B.C. health-care workers disheartened by pandemic protests on Remembrance Day

Vancouver -

The day after protesters made headlines inserting themselves into B.C. Remembrance Day gatherings, some health-care workers say they feel defeated.

“It is a slap in the face towards these health-care workers that are fighting against COVID-19,” said Dr. Matthew Chow, president of Doctors of B.C.

“We are seeing, first hand, the effects of people not being vaccinated and it is horrendous. We are flying people out of the north to hospitals all across the province, so they can receive intensive care because people are not vaccinated."

Anti-vaccination activists organized public events to spread their views on vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 safety measures at cenotaphs in both Kelowna and Kamloops on Thursday, upsetting some who had come out to observe the sombre national holiday.

“This was supposed to be a day for veterans, and it was marred by protesters,” added Chow.

According to the BC Nurses’ Union, Thursday’s events brought back painful memories of a larger anti-vaccination protest outside of Vancouver General Hospital in September. Roughly 2,000 people rallied outside VGH, impeding access for cancer patients and others.

“Our members are traumatized from what happened back in September and I just want to remind people there is a time and a place to protest," said Danette Thompson, interim vice-president of the BC Nurses’ Union.

Dr. Chow added that the protest in September turned violent and several health-care workers were harrassed while trying to go to work.

“We had colleagues that were spat on by anti-vax protesters. That is clearly not acceptable,” said Chow.

Ed Prentice is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for small cell lung cancer, and told CTV News he remembers having to get out of his car and walk quite a distance to his appointment.

“By the time I got there, I was almost ready to drop,” said Prentice.

“I’m immunocompromised. Walking through a crowd full of people with no masks and COVID going on – for someone like me, COVID is a death sentence."

Prentice was horrified to see this happen again to Canada’s veterans.

“It’s not the hospital or the veterans who are making these policies. If you want to protest the government or shut down an intersection, that’s one thing. But to affect people that are just trying to seek help, is the wrong way to go about it,” he said.​

Prentice feels the organizers of these anti-vaccination protests should be held criminally responsible.

“I think they should be jailed,” said Prentice.

“They’re blocking hospitals trying to get people’s attention while patients are trying to receive life-saving procedures."

There are growing calls for the NDP to introduce legislation that would establish "bubble zones" in certain areas to prevent anti-vaccination activists from intervening at places like hospitals and schools. However, it's not clear if the new law will prevent protests like the ones held on Remembrance Day from being disrupted.

B.C.’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth told CTV News that further details on the legislation will be available in the days to come.

“While everyone has the right to peaceful protest, British Columbians were disgusted and disheartened by the disrespect shown by protesters at Remembrance Day ceremonies which honour Canadians who have served and sacrificed for this country for generations,” Farnworth said in a statement.

“I’m aware that Kelowna RCMP are investigating an incident in that community and have reached out to the public for information,” he added.