MLA Ron Schuler removed from cabinet following months of silence over vaccination status

Longtime MLA Ron Schuler has been removed from cabinet, Premier Heather Stefanson announced late Thursday, following months of speculation over whether he was vaccinated against COVID-19.

Reg Helwer will take over as Manitoba's minister of infrastructure and minister responsible for the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization, a news release says.

The release doesn't mention a reason for the shuffle, but Schuler has been under fire in recent months for refusing to say whether he had received any doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, arguing his decision to keep his vaccination status private is a civil liberty that must be protected.

To this day, the representative for Springfield-Ritchot hasn't said if he's vaccinated, though the premiersaid that he was earlier this month, when she confirmed that every Progressive Conservative MLA has been inoculated at a news conference.

Asked to comment on the decision, the premier said that as her government asks Manitobans to step up and do everything possible to limit the spread of the virus including getting fully vaccinated it is expected that cabinet members "lead by example and do the same."

"While we have not seen eye-to-eye on everything, I want to thank Ron Schuler for his over five years of service as a cabinet minister for various portfolios," Stefanson said.

In a tweet sent Thursday, Schuler appeared to be commenting on the decision to remove him from cabinet.

"Liberty has its price, today I paid for mine," he wrote.

Helwer is currently the minister of central services and will continue to hold those responsibilities in addition to Manitoba Infrastructure and EMO.

The news release says a cabinet shuffle is still expected in the new year.

CBC News has reached out to Schulerfor comment.