Tory Leadership Candidate Says He Would Fire Canada’s Chief Medical Officer Over Pandemic Response

Candidate Roman Baber speaks at the Conservative Party of Canada English leadership debate in Edmonton, Alta., on May 11, 2022. The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh

Conservative leadership candidate Roman Baber says if he became prime minister, his first order of business would be to fire Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam over her COVID-19 pandemic response.

Baber made the comments in an email addressed to Conservative Party members on May 17, saying that Tam “lost any credibility she had left” after she recommended that Canadians wear masks during sexual activity earlier in the pandemic on Sept. 2, 2020.