麻豆影视

Politics

    • Don Martin: The case against mandatory vaccination as Quebec dives into latest COVID-19 wave

    Share

    It鈥檚 never been done before, might not accomplish its hospital-buffering mission and is probably unconstitutional, but Canada is taking the first step toward mandated COVID-19 vaccination backed by financial penalties.

    The idea was first floated last week when federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos noted he personally supports mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and suggested this unprecedented action could soon become an imminent discussion with the provinces.

    Well, here we are just four days later, and a Quebec鈥檚 Francois Legault, a premier badly in need of a diversion from soaring case counts, , details and amounts to be announced later.

    Aside from the queasy optics of segregating the unvaccinated by sharing PRIVATE MEDICAL RECORDS with law enforcement or, even worse, the tax department, to have a senior federal minister float this idea for a potential nation-wide rollout gives a troubling peek inside the Trudeau government鈥檚 brain.

    For starters he鈥檚 elephant-stomping around in provincial jurisdiction while reversing a policy position his boss, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, declared was a no-go during the depths of an earlier virus wave.

    Secondly, Duclos need only flip a text to his friend the justice minister to know that any policy involving the mandatory injection of a vaccine into unwilling Canadian arms under threat of penalty will never survive a Charter challenge in the courts.

    Thirdly, there鈥檚 no successful democratic trailblazer in the world to guide a mandatory policy into enforcement.

    Austria is the first democracy to attempt it, backed by $4,000 fines for the uncompliant, but they just announced technical challenges will delay the rollout until April when there鈥檚 a good chance the Omicron wave will be reduced to a ripple, all subject to variant change without notice of course.

    But, most importantly, mandated vaccination as a stand-alone policy won鈥檛 necessarily prevent hospital ICUs from an unsustainable space crunch.

    The undeniable rise in unvaccinated ICU patients is worsened by having the fourth wave hit at the time of the year where no-vacancy signs traditionally show up on every acute care ward due to the flus, severe respiratory distress, bad road traffic accidents or seniors falling on ice.

    And that crush is exacerbated by those in the ICU suffering serious ailments with COVID as opposed to suffering only from COVID symptoms.

    So it鈥檚 not entirely clear if this magic mandatory wand will prevent Canada鈥檚 ICUs from surging far beyond their capacity even if vaccination levels could be boosted.

    Given all that, one wonders why would a promising new health minister presiding over the pandemic鈥檚 tidal wave would float such a contentious over-reach of government policy?

    Easy. Duclos has play-hardball orders from the prime minister, who sees the idea getting a thumbs-up in polling and believes this is the moment to whack the Conservatives for their 鈥渁ccommodating the unvaccinated鈥 position.

    The way Justin Trudeau undoubtedly figures it, the guarantee of inevitable protests by furious vaccine resisters will only widen the wedge in his middle-ground favour while corner-painting the Conservatives in unappealing Neanderthal colouring.

    So, what will happen if other provinces dare to follow Quebec鈥檚 lead and violate patient privacy to find and fine the vaccine resistance?

    A lot of them will probably ignore the order. After all, it defies comprehension that a still-unvaccinated Canadian who has denied themselves access to restaurants, transportation or theatres and who is willing to walk away from a well-paying job would suddenly white-flag their arms at the threat of a modest tax or wrist-slapping fine.

    And the enforcement challenges are awkward as we wade into this uncharted medical water.

    It鈥檚 one thing to mandate vaccinations in teaching or transportation occupations which interact with the public, but a lot more different and more difficult to confront an unvaccinated home-office worker or force a mentally ill person to face a hearing on why they shouldn鈥檛 be fined.

    Above all else, the current number of Omicron variant cases clearly points to this month as a viral supernova event, one that is now flaring into a medical monstrosity before it will likely collapse into a sniffling cinder by summer.

    As such, the solution is not to launch the nuclear option of kick-starting mandatory vaccination, but to keep the thumb screws tight on resisters until they voluntarily decide the cost of isolation is greater than the risk of vaccination.

    We must continue with an open-arms appeal to the unvaccinated, connecting them without judgement to first-dose appointments while blitzing them with no-holds accurate information to show that they WILL get Omicron or the next variant, WILL face a much higher risk of hospitalization and perhaps should update their wills if they continue in their denial.

    Harsh medicine? Sure. But we put grotesque skeletal mouth cancer photos on cigarette packages so why not insert the gasping, ventilated face of an unvaccinated ICU patient into pro-vaccination public messaging?

    We鈥檙e all frustrated, impatient and infuriated with the endless waves of COVID we were supposedly protected against.

    But the route to calmer water is not using our private health information to inject needles into defiantly reluctant arms under threat of government-imposed taxes or fines.

    That鈥檚 a doomed-to-fail policy which is medically-questionable, logistically impractical, needlessly persecutorial, likely unconstitutional - and un-Canadian.

