A woman who lost her job at a long term care home in Melfort after attending a freedom rally in Prince Albert last spring, says it was never her intention to hurt anyone.
Jackie Marshall and her adult daughter were among the roughly 100 people who attended the rally in Prince Albert last April. Protestors there denounced the restrictions and downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic. Speaking publicly for the first time since the event, Marshall told paNOW her reason for going was simply because she was curious, and wanted to hear from both sides on the issue.
“I just felt I needed to see what goes on. I was on my way to Prince Albert anyway so I thought I am going to see what a rally is all about,” she said.
Following the rally, a number of pictures of Marshall at the rally were posted to social media, and several people in the community and the healthcare field reached out to paNOW expressing their discomfort with Marshall’s actions given her position at the care home. Marshall explained the pictures shared with paNOW don’t reflect the entire truth, adding she was socially distant for a large portion of the time.
“Did I have a mask on? No, there is no mask mandate for being outside in the province,” she said.
A photo taken of Marshall with Brent Wintringham, who coincidentally, was also fired from his job, (Submitted photo)Explaining she had no idea pictures of her would be posted online, Marshall said she panicked when she saw them and the news article, adding her belief is the person responsible for contacting media had a personal motive for doing so. She also added in the following weeks both she and her daughter received negative backlash within the community.
“The sad part of all of this is people judge you by what they perceive. They don’t know know who I am,” she said.
On April 23, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) said a person or persons attended the rally while infectious, and called on those who were at the event to self-isolate immediately.
Marshall argued that was not the case explaining after talking amongst themselves, no one at the rally said they had been tested.
“It’s already known that there is no transmission when you are outside. You have to be within minutes 15 minutes each other with a confirmed case and none of us were,” she said.
Prior to her termination, Marshall worked at the Parkland Care Home for seven years. At the time of the rally, she worked in the office area, handing phone calls and dealing with matters related to the admittance and discharge of patients, as well as booking family visits. She explained she always wore her PPE while at work and followed the rules, and so with the rally falling on her day off, she saw no issue attending.
“I still stand by my freedom of rights that you know I have the freedom to express, peacefully assemble, and to go to a rally without shame or discipline. We all do,” she said.
Jackie Marshall wants the public to know she would never intentionally try to spread the virus and was completely caught off guard by the fallout. (Submitted photo/Jackie Marshall)Upon Marshall’s return to work after the rally, she was informed by her manager to go home and self-isolate. She then received a letter a week later, informing her that she would be on suspension while the investigation was being done. At its conclusion, she was terminated. Marshall has since filed a grievance with her union.
“Do I expect them to hire me back? I am gonna say I would not want to go back now just because there’s just too much animosity, but I will fight for my rights,” she said.
A spokesperson for the Saskatchewan Government Employees’ Union (SGEU) confirmed for paNOW the union doesn’t comment on personnel matters related to individual members, including confirming/denying whether a grievance has been filed or the status of a member’s employment, workplace issues, etc.
Also in attendance at the Prince Albert rally, and one of the speakers, was Brent Wintringham, who was also later singled out and identified as an employee with the Saskatoon Public Schools Division. Wintringham worked as a custodian at one the city’s elementary schools, and was also later fired.
Response from Ministry of Health
paNOW reached out to the Ministry of Health to respond to Marshall’s comments. With respect to transmission outside, a spokesperson for the ministry confirmed the risk is reduced, but still possible.
“COVID-19 is spread through close contact. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets, for example, when someone coughs or sneezes,” the spokesperson said.
The Ministry also confirmed that while masks are not required outside, their use is still recommended in outdoor settings where physical distancing could not be maintained.
The full list of settings is detailed in the current public health order here: https://www.saskatchewan.ca/-/media/files/coronavirus/public-health-measures/public-health-orders/provincial-order-june-24.pdf
All measures are set to be lifted on July 11, including the mask mandate and.the public health orders
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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com
On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell
