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The CEO of a Canadian casino company resigned from his job after he and his wife were accused of posing as motel workers to obtain doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for residents of a remote community.
The couple, identified as Rodney and Ekaterina Baker from Vancouver, arrived in the city of Whitehorse on January 19 and were to be quarantined for 14 days.
Instead, they chartered a private plane to Beaver Creek, a small community of less than 125 people in the Canadian Yukon, where a mobile vaccination clinic was administering the first dose of the Moderna vaccine to residents, according to the CBC television network at Canada. .
The outlet reported that rural Yukon communities are prioritized for the vaccine because many residents live hours away from a hospital and lack the proper resources to handle a possible coronavirus outbreak.
Yukon Community Services Minister John Streicker said the Bakers were posing as new employees at a local motel so they could receive the shots. They suspected they were not from the area when they asked to go to the airport shortly after receiving the vaccines, he said.
“People were like, ‘Well, why would you go to the airport?’ “Streicker told CBC.
Members of the vaccination clinic learned that the couple were not employed by the motel and authorities were contacted. The Bakers were then followed to the airport, preparing to leave the territory, the outlet reported.
Streicker said in a statement Tuesday that he was outraged by the couple’s actions.
“Reports allege that these people were deceptive and violated emergency measures for their own benefit, which is completely unacceptable at any time, but especially during a public health crisis,” he said.
The husband and wife have been charged with violating the Yukon Civil Emergency Measures Act after authorities said they did not self-isolate and obey travel restrictions. They face a fine of up to $ 500 per charge, six months in jail or both, according to the CBC. They have 30 days to pay the fine or to plead not guilty and request a trial.
The Bakers could not be contacted immediately on Tuesday and it is not clear whether they have secured a lawyer.
The White River First Nation, whose government office is located in Beaver Creek, condemned the couple’s actions and said the charges were too lenient.
“WRFN calls on the Government of Yukon as well as the RCMP to enforce fairer punishment. It is important that the sanction seriously discourages any similar behavior in the future,” the office said in a statement.
Country leader Angela Demit said the Bakers’ “selfish” actions put their elders at risk.
“We implore all Canadians to respect the immunization rollout process and not to take similar actions,” said Demit. “While we understand that many want to be immunized immediately, it is not appropriate to bend the rules in place and approach our community in this way. WRFN was selected for vaccines given our remoteness, elderly and high-risk population, and limited access to health care. “
Rodney Baker worked for Great Canadian Gaming, which owns more than 20 casinos across Canada, and his wife is an aspiring actress.
The great Canadian said Rodney Baker stepped down as chairman and chief executive on Sunday.
“As a company, Great Canadian takes health and safety protocols very seriously, and our company strictly follows all guidelines and guidelines issued by public health authorities in each jurisdiction in which we operate. Any such action that is contrary to the core values of the company, failing to adhere to GCGC’s strict compliance policies regarding travel, and ensuring that the company and its employees follow all guidelines and health guidelines will not be tolerated, ”the company said.
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