Confusion at City Hall over vaccinations and testing
Wednesday was supposed to be the deadline for all city employees including police to be fully-vaccinated, or start paying for their own rapid tests.
Calgary police service says about 93 per cent of its employees are vaccinated another seven per cent are using rapid test kits multiple times a week.
“So far, we've had one employee who has chose to resign from the Calgary police service because of the vaccination policy. And we have two employees now who have taken a form of leave as so they don't have to comply with the rapid testing nor the vaccination policy, “said Deputy Chief Raj Gill.
"We roughly have about 11 or 12 employees who have put in for medical exemptions from the vaccination policy, and those are being analysed and assessed by our health services folks, and verified by the medical information."
Raj Gill of the Calgary Police
Gill said as of Wednesday unvaccinated employees without an exemption will be paying for their own tests.
Those tests cost approximately $40 every time and must be taken at least twice a week.
The police service has applied for a provincial program which will supply rapid test kits to essential services workers until the end of March 2022, but it has not received any of those kits and does not expect to receive them for several weeks.
Once it does receive those, unvaccinated police officers will be able to get tested for free.
UNDER THE BUS
According to the mayor that throws the city's entire vaccination plan under the bus.
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon Gondek said the police department’s request for free kits from the province will force the city to supply the rest of its employees with free tests as well.
“Thanks to the Calgary Police Service making a decision that they will pay for testing, we have been forced to do the same at the City of Calgary, because other unions have said, it's not fair. (saying)” If the Calgary police are paying for testing why are you the City of Calgary?” said Gondek who accused the police of undermining the city manger. “I know that he was as surprised as I am that the police service put him in a compromising position with other unions. And that's simply not acceptable. “
Calgary councillor Jyoti Gondek announced she's running for mayor Wednesday
MISTAKEN
Almost immediately police countered saying unequivocally that Gondek is mistaken.
In an email a police spokesperson wrote to CTV:
“Under the service’s policy, starting today our employees must pay for their own rapid testing kits. As part the government’s Rapid Testing Program, essential services were given the opportunity to apply for free kits until March 2022.”
The email went on to say:
“We are still waiting for these kits and until they arrive, members who are not vaccinated will continue to pay for rapid testing kits out of their own pocket. All essential services in Alberta can apply for free kits under this limited program.”
QUESTIONING POLICE POSITION
Late Wednesday afternoon the mayor’s Chief of Staff Stephen Carter called CTV to say he still questions the police position and contends no police officer or staff member of the service will likely pay for a rapid test under the police service plan.
Carter said both he and the mayor are upset that the police chief has accessed the provincial program to cover the costs of tests.
Carter said it was the mayor's position that employees should feel the pinch in their pocketbook to understand that their actions have consequences.
He said the city has about 94,000 rapid test kits in its supply. Those are left over over from a shipment in early October when the city was supplying test kits to employees who required them.
According to Carter the original plan was to begin charging employees who accessed those kits after December 1. He says the police, by applying for the provincially-offered free kits for their unvaccinated employees, have undermined the city’s efforts to convince more employees to vaccinate.
He said it would be unfair to the rest of city staff to charge them for testing it police do not have to pay.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Disability Benefit needs to safeguarded from clawbacks, MPs unanimously agree
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Turfing Poilievre from House a clear sign of desperation by Trudeau Liberals
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
Six Canadian children repatriated from detention in Syria, Global Affairs Canada says
The Global Affairs Department says six Canadian children have been repatriated from detention in northeastern Syria.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.