Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MP Cheryl Gallant grilled Liberal defence minister Anita Anand over the military’s disgraceful treatment of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members who choose to not receive their COVID-19 shots.
During a meeting of the Commons national defence committee on Wednesday, Gallant accused the Trudeau government of going harder on unvaccinated soldiers than on convicted serial killer and rapist former CAF colonel and Russell Williams.
“Morale is at an all time low with Canadian Forces short thousands of members, yet even those who’ve had the first COVID inoculation suffered serious adverse reactions and had cardiologists recommend foregoing subsequent injections are sent packing without earned pensions and benefits,” said Gallant.
“Even Russell Williams was afforded his pension, so why are soldiers who’ve served honourably for decades being treated worse than a convicted serial rapist and murderer when it comes to refusing a new vaccine?”
Williams received two life sentences in 2010 related to the sexual assaults and murders of Jessica Lloyd and Marie Comeau. Williams was also sentenced for other sexual assaults, forcible confinement and breaking and entering. Despite his grave crimes, Williams was allowed to keep his military pension worth $60,000 a year.
Anand replied to Gallant’s question by reiterating the Trudeau government’s uncompromising belief in vaccines and its reliance on the advice of public health experts.
“The Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian government believe in the importance of vaccines as they are recommended by our public health experts. To date 98% of the Canadian Armed Forces have been vaccinated,” said Anand.
As exclusively reported by True North, unvaccinated CAF members faced an “unsuitable for further service” discharge from the military which carries a number of career consequences.
“As for those who suggest this is a punitive approach, the Canadian Armed Forces is an organization predicated on teamwork and keeping Canadians safe,” a Department of National Defence spokesperson told True North in December.
“Members of the Canadian Armed Forces have a duty to maintain their operational readiness and preserve their ability to serve Canadians at home and support our Allies and partners abroad.”
During the committee meeting, Gallant brought up a May 2000 ruling by a military judge to uphold the right of a soldier to decline a mandated Anthrax vaccine.
“It was wrong to force military personnel with the injection of new drugs on soldiers back then according to the ruling, so what has changed since then?” asked Gallant.
“I will reiterate that as regards to the current pandemic our government and the Canadian Armed Forces are committed to vaccines against COVID-19 which have been proven to reduce the severity of the virus,” Anand replied.
