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No, a mask exemption form printed from the internet doesn't count: Tisdale RCMP

TISDALE — The Tisdale RCMP and Public Health intervened to educate a man after he entered the Tisdale Post Office maskless, claiming to be exempt from COVID-19 emergency masking protocols on the grounds of a printed “mask exemption” form from the int
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TISDALE — The Tisdale RCMP and Public Health intervened to educate a man after he entered the Tisdale Post Office maskless, claiming to be exempt from COVID-19 emergency masking protocols on the grounds of a printed “mask exemption” form from the internet.

“He thought he had a medical exemption from an online service,” said Sgt. Wanita Minty, with the Tisdale RCMP.

“We’ve had other complaints in the past from business owners saying that people are coming in, not wearing masks and saying they have medical exemptions.”

Minty said after the man was refused service, the RCMP was called – who then got in contact with the Melfort Public Health office to educate the individual.

“My response is I call Melfort Public Health and they have been phoning these businesses and educating these owners and employees on what to do, what kind of a document to look for.”

While she hasn’t seen one in person, Minty says the detachment is told to only accept individual letters signed by a doctor.

“Tisdale has been good, we haven’t had many complaints and even the complaints we get, everyone is reasonable as well,” Minty said.

 “It sounds to me like most people just need a little education about exemptions and then businesses are being very compliant with asking them to leave originally, but then also accepting medical exemptions.”

The incident occurred on April 26. Minty said that month they also had a separate non-emergency call where another business had phoned them for clarity on what does and doesn’t count as exemptions.

The Tisdale RCMP made a report to Tisdale council at their regular meeting on May 10.