    That鈥檚 the bottom line.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

    A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

    Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

    A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

    Canada

    • A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

    • The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.

    • The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

    • A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

    • A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

    • A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.

    • How to win the fight with kids over phone use

      The end of the day 鈥 when school, extracurricular activities and homework are (hopefully) finally done 鈥 is the window that many kids have for downtime. It can be a struggle to convince them not to go on their phones.

    • While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.

    Sports

    • Jonathan Aranda homered for the second consecutive game, helping Taj Bradley and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Saturday.

    • Kiefer Sherwood spent several nights last spring chasing Quinn Hughes around the ice and generally pestering the Vancouver Canucks.

    • Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    • A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.

    • Volunteers and staff members gathered along Vancouver鈥檚 Stanley Park Seawall Saturday to pick up litter as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day.

    • A heritage home in Vancouver suffered "extensive damage" in a fire that broke out late Saturday morning, according to firefighters.

    • Toronto police are investigating a shooting in Scarborough that left one person injured Saturday night.

    • A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle involved in a collision in Scarborough Saturday evening, Toronto police said.

    • A 23-year-old man has been arrested after one person was found dead at a home in Richmond Hill Saturday morning.

    • Milla White from Cochrane literally drew her way into a meeting with former boxer and actor Mickey Rourke.

    • The water coming from your taps might be a bit murky Saturday, but Calgary remains on schedule to end all water restrictions on Sunday.

    • For 12 hours Saturday Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPCK) employees, service personnel and corporate teams rode spin bikes to raise funds and awareness for charities focusing on housing homeless veterans in Canada and the U.S.

    • A potential move to LeBreton Flats for the Ottawa Senators is still years away, but questions and concerns are already being raised about what to do with the Canadian Tire Centre.

    • The Taste of Wellington 2024 wraps up Saturday in Ottawa.

    • A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • Montrealers can get used to taking a stroll on several car-free streets during the summer in the years to come thanks to a new commitment from the city.

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

    • The Edmonton Police Service is looking for a person of interest in connection with a suspicious fire that destroyed a multi-unit building and damaged several townhomes earlier this week.

    • Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.

    • Two people have been charged after a daylight shooting in Red Deer earlier this week.

    • Halifax Regional Police warned the public of a series of high-value thefts targeting retail stores Friday.

    • Pictou County District RCMP is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Thorburn, N.S., Saturday.

    • A proposal for additional parking to accommodate upgrades at the Irving Pulp & Paper Mill in Saint John, N.B., would add an estimated 500 parking spots at Wolastoq Park.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    • A herd of dogs paid visit to patients and residents at Riverview Health Centre during an annual event that lifts spirits and wags tails.

    • While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.

    • Fire officials are investigating after a fire completely destroyed the community fridge in the Cathedral neighborhood.

    • The last two months after losing her daughter Bella have been extremely difficult for Kyla Thomson.

    • Regina police arrested three youths in connection to a bear mace incident at a Regina high school on Friday.

    • The Cambridge Professional Fire Fighters鈥 Association held their annual Muscular Dystrophy Boot Drive on Saturday.

    • Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

    • Police said the pedestrian, a 52-year-old man, was taken to an out-of-region hospital with life-threatening injuries and the driver of the vehicle failed to remain at the scene.

    • The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP major crimes unit is investigating after a man鈥檚 body was found on Sweetgrass First Nation.

    • Motors were roaring, and tires were spinning as Saskatoon's biggest names in motocross gathered together for the 50-year anniversary of the club's founding on Saturday.

    • A motorcyclist has died following a serious collision that took place in London鈥檚 south end on Friday afternoon.

    • The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.

    • The St. Thomas police is asking the public for help locating a missing man.

    • The Barrie Skateboard Association (BSA) hosted a unique competition at the City's Skate Park on Saturday to celebrate its 25th anniversary, which showcased the park's importance and the growth of skateboarding in the region.

    • A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.

    • One person is in hospital after an e-bike crash in Orillia on Thursday.

    • The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is celebrating a year of festivities in anticipation of its 50th anniversary in 2025.

    • The St. Clair College golf teams were successful at the Niagara Knights Invitational tournament on Friday.

    • A LaSalle high school is celebrating its emerald anniversary this weekend, with everyone who has ever walked its halls invited to return.

    • A man who was found dead behind a curling rink in Nanaimo, B.C., earlier this month was the victim of a homicide, police confirmed.

    • A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

    • A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • Despite the heavy rain, plenty of muscle turned up for United Way鈥檚 annual Pull the Bus fundraiser in Lethbridge Friday.

    • Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.

    • A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

    • Following an outbreak of COVID-19 on its continuing care floor and just ahead of the flu season, St. Joseph鈥檚 General Hospital in Elliot Lake has opted to re-introduce a universal masking policy until further notice.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视