Protesters gather to protest a potential mandatory mask bylaw in the City of Grande Prairie. Photo Credit: Shane Clausing

By Shane Clausing

mask protest

Protesters gather to make voice heard on mandatory mask use in Grande Prairie

Aug 31, 2020 | 1:26 PM

NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect the amendments made by Grande Prairie City Council the draft Bylaw during deliberations Monday.

Well over 50 protesters gathered on Monday morning outside of the Centre 2000 on the old bypass to protest a potential mandatory mask Bylaw that is being debated by Grande Prairie City Council.

The potential Bylaw, which would make face coverings mandatory in all indoor, enclosed or substantially enclosed spaces and public vehicles if the City and County of Grande Prairie reached a combined total of 100 active cases of COVID-19 or if Alberta Health placed either municipality under an enhanced watch status as part of its relaunch plan, was discussed by Council for nearly five hours on Monday.

RELATED: Mandatory mask Bylaw decision postponed to Sept. 8 meeting

“What I do appreciate about council’s law is that it’s not just a blanket law,” said Julianne Johnson, a registered nurse in Grande Prairie and one of the main organizers for Monday’s protest. “There’s a definitive beginning to it… and there’s a definitive end to it.”

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“My concern is that it won’t actually be rescinded. Often once these things are put in place, they don’t come out of place and what are we going to do? Come off for three days, take down all the signs and put them all back up? It’s not really viable.”

Photo Credit: Shane Clausing

While the Bylaw was debated amongst council, many at the protest were against any type of Bylaw that could potentially be passed.

“The councillors that I talked to said that the city is in favour of mandatory masks,” said Dave Sales. “When I am walking on the street or in a store, I see one per cent or two per cent (of people) wearing them. There needs to be a choice, the numbers don’t warrant it.”

“I’m against stifling people’s rights to express themselves. I don’t believe having people put on masks on the street makes sense,” said Onylema Nwalegu, one of the protesters at the protest.

“This shouldn’t have been a discussion in the very first place. We were told that we need 14 days to flatten the curve. And 14 days turned into a month, and it became two months and three months and now some want to probably shut us down until a vaccine comes out. It should be a choice (wearing a mask), anyone who feels comfortable wearing their mask, should put on their mask and if you think you don’t need put on your mask, by all means, don’t put on your mask.”

Photo Credit: Shane Clausing

Michelle Turcot also showed up to protest the potential bylaw.

“I just feel that masks should be by choice. I think that there’s a lot of negative side effects of wearing them long term or a lot of hours a day. I think it’s a violation of human rights to be forced to wear something on our face when we go into a store or building and I don’t like the fact that so many employees are being forced to wear them while they work.”

“So many people need their jobs for survival that they are not given the choice to not wear the mask and stay at home. I’m just fighting for this cause for the freedom to choose whatever you personally want.”

While many people protested against the law on Monday, there were also people in attendance in support of the bylaw at the protest.

Emma MacDougall and Bailey Cochrane are both registered nurses and wanted to make sure their voice was heard when it came to the mask debate.

“I was amazed that there was even a protest against masks to begin with, let alone how many people there are here. I just wanted to show that there are people in Grande Prairie who think it’s important to wear a mask,” said MacDougall.

“I think it’s important to educate the general public on why wearing masks is crucial in the middle of a global pandemic,” said Cochrane.

Both MacDougall and Cochrane added that it’s been concerning walking around busy places in Grande Prairie and seeing the lack of mask usage by residents in the city.

Nurses protest in favour of a mandatory mask law. Photo Credit: Shane Clausing

While the mask debate will likely continue until the pandemic comes to an end, some who are against the law said that while they won’t support it, they would abide by it to an extent if it came into effect.

“I am completely against wearing a mask, I won’t mask my children, I will have to figure out what exactly to do if a law is passed, because I also believe in respecting law and order otherwise there’s just anarchy, but while the laws not passed I’m not wearing a mask,” explained Johnson.

“I don’t have an issue if a store says ‘you can’t come into our store if you are not wearing a mask’. That’s your property, if I’m not putting a mask on and you say I can’t come in, then I can’t come in, that’s your choice,” explained Onylema.

“But it should not be mandated that I’m walking on a street and I have to put a mask on. I hope that the law makers listen to the people and give the people the choice to live their life the way they deem fit.”

Following the lengthy deliberations Monday, council agreed to postpone further discussions on any potential mask bylaw until its next scheduled meeting on September 8.