Unmasking the Issue of Mandatory Face Masks

Unmasking the Issue of Mandatory Face Masks

Michelle Pinon News Advertiser

Vegreville town council has decided to lay it all on the line when it comes to mandatory face masks.

The contentious issue was the first item to be discussed at their Sept. 28 meeting. Admittedly, Mayor Tim MacPhee stated, “I know that we all have had conversations amongst themselves that wasn’t open to the public regarding what we should do about wearing face masks. So we’re going to have that discussion tonight.”

MacPhee asked councillors to be very clear on where they stand on the issue before going around the room for their opinions.

“Myself, personally, I have probably had eight members of our community contact me in the last two months asking why we have not made masks mandatory. I’ve told all eight of them that I feel where we’re at as a community now with the amount of cases that I don’t feel that it’s something that we need to do.”

MacPhee said he would support any individual, business, organization or church in the community that has made the use of face masks mandatory.

Councillor Tina Warawa said she had a lot of conversations, and interestingly enough had people on the opposite side than the mask side. She pointed out we are not in a “worse scenario” than we were in February or March. “We have not had masks through April, May, June, July or August and now September. I do not see any reason to change course.”

Coun. Warawa did say she is open to reviewing it on an ongoing basis to see if things change. “But I don’t support us passing a mandatory mask bylaw, but I support businesses who want to have it, and encourage people to wear them as well.”

Councillor Dave Berry said he would support individuals and businesses if they feel they need to wear masks. “My position on it is the health and welfare of people is really a provincial mandate and Doctor Hinshaw has not mandated the wearing of a mask across the province.

I don’t think it’s fair to download to individual communities to decide what they should be doing. Take a look at Edmonton’s mask bylaw since mid-August and I don’t see the numbers going down. So I think the science is there and I have a science background. I don’t think the science is there definitively stated either way. I don’t think it’s fair to try and mandate it against those who wish not to wear it.”

Councillor Marielle Brodziak said she agreed with the mayor. She also supports businesses who have mandated it, however, she feels it is up to the province whether to mandate it or not.

Councillor Taneen Rudyk said there are a few issues more polarizing in municipal government in the last little while. “I can’t think of anything more contentious and I’ve been hearing from businesses the opposite, that they would like us to make that decision for them.

I guess as some of my colleagues have said, the challenge is that it’s a provincial decision and it’s been left in our hands, which is unfair. Businesses also feel it’s been put in their hands, which has also been unfair….I am a strong believer in wearing a mask and I would be supportive of having a mask bylaw for the simple sake of being respectful and allowing businesses to open. Businesses I don’t think can survive fiscally or financially having another closure of businesses at large. So for that reason, I would support it just because it levels the playing field and removes contention between business owners as well as the staff who are getting the brunt of anger from people.”