Canadian anti-vaccine protesters could face prison terms

Attorney General of Canada unveiled bill to criminalize anti-vaccination protests against hospitals and clinics, following increased harassment of doctors and nurses during the pandemic.

The proposed amendments to the country’s penal code would make it a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison to use fear to prevent health workers from performing their duties or to prevent a person from performing their duties. access a health center.

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“We have all seen the protests during the pandemic, including this week,” Attorney General David Lametti said at a press conference, noting that “deniers are trying to prevent children from receiving life-saving vaccines.”

wednesday the Canadian children aged 5 to 11 started receiving coronavirus dose injections after Ottawa approved the Pfizer vaccine for this age group.

Lametti called on protesters who “intimidate, harass, hinder or threaten (frontline) health workers, support workers and users” to crack down on these attitudes.

“This type of behavior is heinous and unacceptable,” he said, “especially at a time when access to health services is more critical than ever”.

Katherine Smart, president of the Canadian Medical Association, said last year she witnessed “an unfortunate escalation of hatred”, even violent, against doctors and nurses in their workplaces.

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Preliminary results of the National Survey on the Health of The association’s 2021 doctors discovered that three out of four doctors had been victims of “harassment and bullying in the workplace, “while one in three said it happened on a regular basis.

Professional women reported significantly more threats than their male counterparts, Smart added.