What Ottawa imposed and the trust it never got back
How the wake of COVID exposed government overreach and eroded public trust.
Five years ago this very month, Justin Trudeau stepped in front of the media to announce his decision to roll out mandates of an experimental drug, ignoring the fundamental freedoms of Canadians to bodily autonomy under Section 7 of the Canadian Charter.
When the right to freedom of movement (CCRF Section 6) and social interaction was impeded it created devastating effects on the mental health and fundamental trust of Canadian citizens for their government.
COVID-19 regulations enforced vaccination passports for Canadians attempting to return to their own home country and pitted them against each other over their vaccination status. While the citizens faced uncertainty and confusion, the government used their fear to deprive basic civil liberties under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, while citizens are already facing.
Hitting the ground in Toronto revealed the different experiences, that Torontonians faced through the challenges, and pressures during the difficult lockdowns and government overreach. When the ability to work and provide were compromised, some Canadians felt lost and concerned. A system which once encouraged them to contribute to the economy, told them to stay home – for two whole years.
“Financially. You can’t work as much as you want to work and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth about the system,” said Darnell , a concerned Toronto citizen, who felt the impact first-hand.
Many citizens felt coerced into taking the COVID-19 vaccination as no other options were available in order to return to work and school. Toronto resident, Josh confided that had he not experienced this top down coercion, he never would have taken the vaccine and his regret is evident.
“I was immunized basically for my education. Like if they didn't actually force me to get a covid vaccine i wouldnt have gotten it.”
Citizens expressed concerns over the new and experimental reality of the vaccine further highlights the dangers of government overreach on bodily autonomy.
Other citizens were concerned with the rushed nature of the vaccine and the reality that we won’t fully understand the impact until years down the road. Overall, citizens expressed greater dissatisfaction, as evidenced by greater mistrust of the government.
“It’s made me trust them less… the people that were running the world health organization… and the health programs”
Six years later, it is clear that the relationship between citizen and state has been fundamentally shaken for many Canadians as they pick up the pieces of their pre-COVID life and move forward with their lives.
Many resilient Canadians used COVID as ground zero for altering their lives and perspectives in positive ways.
For example, Josh explained, "I used that point in my life to actually do more research on spirituality and become more well rounded.”
For others, it created opportunities for remote work, family time, and work-life balance while pursuing new hobbies and new homes away from the city.
This raises a crucial point and a question worth asking: Can public health objectives be achieved without compromising fundamental civil liverties?
Japan's COVID-19 strategy provides a remarkable alternative. Rather than coercion and government overreach with tactics such as mandatory vaccination and restriction of movement to which Canadians were subjected, Japan's legal protections for civil liberties is another viable path to navigate a pandemic.
According to the Canadian Medical Association Journal, The COVID-19 death rate in Japan was a fraction of that in Canada, with voluntary mask wearing and social distancing and effective public health measures contributing to its pandemic response. This demonstrates that protecting civil liberties need not come at the expense of safeguarding public health.
Finally, although many Canadians acknowledge their government’s impediment on their civil liberties during COVID-19, Canadians inspire incredible resilience choosing to turn difficult situations into an opportunity to re-evaluate their life, religious beliefs, and daily routines. Yet, trust once fractured is a hard breach to mend. Only by increasing government accountability and restoring civic agency and autonomy, can we begin to rebuild the mistrust and maintain the values vital to Canadian democracy.
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