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Unvaccinated former Ontario PC MPP Rick Nicholls out as deputy speaker

Click to play video: 'Ontario legislature resumes after lengthy break'
Ontario legislature resumes after lengthy break
After a lengthy break, made longer by the Ford government’s prorogued government, the legislature resumed with a speech from the throne. Along with complaints over a lack of substance in the speech, the opposing parties were left wondering why an MPP who misrepresented her vaccination status was allowed to remain in the PC caucus. Matthew Bingley reports – Oct 4, 2021

TORONTO — A former Tory who was removed from Ontario’s governing caucus for refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 is out as deputy speaker at the legislature.

The government was to move Tuesday morning to nominate another elected member to the role.

Chatham-Kent-Leamington representative Rick Nicholls, who now sits as an independent in the legislature, said he would resign from the position.

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Nicholls says he will stay on as an independent but won’t run for re-election next June.

Click to play video: 'Ontario MPP waits to hear if he’ll be dropped from PC caucus after refusing to get COVID-19 vaccine'
Ontario MPP waits to hear if he’ll be dropped from PC caucus after refusing to get COVID-19 vaccine

Nicholls was removed as a Progressive Conservative in August after he failed to show proof of vaccination or a medical exemption, as Premier Doug Ford had asked all caucus members to do.

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Opposition politicians have since raised questions over the fact that two Progressive Conservatives have reported medical exemptions to COVID-19 vaccinations, which experts say are statistically rare events.

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