One Manitoba MLA — the only one of 57 — has the courage to fight for the right to protect private health information. .The rest are either timidly silent or scampering to microphones to vilify this flock member for daring to not run with their sheep in-crowd. .Progressive Conservative Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler is on the verge of getting ousted from Premier Heather Stefanson’s cabinet and banned from the legislature for refusing to reveal his COVID-19 vaccination status..Stefanson decreed a COVID-19 vaccination mandate effective December 15 for everyone entering the building..Years of hard work — Schuler was first elected in 1999, won five subsequent elections, and has held impressive posts — suddenly matter not. .What about the constituents who democratically elected him to represent them? Pfft. Nobody cares..Like health workers, teachers, oil workers, police officers, firefighters, restaurant employees, Manitobans from all walks of life who won’t comply with questionable, harsh forced mandates, Schuler may be deprived of a right to earn a living.And the lone elected voice of reason in perennial COVID-19 hysteria will be muzzled. .The right to work is now taken away just because something irks elected officials. Not providing proof of COVID-19 vaccination irks them so much they casually destroy careers and lives..Maybe Schuler’s vaccinated. Maybe he isn’t. He says it’s nobody’s business but his..“As stated in the house, no one in Caucus is opposed to vaccinations, however, my personal health information is a private matter and I do not discuss my personal health information publicly,” said the Springfield-Ritchot MLA in a written statement to Western Standard..He refuses media interview requests. Can’t blame him..The Winnipeg Free Press polled all MLAs about their vaccination status. Aha! Schuler and Seine River PC MLA Janice Morley-Lecomte were outed for refusing to cough up personal information. Morley-Lecomte buckled to pressure and confirmed she’s vaccinated..No one appears to have a problem with media infringing on liberty and freedom by giving itself licence to poke into something that — until COVID-19 was sacred — an individual’s right to keep health information private. .In this COVID-19 madness, the obliging media increasingly oversteps boundaries it’s supposed to protect..Angus Reid recently found 70% of 1,000 Canadians surveyed believe employees should be fired if they refuse to be vaccinated. That means they must reveal vaccination status which is private health information..Would those surveyed feel the same way if a reporter chasing a story asked them about that embarrassing rash in private places, an abortion, reliance on anti-depressants, or any other medical conditions?.If so, it would be useless to run to one’s MLA for help. Readers revealed to me that one Manitoba MLA flippantly told an oil worker who refused the vaccine for religious convictions to just go get vaccinated. He lost his job. Another MLA coolly told a constituent to go hire a lawyer if she didn’t like the rules..Schuler’s vaccination status commanded new attention when it was revealed that a 70-year-old assistant in his constituency office died of COVID-19. .No details were provided on whether the assistant was vaccinated or where she contracted COVID-19. .But NDP house leader and justice critic Nahanni Fontaine pounced, calling for Schuler to be booted from cabinet, saying it would be “unconscionable” if he remained..To his credit, Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said it would be wrong to jump to conclusions about the tragic death, but yes, Schuler should be tossed..Health Minister Audrey Gordon told media she’s a “vaccine ambassador.”.“I’ve always tried to lead by example in my life. I’m a vaccine ambassador, and if others want to follow my lead, I strongly encourage them to do so,” said Gordon, who with two other cabinet ministers was outed for violating mandates whilst frolicking at a gala sans masks and social distancing..Schuler has been participating in question period virtually for a few months. The chamber already only allows MLAs in who have received two doses..Nonetheless, Stefanson imposed a tougher rule — get vaccinated or get banished. .Back to the NDP’s Fontaine who told the Winnipeg Sun MLAs must “step up.” .“And if MLAs don’t stand up, who the heck is supposed to step up?”.Oh, the irony of chastising an MLA who is doing exactly that. Schuler is stepping up heroically, not only for himself but for all being bullied into sharing personal information..Former Ontario privacy commissioner Dr. Ann Cavoukian recently told Blacklock’s Reporter she rejects vaccine passports in any form..“You’re talking about people’s personal health information. That is between your doctor and yourself. Now all of that has changed … I find it abhorrent,” said Cavoukian..“People’s health status is considered to be the most private, sensitive information they have … The problem is privacy protection measures, once they are lifted in an emergency, are seldom restored.” .Schuler appears to understand the sinister ramifications of that. This is about more than him..The premier and MLAs who choose to represent only Manitobans who dutifully obey them may silence him..While piously bleating about responsibility in a pandemic, these sheep are cleverly deflecting from their sinister stand on something they don’t support — one’s right to medical privacy..Baaaa…..Slobodian is the Senior Manitoba Columnist for the Western Standard.lslobodian@westernstandardonline.com
