“Man is born free, but he is everywhere in chains.” - Rousseau
I've always been happy to be Canadian. Proud in fact.
Recently I made the fairly large decision to move from one province to the other. Specifically from Ontario to Nova Scotia.
The choice was something I hadn't been thinking about for long. In fact it was quite sudden as far as these kinds of decisions normally go but with my financial situation changing for various reasons both covid and non-covid related it seemed like a good solution.
Ever since I posted about it and word was out to friends and family regarding our move all I have heard was how beautiful the east coast is, and how nice the people there are.
Of course - we are always nice aren't we? We're Canadians. The people known around the world for being too nice. We apologize for things we haven't even done. We hold doors for the 15 people behind us not just the one. We give and we care and we smile through whatever comes our way right?
Well, not today! Today I have to say is one of the very few moments in my life I'm incredibly disappointed to be Canadian.
Since the beginning of the global pandemic I've carried my own personal opinions on the virus, restrictions and regulations put in place to help protect people from it, the vaccines and pretty much everything covid related.
We are a "free country" so I'm entitled to my opinions right? As are you!
I have however - followed ALL the guidelines and rules! Social distancing, mask-wearing and everything else that has been put in place.
I know there are many people (some good friends of mine) who are of totally different mindsets and that's OK because we are a free country right??!
Nope! Not anymore. Not these days.
Since the beginning of the whole pandemic things have not added up for me as far as information goes. This isn't something I'm here to debate with anyone because we all live and see the world through our own perspectives. I don't have to believe something just because someone says it's true, nor do I think everyone needs to agree with my opinion simply because I believe it to be right.
I'm not uneducated, a conspiracy theorist or willing to accept everything I see or hear without proper validation.
As someone who is very honestly open about just how bad I can be when it comes to math and numbers I'm also not crazy enough to believe in ones that don't add up no matter how hard you swing them.
As I said in the past however, I am also a person who gives others the "benefit of the doubt" and so I went along with the rules and regulations and continued to watch and monitor what was going on.
Now, back to moving! I looked online, purchased a home from a distance through virtual tours with my real estate agent and sold my home in Ontario.
As our moving date approached I learned that Nova Scotia was putting restrictions on people entering the province and we would have to "apply" to enter.
While Canada had pretty much invoked a "state of emergency" across the country the east coast provinces were the only ones to "close borders".
As I was going through the process of preparing to move my family Nova Scotia was tightening its closed border restrictions even further than expected.
When I applied first for entry into the province (within my own country) there were 33 new cases of covid reported that day in Nova Scotia. The population of the entire province is 979,449 - and in the region or "zone" I was applying to enter where my new home is there were a grand total of 5 cases.
Now I'm not sure if the math seems different to others but to me this kind of math doesn't warrant restrictions that "add up" to a state of emergency whereby the government could/should impose restrictions limiting or in some cases completely taking away Canadians rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The document outlining and hopefully protecting the rights and freedoms of every Canadian citizen.
Section 6 of the charter states:
6. (1) Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in and leave Canada.
(2) Every citizen of Canada and every person who has the status of a permanent resident of Canada has the right:
to move to and take up residence in any province; and
to pursue the gaining of a livelihood in any province.
Section 6(2)’s right to “move and take up residence in any province” implies that Canadian citizens have the right to travel freely throughout the country. Canadians have consistently had the right to inter-provincial travel since the adoption of the Charter. Government efforts to stop free travel in Canada are unprecedented and are a clear violation of this section. However, like other sections of the Charter, the government would have the ability to justify its actions to a court, using section 1 of the Charter. It would likely argue that such an infringement was a necessary step to fight the spread of the COVID-19.
It is important to note that section 6 is not subject to section 33, the Charter’s notwithstanding clause. If invoked, the clause allows governments to ignore certain Charter rights. However, when the notwithstanding clause was drafted, mobility rights were determined to be of such fundamental importance that the Charter drafters decided that governments could not override those rights by invoking the clause. In effect, individual mobility rights were given an additional safeguard from government interference. This decision speaks to the significance of freedom of travel in a liberal democracy like Canada.
As I carried on being a "good citizen" and made up my application to get into Nova Scotia to the new home I just purchased I was told I might have to wait. Wait? For how long? Where? My home was now there and I wasn't allowed to access it.
Again let me remind you of the 979, 449 people in the province 5 or less sometimes were testing positive in the area I was moving to per day. Restrictions were still in place for public to wear masks and social distance. We were expected to check in with the government and report daily for our quarantine period as well. So exactly what was so dangerous about this situation that my rights were being seriously challenged! If not denied completely.
