Canadian military kicks out dozens of unvaccinated troops, more to follow

The Department of National Defence says dozens of Canadian Armed Forces members who refused to get vaccinated have now been kicked out of the military.

Release proceedings have started for hundreds of others facing the same fate, unless they roll up their sleeves for the COVID-19 shot.

Chief of the defence staff Gen. Wayne Eyre ordered all military personnel be fully vaccinated by mid-December.

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Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier says 58 troops have since been kicked out of service for refusing to get their jabs.

Notices were given to 246 others, which is the first step toward forcing service members out of uniform.

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Another 66 unvaccinated troops have voluntarily left the Canadian Armed Forces, which has been dealing with a personnel shortage already exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 3, 2022.