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May 17, 2021 9:25 PM -
Federal Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole is blasting the Liberal government for not providing Canadians with more information about why the general overseeing Canada's COVID-19 vaccination campaign has been forced to step aside.
The Department of National Defence issued a terse three-line statement on Friday evening announcing that Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin was leaving his role because of an unspecified ``military investigation.''
Some experts have since criticized the lack of details around the nature of that investigation given the importance of his position and recent concerns about a lack of transparency and accountability from the military.
O'Toole is now echoing those criticisms, calling on the Liberal government to be transparent with Canadians, suggesting its failure to do so represents a threat to the public's confidence in the military and the vaccine campaign.
O'Toole is also demanding the government announce who will be taking over from Fortin, who has declined to comment, and managing the vaccination campaign.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to take questions from reporters today for the first time since news of Fortin's reassignment on Friday.
Federal cabinet ministers are expressing confidence that Canada's COVID-19 vaccine rollout will proceed uninterrupted despite the loss of the military man responsible for it.
Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough spoke about the sudden departure of Major-General Dany Fortin today during a virtual news conference.