I wish I had taken a screenshot of the day I read the fine print under the daily canada covid report which looked something like this:
*cases include deaths where covid was not confirmed as cause of death or a contributing factor*
Wait? WHAT?!?!?!
You can disagree with me if you like but there were people sitting at the border of the province being denied entry to their new homes based on this.
Nova Scotia is seriously lacking in their medical & health care system and the slightest threat to what they do have in place as a medical system being threatened or challenged might in some people's eyes be enough to validate this kind of action but again here's where we can agree to disagree.
The governments lack of management and maintenance of the health care system in Nova Scotia is NOT a reason for me to be denied my rights as a Canadian citizen.
I was aware of the health care system in Nova Scotia at the time. I was following all precaution and restrictions as were being enforced in the areas I was in. I was accepting the personal risk of entering into that situation with as much knowledge and education that I could access.
Delays with movers and other issues arising our move was prolonged and we ended up entering the province 2.5 weeks later to a flooded basement.
That is a whole other story for another time and believe me it was NOT the story I was hoping for.
With the threat of being fined up to $14,000 if I didn't comply to all the rules involved with quarantine and trying to navigate the completely unexpected situation I was now finding myself in I contacted everyone I could to make sure I was "doing what I was supposed to" to be a "good citizen" and ensure I was keeping myself and others "safe".
One of the biggest problems however was when I tried to call the "covid information line" and I got the automated message that the number was no longer active.
After finally being "allowed" to enter the province and being told I could be fined thousands of dollars for each family member if I stepped out of line basically and now when I needed answers there was no one there to help!
But Nova Scotia was in a state of emergency over it? So why was their information line no longer active?
As I'm writing this restrictions have been lifted in the province but the state of emergency has been extended.
There are 15 cases active in the province to my latest understanding..........but it's still an emergency? We are still so in danger that the government is retaining access to power over citizens movements and actions?
As the weeks have passed (and yes we spent 2 following the "quaratine" rules) we have slowly started to get things back on track. Our house is functioning and improving daily.
While I sit here writing this blog which I started just before we left Ontario and I was stressed out and upset more than I can even describe at that time, I am sad to say I'm still in the same mindset as I was when I started.
Disappointed in the country I was always so proud to be part of.
Why? Because now as the vaccine is out and people are rolling up their sleeves we are being hinted at that more attacks on our rights and freedoms are on the horizon.
Again I'm not here to debate the vaccination to anyone either. My opinions on it aren't the important thing here.
Whether you get the vaccine or don't is not important here.
What's important is that we are being told mixed information on the vaccines and their efficacy and at the same time being told that the rights of those who choose not to vaccinate themselves could be in serious jeopardy.
Denial of entry to businesses, services, locations and more could face anyone who refuses to get the shot. I wasn't aware that coercion was an acceptable means of "encouraging" someone who is supposed to have freedom of choice to get a vaccination they are not comfortable with.
It doesn't matter what each persons opinions of the vaccine is. You might disagree on this and that's ok but it is also part of the issue at hand.
Supporting any kind of laws, rules or regulations that limit, restrict or deny another person's rights and freedoms is dangerous territory........because sooner rather than later you will find your own rights and freedoms have managed to disappear at the same time without you even noticing.
Since coming east I can honestly say this:
Nova Scotia is beautiful (as is most of Canada.....and I might be a bit biased).
The people here have so far all been fantastic, welcoming and helpful. We've even met several from Ontario who are now new neighbors here.
I don't regret my decision to move......yet!
What I do hope though from anyone who reads this is that regardless of the information presented on the virus, vaccines and everything else covid related over the next while you take some time to look at the importance of the decisions we allow the government to make on our behalf.
This is just as important as the information on the virus/pandemic itself.
These rights were drafted long ago with the thought of disease, war and other attacks on our lives being taken into consideration. They were created to protect us when fear, anxiety, panic, hunger for power or any other issues might take over the minds of those in charge.
They were written by leaders who wanted to protect us and our livelihood regardless of circumstances.
Why?
How can those circumstances you just listed not be the deciding factor you ask?
Because throughout history and our lives circumstances are constantly changing. Creating the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was done to ensure our rights were protected before, during and after things like pandemics, disease, war and any other issue that arises so that even though there might be loss, and death and hardship we will continue to be "free" when when it passes and life moves on.
At no time in history have things gone well for the people involved when rights and freedoms have been taken away or denied "for the greater good of all".
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