Adding to our angst

Pandemics, as Atlantic Canadians have discovered these past 14 months, bring out the best in most people.

Frontline workers, volunteers, helpful neighbours. They are everywhere, going the extra mile to help others endure the most serious immediate global challenge of our lifetime.

But pandemics have also reminded us of something else in our midst — rulebreakers. And the more rules enacted to stem COVID-19’s iron grip, the more rulebreakers seem to arise.

Earlier in the pandemic, rulebreakers primarily seemed to make headlines in provinces with high case counts. Precariously ensconced in our Atlantic Bubble, we counted our blessings and told anyone who would listen how glad we were to live here.

Flare-ups in New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador during the winter served as nervous reminders the pandemic is not close to receding into our rearview mirrors.

Events in Nova Scotia the last few weeks illustrate how quickly things can spiral out of control. From single digits daily, the number of new cases rocketed to a high of 227 on May 7; Thursday’s count still stood at an alarming 110 cases.

To make matters worse, the more rules were put in place to stem the Nova Scotia outbreak, the more rulebreakers sprung up to oppose them.

Start with 26 people ticketed by RCMP after an illegal church gathering near Berwick in the Annapolis Valley — $2,422 each, once victim fine surcharges and court fees are tallied. The church itself was fined $11,622.50 for holding the gathering.

Another one: A hair salon in Windsor attempted to operate incognito despite public health restrictions requiring it to close. Fined $11,622.50.

In Cape Breton, there was concern about gatherings of people in Tim Hortons parking lots.

In Bedford, a business owner was fined $11,622.50 for running a shortterm rental business despite public health restrictions requiring it to close.

And let’s not forget the three Halifax men charged for leaving their municipality to go fishing along the Annapolis River in the Middleton area. All three were fined $2,000.

The list goes on.

But Nova Scotia shouldn’t get all the blame.

A 19-year-old Charlottetown woman was fined $1,000 recently for breaking COVID-19 public health guidelines following a complaint regarding a large house gathering.

Newfoundland and Labrador, by contrast, has been rulebreaker free for the most part. Perhaps the most notable incident took place in February when a maskless woman was denied service at a St. John’s grocery store. She claimed an unspecified medical exemption and later posted a video on social media viewed by thousands.

Now, anti-restriction rallies are planned across the country this weekend. Not to mention unmasked people hopping on transit buses, causing plenty of consternation for those who do wear them.

What is behind this disregard for public safety? Ignorance? Recklessness? Narcissism? Forgetfulness? Foolishness? Maybe it’s all of the above. Whatever it is, rulebreakers are not making things any easier for an already anxious populace.