Bill C-257

Sent: March 8, 2022 8:58 AM To: 'garnett.genuis@parl.gc.ca' <garnett.genuis@parl.gc.ca> Cc: 'candice.bergen@parl.gc.ca' <candice.bergen@parl.gc.ca>; 'pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca' <pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>; 'tracy.gray@parl.gc.ca' <tracy.gray@parl.gc.ca> Subject: Bill C-257

Dear Mr. Genuis,

I understand you recently introduced this Bill to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (protecting against discrimination based on political belief). While I completely agree with you that, given Mr. Trudeau’s systemic assault on his opposition such an amendment is absolutely required, I’d like to suggest that your verbiage be further revised in order to capture other situations of dissent and autonomy:

“The purpose of this Act is to extend the laws in Canada to give effect, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, to the principle that all individuals should have an opportunity equal with other individuals to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have and to have their needs accommodated, consistent with their duties and obligations as members of society, without being hindered in or prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability, political or medical belief or activity or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered.” (Your revisions in green, mine in red.)

No doubt you can word this more artfully than I; however, I’m sure you can appreciate my concern that the citizens of Canada have been, and continue to be, divided into two very distinct groups in this country based only on their willingness to accept the current “medical treatment” on offer. As an unvaccinated Canadian, I have been insulted and denigrated by our Prime Minister, banned from air and rail travel, prohibited from applying for certain employment opportunities, shunned from restaurants, theatres and fitness centers, and relegated to the status of second-class citizen, notwithstanding that I am still paying first-class tax rates (and how). There is no basis for this discrimination; countless studies have shown that the unvaccinated pose no greater risk to society than the vaccinated. Even if the unvaccinated were, somehow, to pose a threat to society, other less restrictive means (rapid antigen testing, etc.) are available to prevent the spread of the current virus, and therefore this discrimination is prima facie illegal and punitive. This is especially true when most of the free world, as well as our federal government and every province and territory (except, unfortunately, for my province of British Columbia, where the science is “different”) have acknowledged the fact that COVID-19 is an endemic disease and it is time to treat it as such.

I thank you for your attention to this matter.