One Manitoba MLA — the only one of 57 — has the courage to fight for the right to protect private health information. .The rest are either timidly silent or scampering to microphones to vilify this flock member for daring to not run with their sheep in-crowd. .Progressive Conservative Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler is on the verge of getting ousted from Premier Heather Stefanson’s cabinet and banned from the legislature for refusing to reveal his COVID-19 vaccination status..Stefanson decreed a COVID-19 vaccination mandate effective December 15 for everyone entering the building..Years of hard work — Schuler was first elected in 1999, won five subsequent elections, and has held impressive posts — suddenly matter not. .What about the constituents who democratically elected him to represent them? Pfft. Nobody cares..Like health workers, teachers, oil workers, police officers, firefighters, restaurant employees, Manitobans from all walks of life who won’t comply with questionable, harsh forced mandates, Schuler may be deprived of a right to earn a living.And the lone elected voice of reason in perennial COVID-19 hysteria will be muzzled. .The right to work is now taken away just because something irks elected officials. Not providing proof of COVID-19 vaccination irks them so much they casually destroy careers and lives..Maybe Schuler’s vaccinated. Maybe he isn’t. He says it’s nobody’s business but his..“As stated in the house, no one in Caucus is opposed to vaccinations, however, my personal health information is a private matter and I do not discuss my personal health information publicly,” said the Springfield-Ritchot MLA in a written statement to Western Standard..He refuses media interview requests. Can’t blame him..The Winnipeg Free Press polled all MLAs about their vaccination status. Aha! Schuler and Seine River PC MLA Janice Morley-Lecomte were outed for refusing to cough up personal information. Morley-Lecomte buckled to pressure and confirmed she’s vaccinated..No one appears to have a problem with media infringing on liberty and freedom by giving itself licence to poke into something that — until COVID-19 was sacred — an individual’s right to keep health information private. .In this COVID-19 madness, the obliging media increasingly oversteps boundaries it’s supposed to protect..Angus Reid recently found 70% of 1,000 Canadians surveyed believe employees should be fired if they refuse to be vaccinated. That means they must reveal vaccination status which is private health information..Would those surveyed feel the same way if a reporter chasing a story asked them about that embarrassing rash in private places, an abortion, reliance on anti-depressants, or any other medical conditions?.If so, it would be useless to run to one’s MLA for help. Readers revealed to me that one Manitoba MLA flippantly told an oil worker who refused the vaccine for religious convictions to just go get vaccinated. He lost his job. Another MLA coolly told a constituent to go hire a lawyer if she didn’t like the rules..Schuler’s vaccination status commanded new attention when it was revealed that a 70-year-old assistant in his constituency office died of COVID-19. .No details were provided on whether the assistant was vaccinated or where she contracted COVID-19. .But NDP house leader and justice critic Nahanni Fontaine pounced, calling for Schuler to be booted from cabinet, saying it would be “unconscionable” if he remained..To his credit, Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said it would be wrong to jump to conclusions about the tragic death, but yes, Schuler should be tossed..Health Minister Audrey Gordon told media she’s a “vaccine ambassador.”.“I’ve always tried to lead by example in my life. I’m a vaccine ambassador, and if others want to follow my lead, I strongly encourage them to do so,” said Gordon, who with two other cabinet ministers was outed for violating mandates whilst frolicking at a gala sans masks and social distancing..Schuler has been participating in question period virtually for a few months. The chamber already only allows MLAs in who have received two doses..Nonetheless, Stefanson imposed a tougher rule — get vaccinated or get banished. .Back to the NDP’s Fontaine who told the Winnipeg Sun MLAs must “step up.” .“And if MLAs don’t stand up, who the heck is supposed to step up?”.Oh, the irony of chastising an MLA who is doing exactly that. Schuler is stepping up heroically, not only for himself but for all being bullied into sharing personal information..Former Ontario privacy commissioner Dr. Ann Cavoukian recently told Blacklock’s Reporter she rejects vaccine passports in any form..“You’re talking about people’s personal health information. That is between your doctor and yourself. Now all of that has changed … I find it abhorrent,” said Cavoukian..“People’s health status is considered to be the most private, sensitive information they have … The problem is privacy protection measures, once they are lifted in an emergency, are seldom restored.” .Schuler appears to understand the sinister ramifications of that. This is about more than him..The premier and MLAs who choose to represent only Manitobans who dutifully obey them may silence him..While piously bleating about responsibility in a pandemic, these sheep are cleverly deflecting from their sinister stand on something they don’t support — one’s right to medical privacy..Baaaa…..Slobodian is the Senior Manitoba Columnist for the Western Standard.lslobodian@westernstandardonline.com
