A video of a Canadian Forces Reservist who has called on colleagues to refuse participation in the distribution of COVID vaccines is being circulated on Russian-language Facebook groups. The post falsely suggests that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are engaging in forced vaccinations. The Reservist is not speaking on behalf of the CAF in any capacity and his actions are currently being investigated.
Multiple videos of the same person have been circulated widely on social media. The videos, which were initially posted to social media in early December, feature a uniformed member of the CAF, Leslie Kenderesi, giving a speech at an anti-mask/vaccination rally in downtown Toronto on December 5th. In the speech, he urged his military colleagues to defy orders that require them to assist in the distribution of COVID vaccines across Canada.
In an email to DisinfoWatch, the Canadian Armed Forces confirmed that Leslie Kenderesi is an active member of the Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC), which is part of the Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (COATS), which a sub-component of Canada’s Reserve Force.
