefanson says Schuler's messaging on vaccines was not consistent with the government's vaccination efforts.
Schuler has not responded to interview requests and has posted on social media that he paid a price for liberty.
"The public messaging from Mr. Schuler has not been necessarily consistent with the spirit of our government's efforts to get Manitobans fully vaccinated," Stefanson said Tuesday.
"We are the ones that form a public policy in cabinet and so certainly, we do expect that cabinet ministers would follow through with those commitments that we're making and the policies that we're putting in place."
Schuler has been a legislature member since 1999, and had been a cabinet minister since the Progressive Conservatives took office in 2016. He ran for the party leadership in 2006 and finished a distant second.
It appears he will be remain in the Tory caucus. Stefanson was asked whether she and other Tories will discuss and vote on Schuler's future.
"Not that I know of," she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PWHL Minnesota defeats Boston to win inaugural Walter Cup
Minnesota won the inaugural championship of the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Wednesday night, getting 17 saves from Nicole Hensley to beat Boston 3-0 in a winner-take-all Game 5 and claim the Walter Cup.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
B.C. mortgage broker ran $270-million Ponzi scheme, then fled Canada, bankruptcy trustee says
The trustee appointed to manage the bankruptcies of a Victoria mortgage company and its owner has concluded that they committed "numerous offences" and operated as a "massive Ponzi scheme."
Oilers rally to beat Stars, tie Western Conference Final
With the Edmonton Oilers down two goals late in the first period of Game 4, Rogers Place was quiet, fans seemingly bewildered at the early, quick scoring of the Dallas Stars and the slow start by the home team. Ryan McLeod's marker with six-and-a-half minutes in the opening frame left changed all that.
McDonald's says $18 Big Mac meal was an 'exception' and their prices haven't risen that much
McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases.
'Targeted again': Montreal police investigate after gunshot fired at Jewish school
Police are investigating another building in Montreal's community was struck by gunfire.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.