As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to climb rise in British Columbia, a petition demanding that masks be made mandatory in public indoor spaces is gaining traction.
The petition was started two months ago by Vancouver resident Ben Hynes and has 9,678 signatures, nearly reaching its 10,000 signature goal.
“It’s a low cost and very effective way of controlling the pandemic that will allow us to open the economy,” Hynes told CHEK. “It just doesn’t make sense that we don’t have a stronger policy on it.”
Masks are already mandatory on BC Ferries, BC Transit, as well as at a number of stores, but the idea of mandating them across the province is a polarizing idea.
“Yes, I would say mandatory as on the Island we don’t want a lot of more exposed cases,” said Adam Irwin-Gunn, who lives in Victoria.
Not everyone agrees.
“No, it shouldn’t be mandatory,” said Robert Collins, who also lives in Victoria. “While you’re wearing a mask, I don’t think it is that helpful.”
But what about those who can’t wear masks?
“As soon as one of those things goes on my face, just the one-piece, I start to sweat,” said Susan L’Heureux.
The Victoria resident was diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Major Depression Disorder (MDD) after she was choked by a man during a workplace incident last year.
For her, wearing a mask is just not possible.
“Its a trigger, its huge trigger. Anything over my face is a trigger,” said the Victoria singer.
L’Heureux tells CHEK she’s been the victim of countless rude comments and mistreatment for not wearing a mask, including being denied medical help.
“Do not look at us like we have Alberta plates on,” said L’Heureux. “We are just trying to survive and I don’t think you should judge us and I think Dr. Bonnie Henry hit it right on the head. We need to be kind to one another.”
Even the creator of the petition says there should be room for some exceptions if the province mandated masks in public indoor spaces.
“If there was a real medical exception, there should be exceptions made,” said Hynes. “I don’t think there’s a reason for this to become a giant dogmatic approach for the government to try and tell everyone to wear a mask. Even if there was a mask mandate and it was never enforced, it would still go a long way in the adoption of masks.”
If the petition hits its goal, Hynes will be reaching out to health officials to try and make masks mandatory in all public indoor spaces.
Rebecca Lawrence
