Anti-vaccine Sask. dad in hiding with daughter, 7, often talked about taking her away, says former friend
CBC
A Saskatchewan man who says he's in hiding with his 7-year-old daughter to protect her from the COVID-19 vaccine often talked of taking her away from her mother forever, says a former friend.
CBC News has also learned Michael Jackson, also known as "Mike" and "Mikey," is being assisted financially by at least one business associate.
"He always talked about taking off, almost obsessed with the idea. It was always the plan to take the girl," said Carievale, Sask., resident Kurt Jedel.
"He was going to drive up to Alaska then take a boat over to Russia, dye his hair and they'd disappear. If that didn't work, he said he'd go up to the bush and live off the grid."
No one has seen the pair in person since mid-November.
In an interview Tuesday with CBC News, the girl's mother, Regina educational assistant Mariecar Jackson, issued an emotional message to her daughter and pleaded for her return.
"Mommy loves you so much. Every day, I pray that some day you'll be home. I love you so much. Mommy is standing strong and some day we will be together," she said.
Mariecar Jackson said all she wants is her daughter to be home safe. She said she "wanted to set aside the issue of vaccination for the time being and focus on the emotional and physical well being" of her daughter.
WATCH | Sask. woman says she'll never stop looking for her child:
Residents of Carievale, a village of 200 people in southeast Saskatchewan, say they grow more afraid for the girl's physical and emotional safety every day.
"That poor woman. It must be hell. And this little girl. This poor little girl," local resident Janice McKenzie said.
McKenzie and other residents interviewed wondered why there had been no amber alert or news release requesting public assistance during the past two months. This week, CBC repeatedly asked RCMP and Regina police about the case.
Regina police said they could not act unless the complainant came to their offices with relevant court orders and other documents. CBC told Regina police Mariecar Jackson's lawyer, Jill Drennan, had already sent them the court orders directing police to act.
Thursday evening, Regina police visited Mariecar Jackson's home to tell her they were now launching a formal investigation, Drennan said.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.