Mandatory masks a polarizing issue among region’s residents
Niagara Region council to debate face-covering bylaw on Wednesday
Making it mandatory to wear masks in some situations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 appears to have become a polarizing issue for Niagara’s regional councillors, as well as the constituents they represent.
In the days since a special meeting was called to consider a motion to make wearing masks mandatory in such places as stores, several councillors say they have been inundated with emails from people both vehemently for and against a proposed bylaw to be considered during an online meeting that starts at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“You should see all the emails I’m getting, pro and con,” said St. Catharines Coun. Brian Heit. “It’s incredible … It’s like, what is going on? Why are people convinced that this is a hoax or this is not going to help? It’s just unbelievable.”
Heit, a senior citizen and lung cancer survivor, said he’s among the segment of the population for whom the virus poses the greatest risk, and he has been wearing a mask consistently and “being as careful as careful can be.”
“I believe there’s nothing wrong with telling people to wear masks,” Heit said, adding if people cannot wear masks due to health issues there are alternatives, such as a face shield or a kerchief worn over the nose and mouth.
Pelham Coun. Diana Huson asked her constituents to weigh in the issue, posting an online poll at facebook.com/huson4pelham. She said of 678 people who responded to the survey, 51 per cent were in favour of mandatory masks and 49 per cent opposed.
Huson is siding with the slight majority.
“There have been 61 deaths across Niagara and that’s way too many,” she said. “It’s a precautionary step and may be inconvenient, but it’s what we need to do to keep our community safe and it’s what we need to do to ensure our economy and businesses are protected.”
Although Welland Coun. Pat Chiocchio said most of the emails he’s received are from people opposed to a bylaw, he’s in favour of making face coverings mandatory.
“I’m surprised we’ve waited this long to implement this,” he said. “Maybe we should have done it earlier.”
St. Catharines Coun. Kelly Edgar, who said he has experienced breathing difficulties, said he, too, supports a bylaw, despite opposition he’s received via email.
Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said he encourages people to wear masks in situations where physical distancing is not possible, but does not support making masks mandatory because he believes that would be “unenforceable.”
“I would much rather have a clever marketing campaign encouraging people to do this rather than turning one neighbour against another.”
Heit, too, said he typical votes against bylaws that can’t be enforced.
“I don’t think we can really enforce a mask bylaw either,” he said. “But, in this case, I will vote for some kind of mask or face covering that people must wear inside buildings, so I can feel comfortable walking into a grocery store or any store that I’m going to go into.”
The bylaw, Heit added, will give credibility to businesses that have opted to require customers to wear masks while shopping.
Niagara Falls Coun. Barbara Greenwood said while she agrees enforcement would be difficult, it should not be used as an excuse to not mandate wearing face coverings.
Greenwood said she’s “fearful” of a second wave of the virus hitting Niagara, noting the region’s high population of seniors and being a destination for tourists.
St. Catharines Coun. Tim Rigby said he also supports a bylaw, although he also wants it to include a time limit.
Niagara Falls Coun. Bob Gale said he plans to keep an open mind during Wednesday’s meeting. However, he said he’s “leaning toward voting no on it, because I think that the store owners should be the ones enforcing it.”
“I think the stores should be voluntarily enforcing this themselves, as well as providing incentives. I like the idea of the big stores, especially, possibly providing masks to people.
“I’d like to see the Region, instead of putting all this money into the meetings, send out masks to everybody in the region and store owners enforcing it themselves and putting down, ‘You can’t come into our store if you’re not wearing a mask,’ if they choose that,” he said.
Niagara Falls Coun. Peter Nicholson said he is “certainly encouraging people to wear face masks and hopeful people wear face masks when out in public establishments and that they’ll follow the guidance of public health officials.” However, he added, he’s “mindful of the fact that the chief medical officer of health has not made such an order.”