“Stay the hell home.”
That is the headline on Saturday’s editorial in the Toronto Star. It is a message to anti-vax protesters who, during this election campaign, have been disrupting political events, particularly those of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Perhaps more disturbing are the angry and confrontational protests targeted at hospital sites in Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Toronto where frontline health care workers are risking their lives to save the lives of others, most of whom are hospitalized because they refused to be vaccinated.
While elections, especially those at the national level, often include a degree of anger and hostility, seldom have we seen it to the extent that has become apparent in this current political battle.
Certainly, former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney had his fair share of angry protesters in his day. And who of us of a certain age, particularly if we are political junkies, will ever forget former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, when blocked by a protester, knocking away his megaphone and applying a chokehold now forever known as the “Shawinigan handshake”?
But this time, it seems much more serious to me. It is in large part a product of the COVID-19 pandemic which has become a breeding ground for discontent. It is more insidious and deep-rooted than before, and while still a mere shadow of the dangerous uprisings in the United States is nevertheless a trend that should cause concern for all Canadians.
It is fuelled by conspiracy theories and fake news and too many people are full of rage. As the Toronto Star says in its editorial, “The rhetoric is so far over the top that it comes with an undercurrent of potential violence — though thankfully things haven’t yet gone that far on the campaign trail.”
Of course, when you get right down to it, these events are not just about anti-vaxxers, although that may be the stimulus and the most convenient platform. They underline a more serious phenomenon. With changes and hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, people are simply angry, disillusioned, and frustrated. Some of them have found a vehicle to express their frustration in the delusional antics of anti-vax protesters. In a nutshell, they are fed up.
Also in the Toronto Star this weekend, columnist Edward Keenan says this: “People know they are angry. In a survey of 6,000 Canadians taken in February and March, researchers working with Angus Reid found patterns of anger, rage, and misanthropy in people’s descriptions of their own reactions to COVID-19.”
Keenen goes on to quote trauma coach Iris Mclaughlin who wrote that after periods of long stress, “it becomes increasingly difficult to see nuance, think clearly, listen, empathize, and have restraint. We’re also more prone to name-calling, defensiveness, aggression, irritability, self-centredness, nonlogical thinking, difficulty focusing and anxiety.”
The perfect time to call an election, eh?
But here we are. So the question must become, what must be done to lower the temperature between now and election day? To start with, there may be no more important time for political leaders of all stripes to stick to the truth.
Given the current atmosphere, I believe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should have known better, when condemning the protestors at his rallies, than to say Erin O’Toole has done nothing to “correct” these protesters, with the clear implication that he had incented them. Not only was that inflammatory in an atmosphere where the opposite is called for, it was also just plain untrue and self-serving, and the prime minister knew it.
In its Saturday editorial, the Toronto Star recognized this when it wrote, “At a cruder level, the Liberals have done their best to pin the anti-vax mobs on the Conservatives and leader Erin O’Toole. That’s likely to fall pretty flat. After all, O’Toole and all party leaders have condemned the protests and the Lecce example [organized protests at Ontario Education Minister Stephen Leece’s home and threats to ‘dig up dirt’ on him] shows that extreme anti-vaxxers are prepared to go after a Conservative they see as offside with their cause, as well as those to the left.”
What is true is that a few Conservative campaign people were seen to participate in the anti-vax protests. But on multiple occasions, O’Toole has been clear about this. He has stated that no elected Conservative that supported these anti-Trudeau protests would be allowed to stay in his caucus. And he has warned supporters that they are not welcome on the Conservative campaign if they engage in the harassment or intimidation of other party leaders. Some have already been shown the door.
Here in our small towns we are, in most circumstances, free of protesters. Not this week, however, and over the last few days I have watched anti-vax protesters and spoken to some of them. None of them were interested in anything other than their own set of facts. Two of them told me they were disaffected Liberals. Three were planning to vote for the People’s Party of Canada, and another few said they wouldn’t vote if their lives depended on it.
