The CEO of a Canadian casino business has resigned after he and his wife were accused of posing as motel associates to get doses of the Covid-19 vaccine intended for residents of a remote community.
The couple, identified as Rodney and Ekaterina Baker from Vancouver, arrived in the town of Whitehorse on January 19 and had to be quarantined for 14 days.
Instead, they rented a private plane Thursday to Beaver Creek, a small community of less than 125 people in the Yukon, Canada, where a mobile vaccination clinic administered the first dose of Moderna shot to locals, according to the CBC television network in Canada. .
The news agency reported that the rural communities of Yukon preferred the vaccine because many residents live hours away from a hospital and do not have the necessary resources to deal with a possible outbreak of the coronavirus.
Yukon Community Services Minister John Streicker said the Bakers pretended to be new employees of a local motel so they could receive the shots. They raised the suspicion that they were not coming from the area when they asked to drive to the airport shortly after the vaccination.
“People were like, ‘Well, why would you go to the airport? “Streicker told the CBC.
Members of the vaccination clinic learned that the couple were not employed at the motel, and authorities were contacted. The bakers were later tracked down at the airport to be ready to leave the area, the outlet reported.
Streicker said in a statement on Tuesday that he was furious about the couple’s actions.
“According to reports, these people are misleading and have violated their own emergencies, which is completely unacceptable at any time, but especially during a public health crisis,” he said.
The man and woman are charged with violating Yukon’s civil emergency law, after authorities said they could not isolate themselves and comply with travel restrictions. According to the CBC, they face a maximum fine of $ 500 per charge, six months in prison or both. They have 30 days to pay the fine or plead not guilty and to request a trial.
The Bakers could not be reached immediately on Tuesday and it is not clear if they obtained a lawyer.
The White River First Nation, whose government office is in Beaver Creek, condemned the couple’s actions and said the charges were too lenient.
“WRFN calls on the Yukon government as well as the RCMP to pursue a fairer punishment. It is important that the punishment seriously discourages any future similar behavior,” the office said in a statement.
Angela Demit, head of state, said the bakers’ “selfish” actions endangered their elders.
“We urge all Canadians to respect the deployment process and not take similar actions,” Demit said. “While we understand that many want a vaccine immediately, it is not appropriate to combat the rules that have been put in place and approach our community in this way. WRFN has been selected for vaccines given our remote, elderly and high-risk population, as well as limited access to health care. “
Rodney Baker has worked for Great Canadian Gaming, which owns more than 20 casinos across Canada, and his wife is an aspiring actress.
Great Canadian said Rodney Baker resigned as president and chief executive on Sunday.
“As a company, Great Canadian takes health and safety protocols extremely seriously, and our company follows all directives and guidelines issued by public health authorities in every jurisdiction in which we operate. Any such actions that are contrary to the core values of the company , is that it does not comply with GCGC’s strict travel policies, and ensuring that the company and its employees follow all health guidelines and guidelines will not be tolerated, “the company said.
