Social activities and travel are the apparent top spreaders of COVID-19; thus it has been made illegal for us to have family gatherings, and travel is strongly discouraged by our government.
Most of us have abided by the orders. We have sacrificed. We have
deferred gatherings, vacations, and even weddings. Funerals, solemn
events that cannot be deferred, are held without most loved ones in
attendance.
Our political leaders have scolded us. Chided us. Warned us. Even charged us and arrested us.
“Stay home. Save lives,” they say.
Now after a miserable and
depressing Christmas followed by a dull and forgettable New Year’s Eve,
we are learning of a veritable avalanche of elected officials travelling
out of the country for vacation, or to put in their own words,
“non-essential business”.
Did they not know how bad this would look?
It appears that some did know how bad it would look since so many modelled social media posts designed to fool constituents into thinking that they were stuck sitting at home – locked down – just as they were.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been zealous in taking away the rights of his constituents in the name of protecting people COVID-19. He has been downright belligerent in his rantings about people he deems to be flaunting rules. Despite this, Premier Ford somehow didn’t see a problem when he found out weeks ago that his finance minister was going to escape to the tropics for the holidays. Ford’s tune changed rather quickly when it blew up in his face, but not before.
[Interesting Read]
See Also:
(1) Eighth UCP member caught travelling outside Alberta
(2) Canadian Police Storm a ‘Gathering’ Over COVID in Insane Video, and It Should Scare Everyone
(3) Growing list of Canadian politicians caught travelling abroad despite pandemic
The crime? Not costing the Canadian economy or taxpayers a cent Canadian citizens inside their own home celebrating the holidays in violation of a Provincially ordered health order. After receiving a reported call from a nosey neighbour Canadian police showup and storm a private residence in force. Police manhandle occupants of the residence dragging at least one away in handcuffs. Prosecution forthcoming.
Contrast with…(flashback)
The crime? While costing the Canadian economy and taxpayers 10’s if not 100’s of millions of dollars a small handful of Canadians (about the same as were in the ‘private residence’) block a major rail line. Violating a host of indictable (the most serious) Criminal Code and other equally serious Federal Statutes.
After receiving a call (presumably from CN or CPR) the police SHOW UP AND DO NOTHING.
Recap. Canadian police forcibly remove citizens from their homes for violating a Provincially mandated occupancy violation. But they refuse to forcibly remove citizens from private property, aka a railway legal ‘right of way’, for incredibly more serious offences as stated. Nobody was arrested. Prosecution NOT to follow.
An international black eye for Canada. Mocked and ridiculed around the world. This is a dangerous path we are going down.