It is easy and arguably politically astute to point fingers as to who is responsible for the anger, frustration, and unrest that we see in Canada today. But the truth is, you cannot blame people who are not yet in power for it and, in fairness, those who are in power do not have total control over the events that have caused it.
As columnist Susan Delacourt wrote recently, “…it’s also true that some of the protesters don’t like O’Toole or Premier Doug Ford that much either, and some have been heard chanting support for the People’s Party of Canada and Leader Maxime Bernier, who seems to be using his Twitter feed to encourage them.”
It is interesting to note that Bernier’s PPC Party has seen a small increase over the election of less than two years ago. Clifton van der Linden, a political professor at McMaster University, opined that this might be caused by a “rally around the PPC by a segment of the anti-vax movement” as Bernier is the only leader who is “antagonistic” toward COVID-19 vaccinations.
The bottom line is that so called anti-vaxxers have become a movement. And like most movements their cause and their agenda is much bigger than their name implies. It is one thing to target a political campaign. It is another step up the ladder to disrupt hospitals and the private homes of individuals. Eventually, as it has in the United States, things get out of control.
No political party in Canada is immune from people who are angry enough or stupid enough to embrace these antics. But every credible political leader has a responsibility to oppose this type of behaviour, to tone down the rhetoric and avoid finger-pointing solely for political gain. Whatever their policy disagreements, surely this is one issue, an issue important to our democratic process and to orderly elections, on which they can stand shoulder to shoulder.
Or is that too much to ask?
Hugh Mackenzie has held elected office as a trustee on the Muskoka Board of Education, a Huntsville councillor, a District councillor, and mayor of Huntsville. He has also served as chairman of the District Muskoka and as chief of staff to former premier of Ontario, Frank Miller.
Hugh has served on a number of provincial, federal and local boards, including chair of the Ontario Health Disciplines Board, vice-chair of the Ontario Family Health Network, vice-chair of the Ontario Election Finance Commission, and board member of Roy Thomson Hall, the National Theatre School of Canada, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Locally, he has served as president of the Huntsville Rotary Club, chair of Huntsville District Memorial Hospital, chair of the Huntsville Hospital Foundation, president of Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and board member of Community Living Huntsville.
In business, Hugh Mackenzie has a background in radio and newspaper publishing. He was also a founding partner and CEO of Enterprise Canada, a national public affairs and strategic communications firm established in 1986.
Currently Hugh is president of C3 Digital Media Inc., the parent company of Doppler Online, and he enjoys writing commentary for Huntsville Doppler.
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‘Which way is up? How come there is nothing in holes? Why does the wind blow both ways? If I have the stats, only then can I form an opinion. And even after all that, there is still the possibility of that opinion being wrong!
That’s what the stats can do for you, since they are just an average and will never be compiled to the degree some say is required to arrive at that ‘informed opinion’.
If one was to produce something akin to the information asked for, then the criteria would be expanded to include maybe: hair, hair colour, height, model of truck driven, ad nauseum.
All because someone doesn’t want to get a vaccination that could possibly save their lives! Well, what is it they say: “Knock yourself out.” I don’t mean that lightly or cruelly, but if there is nothing that can be said to convince that person, there is nothing to be done. It is all just wasted rhetoric.
But: consider for a moment, that our government is offering us a vaccination against this killer virus in an effort to keep us alive and at the same time paying out billions of dollars to sustain jobs and industries. If they didn’t, and just let what happened, happen, might they not save a lot of money? There must be a reason they are following this devious plot line!
There is a bit of consternation on my part, since I got the vax. and keep accepting government money (pensions in my case). I’m forcing myself to live with the guilt.
Here’s to the other side everyone. Let’s give it our best ‘shot’.
I’M sorry Brian but i think you are quite wrong on a couple of points . First this vaccine has not been thoroughly tested i know you’ll disagree with that but look at the govt stats on it and you’ll find out it’s still being studied. second if vaccine is so great why are around 100 people a day still testing positive the question becomes just how sick are these people they do not report that but never the less they can still spread the virus according to the experts. So I ask just who is the most dangerous the un vaccinated that are still practicing social distancing and wearing masks or the fully vaccinated that have the virus but maybe don’t know it so are going to social events and mingling with a bunch of other people or the other people who don’t go out and are careful if they do . Please if you have the stats on how sick the double vaccinated are and if or how many are in hospital or ICU and can explain to me why if the vaccine is working are they even testing these people I would be interested in knowing.
