cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
City council members are calling for greater “consideration” from the community no matter the side and no matter the results of a special council meeting tonight on a local mask bylaw.
Elected officials in Medicine Hat will debate measures to make public mask use mandatory. That’s after a growing number of Hatters contacted the mayor and eight councillors in support of a measure that is in place across most of the country and other major centres in Alberta.
However, a small but significant number of Albertans are also vehement that mask use is a curtailment of their individual liberties.
Debate rages on the News social media platforms about the need and effectiveness. Some media reports show confrontations over masks going out of control, with strong – at times violent – rejections of masks, while others argue they shouldn’t be bullied into wearing one.
“Public shaming or a spectacle is not what we’re after,” said Coun. Robert Dumanowski, who was the strongest voice on council for moving a debate up one week earlier.
He said the issue has “broad support” from medical professionals, individuals and business owners.
“Most people and most business owners are all-in,” he said. “It will protect employees and help them feel safe. It may get pushback, but most people want to contribute positively to the community.
Mayor Ted Clugston hasn’t signalled which way he is leaning for the debate, but this summer argued that relatively low cases at that point meant council had made the right decision to avoid legislating mask use.
He said this week the lack of action had led to a sort of “mask peace.” He expects more intense debate in the community following council’s meeting.
“I’m getting thousands of emails, but I’m not hearing about people getting tackled in Medicine Hat in stores,” he told the News. “We’re getting along, and that old saying, ‘Can’t we all just get along?’ has been my mantra.
“If we do pass one, I guarantee that council will be overwhelmed hearing from the other side, and there may be people who say that I was willing to do it voluntarily and now you’re making me?
“I do see more unrest after a (potential) ‘yes’ vote.”
Coun. Phil Turnbull says he expects that even with a bylaw there will be some who won’t wear a mask, potentially for medical reasons, and the general public should be conscientious.
“We don’t want to see people going after each other,” he told the News. “(A bylaw) is so everyone knows the rules, and we’re asking people to work together.
“I wear a mask when I’m out to show consideration for employees’ sake, and if I see someone not wearing one, I don’t make a big deal, but I do stay away.”
Coun. Kris Samraj hasn’t stated his final position on the bylaw, but in a lengthy post on his website described how health measures must be observed in conjunction with each other.
He also described the difficulty in mandating compliance, and specific difficulties for municipalities enforcing health measures that he says are better coming from the provincial government.
Coun. Jamie McIntosh has advertised his support for local measures.
“I’m hoping that people will be respectful of each other,” he told the News. “Let’s do what we can to make life a little better at Christmas.”
