Court date set for B.C. couple accused of jumping vaccine queue in Yukon

The Vancouver couple accused of flying to the Yukon to jump the COVID-19 vaccine queue have been given a court date.

Rod Baker, the now-former CEO of Great Canadian Gaming, and his wife, Ekaterina, allegedly flew to the First Nation community of Beaver Creek to get the vaccine before their turn in B.C. It’s alleged they posed as essential workers to receive the Moderna vaccine.

They had reportedly ignored the territory’s 14-day mandatory quarantine rules upon arrival and were eventually ticketed and charged under Yukon’s Civil Emergency Measures Act.

They are due to appear in a Whitehorse courtroom on May 4.

Nothing has yet been proven in court, but they could serve up to six months in jail if convicted.

2:26 Vancouver couple who lied to get vaccinated sparks anger in remote Yukon community

The B.C. government has also confirmed the Bakers will not be eligible for the second dose of the vaccine until August.

Without naming the couple, the B.C. Ministry of Health clarified the rules to prevent queue-jumping earlier this week.

“There is no room in B.C.’s COVID-19 immunization plan for people who deliberately put vulnerable populations at risk in order to receive their vaccine before the start of their eligibility group,” the statement reads.

“As we move towards immunizing the general public in Phases 3 and 4, there will be clear processes in place to ensure people can verify their age and that they are currently living in B.C.”

1:33 ‘I think they should be ashamed of themselves’: Dr. Bonnie Henry on Yukon vaccine queue jumpers

– With files from Richard Zussman and Twinkle Ghosh