Vaccine policies fall on a spectrum, from mandates to recommendations. Deciding what to use and when is not so much a science but a balancing act between personal autonomy and public good.
A pedestrian wearing a mask crosses a street in Calgary in November 2020.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Albertans struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Alberta Viewpoint Survey shows there’s a fragile optimism about the future as a provincial election approaches.
Danielle Smith celebrates after being chosen as the new leader of the United Conservative Party and next Alberta premier in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Danielle Smith’s win in the UCP leadership race follows the populist playbook. Will her time in office be a brief interlude, or the start of a significant challenge to national unity?
Fair Work Commission rulings on employer vaccination mandates highlight the need for fair processes.
With governments seemingly giving up their responsibility to keep people safe, it is time for businesses to take the lead on health and safety.
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
We expect businesses to be more socially and environmentally responsible by minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and eliminating harmful business practices — why don’t we do the same for COVID-19?
Many countries are winding back COVID-19 restrictions, but governments should be continuing to promote the importance of voluntary mask use and catching up outdoors.
Queensland is removing the requirement to be vaccinated before entering cafes, pubs, galleries and other public spaces. But this could affect public attitudes about the importance of vaccination.
A small group of COVID-19 mandate protesters remain on the street as the group packs up and prepares to head home on Memorial Blvd in Winnipeg, Man. on Feb. 23, 2022.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
The “freedom convoy” was a culmination of years of persistent mobilization by far-right networks whose growth intensified as they digitally tapped into COVID-19 related grievances.
COVID guidelines have changed a lot over the past few years as the pandemic has ebbed and flowed.
AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
The constantly changing COVID-19 rules can be frustrating. But this pandemic is like no other public health crisis in history. It is better to think of the virus and US responses the way we think about hurricanes.
B.C. Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon has his COVID-19 vaccine QR code scanned in September, 2021.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Kumanan Wilson, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa
Vaccine passports became one of the most divisive issues of the COVID-19 pandemic. These policies were affected not only by public opinion but by new variants and changing goals for herd immunity.
Vaccine passes have outlived their usefulness, at least for now. But as New Zealand’s Omicron wave begins to subside, other public health measures remain vitally important.
New Zealand has more laws about respecting the flag than about protecting parliament and its grounds. The 23-day occupation in Wellington showed how much needs to change.
Now that Omicron infection is widespread, the government could improve trust by phasing out travel restrictions and border isolation and reviewing vaccine mandates to ensure they are proportionate.
Vaccine mandates and passports have resulted in protests, like this one in London, U.K.
(Shutterstock/Loredana Sangiuliano)
Vaccine passports can and have been used to increase surveillance by governments. Transparency and accountability are crucial for protecting the privacy of civilians.
A person holds a copy of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms during the so-called freedom convoy protest on Parliament Hill.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
The Canadian Constitution compels a proportionate weighing of all Charter rights against the threat of COVID-19, meaning that individual freedom is not absolute.
People gather to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and masking measures during a rally in Kingston, Ont., in November 2021. A woman carries a sign using an abortion rights slogan.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg
This year’s federal election will have many strands that influence it, including the ‘freedom’ protest movement and its interaction with right-wing populist politics.
With the occupation of parliament grounds entering its second week, police walk a thin blue line between enforcing the law and not inflaming the situation.
Visiting Professor in Biomedical Ethics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; Distinguished Visiting Professor in Law, University of Melbourne; Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics, University of Oxford
Paediatrician at the Royal Childrens Hospital and Associate Professor and Clinician Scientist, University of Melbourne and MCRI, Murdoch Children's Research Institute