Kudos to Ottawa Public Health

I live in Montreal, but my husband and I will soon move to Ottawa to live close to our son, who is a public servant.

For medical reasons, I cannot tolerate masks or other face coverings. I suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, often referred to as the “suicide disease” because of the intensity of the suffering it generates. If one is afflicted with trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of the face — such as putting on a mask — can trigger a jolt of excruciating pain that can persist for weeks or months.

In Quebec I have been barred from most enclosed public spaces. I have been treated rudely, bullied and unceremoniously sent packing. Government authorities and other officials have been curt, hectoring and unresponsive when I lodged complaints.

When I wrote to Ottawa Public Health to ask about your city’s implementation of the mask bylaw, I received a courteous, kind and detailed explanation of how your municipality is supporting and protecting people with conditions that prevent them from wearing the mask.

Bravo, Ottawa Public Health!

Anne Schlenker, Montreal