A gaming CEO and his wife attempted to jump the queue to get COVID-19 vaccines that were intended for Indigenous elders, according to reports.
Rod Baker, 55, and his wife Ekaterina Baker, 32, flew to Yukon to obtain COVID-19 vaccines and were charged with breaking Yukon’s Civil Emergency Measures Act this past Thursday, according to Global News.
The vaccination supply was intended for 100 residents of the Beaver Creek Community, including members of the White River First Nation, according to Global News. (RELATED: Moderna Says Vaccine Protects Against New Coronavirus Variants, But Less Effective Against South Africa Strain)
The couple received two $575 fines after failing to self-isolate upon arrival and failing to “behave in a manner consistent with their declaration” according to tickets provided to Global News.
The White River First Nation is trying to obtain a stricter punishment for the couple, according to the CBC.
Photo by Scott Heins/Getty Images
“Our oldest resident of Beaver Creek, who is 88 years old, was in the same room as this couple,” White River First Nation member and COVID-19 Inter-agency Lead Janet VanderMeer told Global News. “My mom, who’s palliative, was in the same room as this couple… Probably the two most vulnerable members of our community were in the same room and the risk of exposure that this privileged couple, how do you justify a $500 fine?”
Rod Baker has since stepped down from his role as president and chief executive of Great Canadian Gaming Corp., according to Global News.
White River First Nation Chief Angela Demit has since urged Canadians to respect the vaccination rollout process and not follow in the couple’s footsteps, according to the CBC.