No anti-vaxxers in PC caucus, Manitoba premier insists, though 1 still mum on vaccination status

Nobody in the Progressive Conservative caucus is opposed to vaccinations, Manitoba's premier says, even though one of her MLAs has kept mum on his COVID-19 vaccination status in spite of sustained pressure.

Heather Stefanson made the comment Tuesday as the vaccination status of her infrastructure minister, Ron Schuler, was scrutinized. 

"Well, Madame Speaker, there are no anti-vaxxers in our caucus," Stefanson said during question period.

She added the new vaccination mandate for everyone entering the legislative building, effective Dec. 15, shows "we are making decisions."

Schuler's vaccination status was brought up Tuesday following a Winnipeg Free Press story, which reported an assistant in the Springfield-Ritchot MLA's constituency office died of COVID-19.

For months, Schuler has refused to disclose whether he's been vaccinated, stating his personal health information is private. He declined to speak on Tuesday. 

The Free Press previously polled every Manitoba MLA and found Schuler and Seine River representative Janice Morley-Lecomte — both Tories — were the only ones who wouldn't answer the question.

However, Morley-Lecomte has since confirmed she's fully vaccinated, after receiving flak for trying to eat at a restaurant this month without producing adequate proof of vaccination.

The Progressive Conservative caucus said on Tuesday it is aware of 34 of its 35 sitting MLAs being vaccinated, but didn't say if the remaining elected official was vaccinated or whether they disclosed their status.

It appears that individual would be Schuler, based on process of elimination.

After the story of his assistant's death was published, the Opposition New Democrats said Schuler, who is the minister for infrastructure, should be removed from cabinet.

"We have a responsibility as elected officials to help protect Manitobans," NDP justice critic Nahanni Fontaine told reporters.

She accused the government of "bending over backwards" to accommodate Schuler. Another provincial government, Ontario, booted one of its members from caucus who refused to get vaccinated.

Schuler "clearly doesn't care [about getting vaccinated] or he doesn't have the capacity to do so, and why any leader, any premier would keep someone like that in their cabinet, keep someone like that among those individuals who make the decisions on behalf of all of us here in Manitoba, is unconscionable," Fontaine said.

The party's justice critic said MLAs have a responsibility to act as role models.

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said Schuler's failure to disclose his vaccination status is indicative of a government whose pandemic response has been lacking.

Quarantining at home

Schuler recently self-isolated at home. The minister's office confirmed he was directed by public health to isolate after being identified as a potential contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

People who are fully vaccinated in Manitoba are exempt from self-isolating if they show no symptoms or were recently diagnosed with COVID-19.

Schuler participated in question period virtually on Friday, sitting on a couch in a location that did not appear to be his office.

By Tuesday, he was back in his office in the Manitoba legislature, but still taking part in question period virtually. The three political parties have agreed to limit access to the chamber, which is already restricted to two-thirds capacity, to only the fully inoculated.

The entire legislative building will be barred to the unvaccinated beginning Dec. 15. Everyone entering the building — ranging from MLAs to government staff and visitors — will have to provide proof of their vaccination status.

The NDP and Liberals say all their MLAs are fully vaccinated.