To the editor,
I am writing to express my staunch opposition to the planned implementation of ‘vaccine passports’ within Canadian society. At any level or setting, be it federal, provincial, public or private, the linking of one’s ability to participate in society to one’s vaccination status is coercive, unethical and in my opinion, threatens the very foundation of our liberal democracy. A society based upon state-granted permissions for participation is a segregated society: one set of rules for those who comply with government edicts, another for those who don’t.
There has been a deliberate campaign to point us at each other to blame for the seemingly never-ending pandemic. We are witnessing family members not speaking with one another, tensions between spouses, friendships broken. This is destructive, saddening and unnecessary.
The B.C. government has stated that this will be only a temporary measure until vaccination numbers reach a threshold number. Do not believe this for an instant – the previous year and one half gives the lie to such a proposal. Goal posts have shifted far and without friction throughout COVID-19. Moreover, once governments are enabled by the population to grant privileges in return for good behaviour, what Canadians once regarded as rights will soon become privileges to be handed out at the pleasure of the state – very easy to do with a digital identity.
We can get through COVID-19 without sacrificing our very way of life and core beliefs. Yes, we all want this to end, and now. But how we do it will leave a lasting impression on our society. Say no to suspicion, blaming and segregation: nothing healthy can come from it.
B.M. Brannstrom, Gabriola Island
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The views and opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of Black Press or the Nanaimo News Bulletin.
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