An unvaccinated Stirling-Rawdon councillor says she has been barred from City Hall after being denied a vaccine exemption and will now have to participate in meetings via Zoom.
Sari Watson says she contracted COVID-19 before the pandemic was even declared and now has a natural immunity.
“It’s an open secret in our community that many members of the CFB Trenton brought it back directly from Wuhan, China and many of us got it when they returned to our community back in 2019. All of my council colleagues have been vaccinated and I have natural immunity because I recovered from COVID-19 so there’s no risk to their health.”
Watson, who is a registered massage therapist and believes in holistic medicine, says she is also not comfortable using rapid tests because they contain a known carcinogen.
Stirling-Rawdon Mayor Bob Mullin says the majority of council passed the proof of vaccination policy in 2021 and all must abide by it.
“Councillor Watson provided information to the township that has been reviewed by our legal counsel and does not meet the OHRC exemption and therefore, testing is required prior to entering the building, meetings or to attend meetings.”
Watson says attending meetings via Zoom is not the same as being there in person and will affect her ability to serve the community.
In a press release she states, “Some residents have told me that this is council’s way of stopping me from representing them at council meetings. I don’t believe it, but I will let you draw your own conclusion.”
Council’s next meeting is January 17.
