Religious freedoms and medical freedoms are of equal importance, but somehow politicians think they can pick and choose their initiative of the day..Mayor Jyoti Gondek thinks it’s “bonkers” the unvaccinated are allowed among us. That’s blatant discrimination, further driving segregation in a time when new cooperative solutions are needed to have any movement forward as a free society..As Calgary’s leaders involve themselves in Quebec’s Bill-21 controversy, my head has been spinning with the contradictions demonstrated in supporting religious freedoms for Quebecers, but not for Calgarians with regard to COVID-19 mandates..“Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, are core tenets of who we are as Canadians, and we cannot for a second waver in our commitments to those rights,” said City of Calgary Coun. Jasmine Mian at the council meeting on December 20..“Protecting fundamental rights is all of our responsibility, any law of this nature cannot take root here.”.It seems councilors aren’t paying attention to their own words because they’ve implemented laws of that same nature..Calgary’s politicians are worried about people in Quebec losing their jobs over what they believe and what they wear, but somehow manage to completely ignore the same things unfolding in their own backyard..In response to the firing of a teacher for wearing a hijab, Gondek — and much of the city council — want to fund a legal challenge to Bill-21 in Quebec. The bill prohibits some government employees from wearing religious symbols, such as crucifixes and hijabs in the workplace..It leaves me confused when politicians and public figures speak up about discrimination and free choice, then carry on discriminating and taking away free choice. Both religious freedoms and medical freedoms are in the same realm, yet when endorsing freedom takes place, some oppression is overlooked..Gondek has gone to great lengths to say it’s unjust to have your clothing choices mandated, yet you must wear the clothing she mandates..The bylaw regarding COVID-19 face coverings directly affects peoples’ freedom to choose what they wear..Let’s remember limiting how one group of people may or may not partake in society is directly blocking fundamental freedoms. Does city council know how many people in Alberta have been put on unpaid leave or outright fired for their vaccination status in the past few months? Nobody seems to care that being let go for ones’ personal medical choice is completely unethical and illegal. Or at least it was a year ago..This conundrum also has me wondering how so many people don’t make any connections between current pandemic debates to the pro-choice “my body, my choice” movement. Does anyone remember that? As Western Standard Publisher Derek Fildebrandt pointed out, the principle of individual choice doesn’t seem to extend to any other medical procedures outside of abortions..Liberal ideology, for the most part, seems to be pro-choice until it became about an experimental vaccine. Are people suddenly no longer able to say “no” to a medical procedure without consequences? Is Canada suddenly a society that values individual rights or not? Trudeau, who claims to hold China’s communist dictator in high regard, has gone too far..Each individual should have the right to do their own research and weigh the risks to make the decision that’s right for them — or at least it used to be that way. News flash: there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for the situation we’re in..How can Calgary officials continue to turn a blind eye to the unethical behaviour unfolding in Alberta when they grandstand against discrimination in other provinces?.Please, Alberta leaders, stand up for your own people. If you think Quebecers should be able to believe what they want and wear what they want without interference from the state, the same should extend to Albertans..Ewa Sudyk is a reporter for the Western Standard
