Response: Iron Energy Fitness Fine/Business License Renewal

From: West Kelowna City Councilor Sent: January 10, 2022 12:49 PM Subject: Re: Iron Energy Fitness Fine/Business License Renewal

Good morning,

Thank you for reaching out to me regarding Provincial Health Order that mandates the closure of gyms. Please know that I too am frustrated with this particular order. As a member of a local gym I do fully understand and appreciate the impact that going to the gym has on my own mental health, and do miss going greatly. I have for many months been acutely aware of how and what the Covid pandemic has done to the mental health of both me and the residents of the city. As a councilor, and regardless of my own personal beliefs and convictions, or lack of understanding of certain Provincial Orders, I do not get to choose which ones to follow. The legal reach of the Province extends and governs much of what we do as a city. As soon as the Provincial Health Order came into effect stating that gyms must be closed for safety and health of the residents, it had ramifications on our own by-laws as well, including business licensing. Whether we as a locally elected body agree with the mandate or not, the government has deemed that gyms are unsafe and could provide health risks to others. With that order in place, we are also mandated to adapt our own bylaws accordingly. Similarly, as soon as the Province lifts this particular order, there should be no reason that Iron Energy would not have their business license renewed. It should be noted, and as was on display today, Interior Health has the ability to shut down a business for health reasons regardless of their business license status. This action today was not a result of any business licensing issue, rather the disregard of the Provincial Health Order. I hope this provides some additional insight into the restricted roles that are place on both the City of West Kelowna and us a council. In order to make change, you need to sway your efforts toward the governing bodies that can actually make the changes; The Province of BC and Interior Health Authority. I have myself, and encourage you also, to advocate to keep gyms open for all the benefits they provide for both physical and mental health.

Sent: January 10, 2022 1:02 PM To: West Kelowna City Councilor

Cc: Jason.Friesen@westkelownacity.ca; norm.letnick.mla@leg.bc.ca; info@ironenergygym.com; bonnie.henry@gov.bc.ca; premier@gov.bc.ca; adrian.dix.mla@leg.bc.ca; board.chair@interiorhealth.ca Subject: RE: Iron Energy Fitness Fine/Business License Renewal

Good morning,

I do appreciate your response, and appreciate the difficult position the council is in. However, we are facing a bigger problem than a simple health order: Dr. Henry, an unelected official, has taken it upon herself to determine who is, and who is not, essential in this society. In rolling out these mandates without any scientific basis, she has violated each British Columbia resident’s Constitutional and Charter rights and freedoms, and therefore no elected official should recognize them. I have reached out to Dr. Henry and Mr. Horgan on multiple occasions expressing my concerns with Dr. Henry’s orders; unfortunately Dr. Henry doesn’t appear to have the time (or respect) to respond to those with whom she disagrees. I also note that, throughout this “pandemic”, wineries, an industry in which Dr. Henry has a financial interest, have remained open. Not only does Dr. Henry play favourites, but she protects herself from the financial hardships she imposes on others.

Unfortunately, “following orders” has always been a great way for individuals to side with the dictators in society while abdicating all personal responsibility. At the end of the day, however, we are talking about intrinsic rights, and personal integrity, and our provincial health officer has proven time and again that she is wholly incapable of respecting these concepts. This ridiculous charade only ends when each of us, as a free and autonomous person, rejects the tyrannical and unjustifiable dictates that have been imposed upon us.