Leave health workers alone
Ontario’s nurses and doctors and Premier Doug Ford don’t agree on much. Practically nothing at all, in fact.
But they’ve finally found common cause: denouncing the anti-vaccine protestors who choose to gather not at political venues where decisions are made but in front of hospitals in the middle of a pandemic.
One doctor called them “morally bankrupt”; Ford called them “selfish, cowardly and reckless.”
The leaders of the three main federal parties, who at this point in the election campaign couldn’t be relied on to agree the sky is blue, have all spoken out against this disheartening and, frankly, bizarre turn in protest activity.
And little wonder. These protesters are spreading misinformation and vile abuse outside hospitals across the country, intimidating patients who need care and the health-care workers doing their utmost to deliver that care under already difficult circumstances.
Indeed, all the protesters seem to be doing is hardening public opinion against them and the political resolve to rein them in.
Weeks ago the Ontario NDP called for creation of public health “safety zones” to protect restaurants and small businesses from anti-vax protesters. When the protests moved on to hospitals, party leader Andrea Horwath said her legislation included them as well.
And with Monday’s round of protests, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau promised his government would amend the Criminal Code, if it’s re-elected on Sept. 20, to make it an offence to intimidate or threaten health care professionals and patients seeking care. He said the Liberals will protect businesses that require staff or customers to provide proof of vaccination by ensuring they “can do so without fear of a legal challenge.”
These are politically opportunistic moves, certainly, but they aren’t without merit. Especially if, as seems depressingly possible right now, these protests continue to grow as governments, institutions and businesses implement proof-of-vaccination requirements.
People who think they’re standing up for “freedom,” or believe “natural healing” will save them from a virus that has killed more than 27,000 Canadians and 4.5 million people around the world, have every right to put that on a cardboard sign and gather with others of like mind to protest vaccine policies.
If they want to shout “there is no pandemic,” accuse the media of being “the enemy of the people,” or equate mask mandates to “child abuse” — all of which happened in Toronto on Monday — there’s a great place to do that.
It’s the lawn at Queen’s Park, the seat of Ontario’s provincial government. That’s where the political decisions are made.
The protesters themselves recognized that by starting Monday’s protest there. And that’s where they should have stayed.
But protesters moved on to nearby “hospital row” along University Ave., which includes Toronto General Hospital, Mount Sinai, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and others.
What could be more demoralizing for health-care workers caring for patients with COVID-19, some fighting for their very lives on ventilators, than running a gauntlet of demonstrators claiming the pandemic is “fake news” and vaccine mandates are “crimes against humanity?”
Harassing overstretched doctors and nurses who have been working flat-out for a year and a half to save lives, or intimidating patients on their way into a hospital, is shameful.
Everyone is tired of the pandemic and frustration on all sides may be at an all-time high. But these protesters need to give their heads a shake and focus their grievances where the political decisions are made.
Leave health-care workers alone. Leave hospitals free to carry out their life-saving work without police outside to ensure safe passage for ambulances and patients.
It’s ridiculous that that even needs to be said.