Yet again, easily Rebel News' dumbest reporter, Drea Humphrey, yammers on about mask exemptions (this time in B.C.) and writes in part:
Now here's what's so interesting about the endless stream of nonsensical articles emanating from Rebel News about mask exemptions -- I am unaware of a single article wherein someone's mask exemption is actually explained. Note above how the victim is described as simply "claiming an exemption," without any indication of what the exemption is or if any proof is required. So let's check BC's actual rules regarding mask exemptions, shall we?
Well, now, this is interesting. First, sure enough, the regulations state that "Proof should not be required." OK, that sounds like you don't need to prove squat, but read the previous sentence (emphasis tail-waggingly added):
"If a person claims a valid reason they cannot wear a mask, take them at their word."
As I read that, even if you are not required to provide physical proof of your exemption, you still need to describe what it is based on. That is (as long as I am interpreting the above correctly), you cannot state nothing more than, "I'm exempt, so there;" you need to be more forthcoming than that, which is something you never, ever, ever, ever read in a Rebel News article. But, wait ... there's more.
Note well that even if you have a valid mask exemption, businesses are still not obligated to allow you indoor access:
"Having a valid reason not to wear a mask does not guarantee you access to an indoor space. Businesses can accommodate you by serving you in other ways, such as providing curbside pick-up."
Make sure you understand the above -- even with a valid mask exemption, it is still within the rights of any business to tell you they will still not allow you to enter. Which means that if you try to enter a business, and they refuse to allow you in, claiming a mask exemption in no way trumps their right to keep you out, which makes me suspect that this is the basis of most of these complaints -- that someone claiming a mask exemption is demanding entry to someone's establishment even after they've been told not to come in.
In any event, this was just a long-winded way of pointing out that Drea Humphrey is an idiot. Like you needed proof of that.
5 comments:
No Rebel "writer" has any right to comment on the issue of exemptions. Never forget that they SOLD downloadable fake exemptions certificates and buttons claiming exemptions, while screaming blue murder every time a store failed to admit one of their tantrum-throwing readers for not providing evidence of a claimed exemption.
I'm particularly fond of the "religious exemption holder" they like to profile. One included a "practicing Roman Catholic" who, it seems, was unaware that Pope has called vaccination an "act of Christian love" and urged all Catholics to vax. Another, profiled by Sheila Gunn Reid, was a devout Christian whose "faith" forbade him to get vaccinated. Turns out his "faith" was a televangelist in Korea who he had never met, but who was providing North Americans with exemption certificates on request for a price.
I sympathize: given that even Christian Scientists and Jehovah's Witnesses have endorsed vaccination, it must be hard to find a "faith-based" exemption.
Well, plus, those are guidelines for people, like merchants or whatever. THEY have to take a person at their word, although they still don't have to let them in. But I don't think that means the AUTHORITIES, who FINE people, have to take you at your word. So if they fined the guy for shopping without a mask, I'm thinking they determined that his claimed "mask exemption" was bogus baloney 'cause he was not under five, had working arms and could put on a mask, and had no relevant health condition.
"management reserves the right to..."
Government funded places accept the "Exempt" reply.
In fact, Bonnie Henry has stated herself, that businesses should just accept that and move on.
Bestbuy
London drugs
Libraries.
Walmart
Nester's market
Courts
McDonalds.
Tim Hortan's
Pretty much all the large places has a policy of just accepting it and not challenging anyone.
Drea's a moron, but in the case of BC. It still has the mask mandate, but it's not enforced. Same with the vaccine passport. Nobody actually checks.
John S: Don't confuse the *option* of accepting a claim of mask exemption with an *obligation* to accept it. Yes, lots of places just blindly accept an unsubstantiated claim, but more and more places are taking a stand and refusing to honour them, which sometimes inspires the yokels to stamp their little feet and respond, "Hey, you have no right to question me!"
The mandates seem clear -- while businesses have the *freedom* to believe someone's claim to be mask exempt, they are not *required* to.
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