If you want to get rid of the virus, then you need to ensure it has no viable hosts in which to grow.
Every time the virus enters a host and grows it has the opportunity to mutate. Most such mutations are non-viable and simply die out but occasionally one is better than the original (Delta variant) and takes us off in a new direction.
If you want to get “back to normal” and get rid of the virus, then everyone who can safely do so should get vaccinated.
If you like to live with the virus and wish to do so forevermore, then don’t get vaccinated, become a virus host to allow it to spread. You might or might not die.
The odds of surviving are much better if you have been vaccinated and vaccinations are free for all.
You can talk a line about individual rights, but when your perceived individual rights affect a lot of others then they are not really “your” rights we are talking about any more. Personal rights are subjugated in many areas of society in order to promote the common good. This is why we have rules for other diseases like measles. Why we have traffic rules for driving and a host of other situations. Why should the taking of a vaccine, proven to help the situation, be any different from these other types of situations?
As with things like Cancer, we are into a game of statistics. Individual outcomes, although extremely important to that individual, do not really form a basis for measuring our success at fighting this virus. We do know that vaccination is the best current technology to improve a person’s odds of survival of this virus. Is it perfect? No. Is it better than not being vaccinated? Yes by a large and statistically significant margin.
If you ever want to get “back to normal” then simply get vaccinated. It really is that simple. Or do you for some crazy reason want to be like the USA and see our ICU’s filled to capacity and the staff struggling forever against impossible odds as they watch patients die.
The unruly mobs are NOT antivaxxers! They are antitrudeau!
I’m an anti vaxxer but that being said I have no use for people that attend unruly demonstrations like in Toronto . I simply believe if you trust the vaccine then by all means get it. But if your like me and don’t trust it then please let us have our way without condemning us and accusing us of causing the so called fourth wave. Most of us just keep on practicing the same things we have been doing since the start of this and have not contacted covid 19. I can only speak for myself but until the medical profession and the govt start telling us whole story about what is going on I,ll not even consider taking any vaccine.
It’s my opinion that anyone condoning violence even throwing gravel should be charged with assault. No one is going to listen to your point of view with such childish tantrum behavior. What I cant get over is do these people not realize that from the time they are born , unless they are from some religious group like Amish or other non main stream religions. They have had shots to go to school over and over, this vaccine foolishness seems to have started in the 2000,s. These protests look like something right wing Republicans from the southern states would do. We are not Americans so smarten up and act like Canadians.
I do agree that anti-vaxxer protests have been fuelled by US partisan politics and social media of all types. Please can all candidates disavow such ignorance and anti-social behaviour?
If this were a war (and it is), would anti-vaxxers protest the black out and the common good? In that case they would have been jailed as traitors.
Mr. Vowels, it is in all kindness that I address some of your comments. All the changes in the pandemic and advice that have you distrusting are normal. The virus mutates, the best responses change accordingly.
It is a moving target, the science is unfolding (data continues to be gathered from all over the world) – yes we all feel we are on a moving train, hoping it will soon get us to our destination. So, we know much, we are still learning much. Everyday, we have to think through and plan anew – its exhausting.
The best ways we can protect ourselves and others is vaccination – but also continuing to follow public health measures. I hope your information is not merely from the internet. Call the health unit and have a talk with a knowledgeable public health person. Please consider the advice as the best safety advice available. I hope you can fully understand the risks you have chosen to take at this moment – risks for yourself and others. There can be an extreme “individualism”, in my view – one at odds with the greater, common good of community.
My bias is that I have been a public health nurse in Muskoka many, many years ago. My job then was to care about individuals (e.g. mother and baby home visits) and the community (e.g. clinics for immunization). Thank you for reading.
