An Ontario City Council member was suspended from compensation for 90 days for allegedly violating the municipality’s COVID-19 vaccine policy following an Integrity Commissioner investigation.
Tony Fleming, Integrity Commissioner for the Mills District of Mississippi, announced on May 12 that Alderman Cynthia Gerrard’s attendance at two in-person council meetings that month had led to the municipality’s mandatory prevention. It said it had received a code of conduct complaint alleging that it had violated its vaccination policy, but did not provide any evidence. of vaccination against COVID-19.
“The complaint alleges that the member was presumed immunized because he did not provide evidence of vaccination,” Fleming’s report said. I attended the council meetings in person on the 17th and the 17th and when I was asked to leave the meeting room on the 17th because I had not been vaccinated, I simply sat outside the meeting room and participated remotely. . ”
The municipality’s COVID-19 immunization policy requires all aldermen, employees, volunteers and contractors to receive two doses of Health Canada-approved vaccine by November 30, 2021 and comply with the municipality’s highest Proof must be provided to Ken Kelly, Administrative Officer.
The Epoch Times reached out to both Fleming and Kelly for comment, but did not hear back by publication time.
During the Integrity Commissioner’s investigation, Guerard was asked if he had been vaccinated before the Nov. 30 deadline and declined to answer.
“Again, I will only provide that information to health care professionals, but not you. I am not going to share that information with you. It didn’t allow me to defend myself,” Gerard told The Epoch Times.
In his report, Fleming said that in order for Gerard to defend her claim, Act on the Protection of Personal Health InformationHe said the law “does not apply” to Guerard’s case because it says it applies to “collection of personal health information by health information managers.”
According to Fleming’s report, the city council member also said he had a conflict of interest as integrity commissioner while serving as the city’s solicitor.
“Before engaging as the Integrity Commissioner in this particular complaint, the Integrity Commissioner considered potential dispute issues and was satisfied that no dispute existed,” the report said regarding Gerard’s allegations. .
Fleming closed the investigation by saying that Gerard had violated the municipality’s COVID-19 policy and thereby the code of conduct. He then recommended that the council suspend her compensation for 90 days. .
“I don’t think there are even 90 days left. So I don’t know if they’ll come after me and ask me to return the money I’ve already received. Mid-OctoberThere are just over 50 days left in the pre-voting period scheduled for October 7th through October 14th.
Vaccine obligation
Gerard said that with Ontario lifting its state COVID-19 vaccination mandate and other restrictions in March, Mississippi Mills’ vaccine policy is legally liable and could face legal challenges. said there is
“I don’t think the local government law allows local governments to make health decisions,” Gerard said.
“We are state creatures and Ontario has dropped all orders,” she said. As soon as we called it off … our municipality could be held legally responsible and sued, and the state is no longer involved.”
Mr Gerard said the policy did not prevent anyone from accessing municipal property, but it required him to virtually attend every council meeting so that those who voted for her were properly treated. At least two meetings were held behind closed doors, although he said it prevented them from being represented.
A similar incident occurred with Mayor Dave Bylsma of West Lincoln, a Niagara-area township in Ontario.
Last week, Bylsma protested his municipality’s COVID-19 vaccine policy after being denied access to the West Lincoln Community Center where he was originally scheduled to give a speech because of his vaccination status.
On March 15th, West Lincoln state of emergency declaration In connection with COVID-19, from 1st March, Township no longer needed Immunization certificates for public access to the West Lincoln Community Center and Arena.
However, the city council has decided to maintain the vaccine policy for city employees. This means that Birsumah will be granted access to the facility as a citizen, not as mayor.
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Andrew Chen is a reporter for the Epoch Times based in Toronto.