BC Human Rights Tribunal "drowning" in mask and vaccine complaints

Sep 27 2021, 11:02 pm

The BC Human Rights Tribunal (BCHRT) says it is drowning in a sea of complaints related to mandatory mask policies and vaccination requirements in the province.

In a recent Twitter post, the BCHRT said that COVID-19-related complaints have created a backlog that has affected its ability to get to more pressing matters.

The tribunal is urging people who are filing these complaints to learn about what constitutes a violation of human rights.

The complaints directed towards the BCHRT escalated after BC introduced the BC Vaccine Card, which is the province’s version of a vaccine passport.

On September 15, the BCHRT issued a release detailing the validity of complaints relating to COVID-19 protocols in the province.

“The Human Rights Code does not protect people who object to mask rules because of their personal beliefs. The Human Rights Code only protects people who cannot wear a mask because of a protected characteristic, like disability.”

The chair of the tribunal is asking people to learn about human rights before filing a complaint.

“The code does not protect personal choice or personal preference. The code protects personal characteristics like disabilities or sex or race or gender identity.” https://t.co/cRWKgn3yCS

— BC Human Rights Clinic (@bchrc) September 27, 2021

The BCHRT says one complaint involved someone saying they didn’t want to wear a mask because it “dishonoured God.” The complaint was dismissed.

Another complaint said that wearing a mask “caused anxiety” and made it “difficult to breathe.” This complaint was also dismissed.

The tribunal will also not deal with complaints that relate to people disagreeing with a vaccine requirement based on personal beliefs.

The BCHRT is also urging people to talk to service providers before they make the effort to file a complaint, which would help alleviate the current backlog.

Daily Hive has reached out to the BCHRT for more information.

Amir AliAmir Ali

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