Hugh still has blindness when it comes to the conservatives, Scheer appeared more than once on Ezra Levant’s podcast, hugged Faith Goldy and O’Toole has also courted these conspiracy theorists, but see the problem is courting them as you cannot control them and any love they have for you will turn just as quickly, ask Doug Ford and Jason Kenney. Jason Kenney is cruelty personified, ask any LGBTQ person. The right politicized a health pandemic and now they want off that train, too late. What we need now is true leadership, Trudeau has that quality, O’Toole is just another grifter, a corporate lawyer pretending he was a navigator. He is now flip flopping all over the place, I wish for someone whom would tax wealth, corporations, take on big bank service fees, tax them and tax churches, the only speaking on it is NDP. That is whom Canadians should vote for as that is how we move forward we must have fairness, we must have the wealthy contribute to the society they live in, the communities and the infrastructures that made them wealthy, that is all that matters, everything else is simply spitting in the wind.
Hugh: Trudeau is getting the brunt of the protests solely because he is currently the Prime Minister and that is where the buck stops. The other Leaders are not in power. However, to believe this is solely about attacking Trudeau minimizes the problem. It is really an attack on the establishment and on democracy and that is much more scary.
Good comments Hugh. One commentator on this morning’s radio news was wondering if the usual Black Block group of professional international anarchists is involved as they are at every G20 meeting including 2010 in Toronto and no doubt at Washington on January 6? They are againt the current system but cannot state what they are for. This may seem a bit far fetched but we can’t afford to be naive. Its interesting that the same people have showed up at rallies in Ontario and BC and according to last night’s news, there is now a protest bus following the Liberals campaign bus. Is it the Proud Boys, white supremacists, Q-Anon, the anti-everything People’s Party, or all of the above? Is that the kind of country we want for our kids and our grandkids? People are upset, but what good does that do? What’s needed is clear national thinking and not mob histeria. Trudeau seems to be getting the brunt of this but I for one am glad he has the gumption to stand up to the unruly mob minority.
Thanks, Hugh!
Non-partisan, excellent comment! This is Canada. Where did this American almost violent anti-vax stuff come from? Totally irresponsible, never mind the effect on our health care providers, heroes all, that still, also, have to deal with this harassment?
This should be an arrestible offence, public mischief at best, criminal harassment at worst!
What are we coming to as a caring, accepting nation?
Mr. Mackenzie; thank you for talking with the local anti-vaxers in town. The sheer irrationality evident at this time is concerning, election or not. The election did not cause this, it is merely another venue for such displays. I agree with the toning down of rhetoric, the common election communication style.
I would like to see more writing about resilience slowly flow into our communication, recovery, resilience, and the need for mourning- as appropriate. Many facets to address.
However, I would also like to see a “re-freshed” call out of support for our health care staff, who follow the science and best practices and who must listen to so much nonsense from the leaders at QP and some in the public. The very people who care for us are ignored, despised, and left hanging. I would like to see DF fully step up to his responsibilities for public health – this could be a booster for all our health care people. Wish I could say I am still hopeful in his performance, but that would not be truthful.
Thank you for reading.
All I can say is Hugh if you listened to most anti vaxxers as you call us you would know that the main reason we are mad is because we are getting something forced upon us that we don’t trust it’s that simple. The main reason we don’t trust it or the Govt or the medical profession is because they only ever tell us half of what is going on so it seems to me and most other people they are hiding the truth, I want to know exactly what happened a couple of days ago when they reported 807 new cases with 70% unvaccinated or only one shot but 30 % double vaccinated why are they even testing these people and of the 30% how many are in hospital and are any in ICU these are the things we want to know. The other reason most of us are mad is because we are being treated as second class citizens just because we think different than the vaxxers do; so they blame us for the 4th wave if it really happens. I have lived and loved this country for a lot of years but this is the first time I’ve felt like an outsider because of the Govt trying to make me take something I don’t trust and not only that but restricting where and what i can do China does that or Russia maybe Cuba but not Canada or at least not my Canada.
It is obvious that Justin realizes he miscalculated on the election call during this Plague. He is desperate and playing fast & loose with the truth in his frustration.
The World is shrinking for the Anties….Tough !