In an opinion piece by author Shellene Drakes-Tull, the Toronto Star claims Canadians haven’t lost any freedoms, rather they are just annoyed.
The federally-funded piece even claims that COVID is over, and glosses over the fact that unvaccinated Canadians weren’t free to fly, go to restaurants, work, or collect EI.
“But those were unprecedented times,” Drakes-Tull said.
“From masks to social distancing, it was a tough time, and no one likes to be told what to do or be mandated to do things they’d choose not to do. That’s just human nature, I guess.”
Drakes-Tull then self-owned herself, noting that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau enacted the emergency act during the trucker convoy, something that the federal courts later ruled was a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The author goes on to say that while these restrictions began to relax, some Canadians are still complaining about our democracy and comparing Canada to a communist dictatorship.
She further asserts that Canada’s standing in the democracy index has decreased, attributing this shift to individuals concerned about their rights and freedoms.
Drakes-Tull wrote, “The same ideology a lot of so-called “freedom fighters” celebrate is what’s challenging democracy in Canada.”
“I was unable to leave my country”
Social media users have criticized her take, like Ryan Gerritsen commenting on X “I was unable to leave my Country. Quebec forced people into their homes by 10 pm or face fines. I was unable to earn a living.”
He continued, “They mandated an experimental vaccine or face consequences. Myself and my family were banned from restaurants, cinemas, gyms, theatres, and more…The Government froze the bank accounts of noncriminal citizens.”
Online Harms Bill
Recently, the federal government introduced an “Online Harms Bill” that aims to increase penalties for what they deem “hate speech” with fines up to $50,000 if the panel considers it appropriate.
But what constitutes “hate” remains unclear, leaving many individuals fearful of how this bill could criminalize and fine the standard Canadian.
Moreover, vaccine mandates in most institutions, including the government, remain merely “paused.”
